Calculate your net worth from total assets and total liabilities.
Net worth = total assets (cash, investments, property, etc.) − total liabilities (loans, credit card debt, etc.).
Net worth is total assets minus total liabilities — everything you own less everything you owe. It is the single clearest measure of financial position, because income tells you what flows in while net worth tells you what you have kept. A high earner with large debts can have a lower net worth than someone earning far less.
Count assets at realistic current value rather than what you paid: cash and deposits, investments, retirement balances such as EPF and NPS, property at market value, and vehicles at resale value. Against that, count every liability including the outstanding principal on home, car, personal and education loans, credit card balances, and any money owed to family. The number itself matters less than its direction over time; tracking it once or twice a year shows whether your position is genuinely improving.
Include it at realistic market value, and include the outstanding mortgage as a liability. That gives your true equity in the property. Bear in mind that a home you live in is not a liquid asset — a healthy net worth concentrated entirely in property can still leave you short of accessible cash.
Not necessarily, and it is common early on. A recent graduate with an education loan, or a new homeowner just after a purchase, will often show negative net worth simply because the debt was taken before the assets appreciated. What matters is the trend. Sustained negative movement is the warning sign, not a negative figure by itself.
Savings measure what you set aside from income. Net worth measures your whole position, including growth on investments, appreciation on property and repayment of debt. You can have a good savings rate and flat net worth if debt is rising just as quickly.
Once or twice a year is enough for most people. Checking too often invites reacting to short-term market movement, which is noise at this level. Annual review, ideally at the same point each year, gives a clean comparison.