How Your Wealth Stands Against Today’s Retirees and What That Means for You

The Average Net Worth for Retirees

The most recent data from the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Finances shows that retirees hold an average net worth of $287,900 as of 2022. (Updated numbers are due in late 2026.) That figure captures everything they own—like homes, investments, savings, and vehicles—minus what they owe.

The line graph below shows how that number has shifted since 1989. Retiree wealth rose through the 1990s, slipped around the early-2000s downturn, and fell after the 2008 financial crisis. Growth resumed in the years that followed, but the most striking change came in the latest reading: a jump from about $203,000 in 2019 to nearly $288,000 in 2022, helped by rising home values and strong investment gains during the early pandemic period.

But that top-line figure tells only part of the story. Breaking down the components gives an even clearer picture of the financial position of retirees today.

What’s Behind the Numbers—Debt, Mortgages, and Assets

While net worth tells you everything you own and owe, the underlying pieces will vary widely from one household to the next.

Note: The figures below reflect retirees who reported holding each asset or debt, not all retirees.

Common Assets Held by Retirees

Among retirees who reported owning these assets, their typical values are:

• Retirement accounts: $170,000
• Primary residence: $279,000
• Other residential real estate: $150,000
• Unrealized capital gains: $139,440
• Vehicles: $21,000

These amounts underscore how central real estate and retirement savings are to the net worth of many retirees.

Key Debts Among Retirees

Among those carrying these liabilities, typical balances include:

• Mortgages or home equity loans: $100,000
• Home equity lines of credit: $27,000
• Other real estate debt (non-primary residence): $158,000
• Education loans: $20,000
• Vehicle loans: $13,000
• Credit card balances: $2,500

How To Protect and Strengthen Your Wealth in Retirement

Retirement often means shifting from building wealth to managing it carefully. Even though net worth often declines over time as income disappears and savings are drawn down, there are practical ways to help keep your finances on steady ground.

One of the simplest steps is making sure your cash is earning a competitive yield, so that your savings keep pace with inflation. That can include today’s best high-yield savings accounts, money market accounts, and brokerage cash-management accounts, which pay far more than traditional savings accounts. For more predictable returns, short-term Treasuries and top-paying options from today’s best CDs can play a role, while I bonds add an inflation-linked choice that adjusts over time.

Keeping your spending in check is another meaningful lever. Setting a clear withdrawal plan—whether using the 4% rule as a baseline or adjusting it for your personal needs—helps prevent your nest egg from eroding faster than expected. Lowering investment costs, such as by switching to index funds or reviewing advisor fees, can also help more of your money stay working for you.

For some retirees, you may even be able to provide helpful padding by earning a little income. Occasional consulting, part-time work, or monetizing a hobby doesn’t have to be a major commitment, and even modest inflows can slow the pace at which your spend your savings.

And while many retirees avoid new debt, reviewing existing balances—especially on mortgages, vehicle loans, or lingering credit card debt—can reveal opportunities to reduce costs or consolidate at lower rates. Every bit helps when you’re working to protect the resources you’ve already earned.