# Is your net worth above or below the ideal amount? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 10, 2021, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-net-worth-above-or-below-the-ideal-amount/941785 "2021-05-10T20:23:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2021, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-net-worth-above-or-below-the-ideal-amount/941785/41 "2021-05-14T20:13:34Z")
They are all wrong…depending on where you live. Most of those are solid middle class lifestyles anywhere close to a prosperous city, cost of living being what it is. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2021, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-net-worth-above-or-below-the-ideal-amount/941785/42 "2021-05-14T20:16:19Z")
Since I’m 74 and our retirement income is comfortable, my ideal amount is fairly high. That said, we exceed that amount because we have zero debt. In today’s market in Portland, this small house would easily fetch $600K alone. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2021, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-net-worth-above-or-below-the-ideal-amount/941785/43 "2021-05-14T20:19:23Z")
Initially I had forgot to divide by 10. After dividing by 10, I’m well above. Nearly double. if the market had not been punched repeatedly in the nads lately, the I would be at about double. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2021, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-net-worth-above-or-below-the-ideal-amount/941785/44 "2021-05-15T15:10:38Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > Let me first start by saying that your mentor is very good at the first three baby steps. That’s his wheelhouse, and while it may be tough to actually follow, it’s certainly not impossible. Full credit to him for his work in helping people in that area. . . > > (Snipped for brevity by **Tripler** ) > > His investment advice for his listeners who still listen to him after completing the first three steps – is it bad? No, but it certainly isn’t the best - he suggests that you go to one of his affiliated investment professionals, where he presumable gets a referral fee or some other compensation, and the advisor sells load funds with high expense ratios. . . . > > (Again, snipped for brevity by **Tripler** ) > [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](#): > > However, after looking at his website, my spidey sense is triggered at step 4 of his program where he refers people to investment advisers. Without giving him my personal information and inviting piles of spam, I can’t investigate further but I suspect that many people are buying higher cost investments through his website when they would be getter served with low-cost index funds or ETFs. I am **totally** picking up what you both are laying down. I have always done my own investing (passively, as in, ‘contribute to the 401k managed funds, and let the thing grow’), but never really got into detailed research to drive my own train. I just don’t have the time, knowledge, or gumption, but I _am_ following his principles. I see both @Tired_and_Cranky and @Dag_Otto’s points that you don’t want to get into self-serving-sales. But, I will stand by Dave’s principles in _what_ to do (in laying out _some_ sort of strategy for newbies), but agree with you in making one’s own decisions in _how_ to do it at a certain point. He lays things out for the aimless (i.e. me) in simple, prioritized steps–and I think he even says, “It’s up to you in what to follow. . . these are just my recommendations.” But yup, in some of the later steps, his recommendations in specific investments are not for everybody. Tripler Two sides, one coin. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-your-net-worth-above-or-below-the-ideal-amount/941785.md?page=2)