how often do you check your net worth?
how often do you check your net worth?
New to posting on the forum and a recent follower of the Bogleheads philosophy. After years of trying to actively manage and beat the market, I've succumbed to simplifying my portfolio after realizing that I wasn't generating much (if any) alpha.
As my wife and I approach the 2 comma club I wanted to ask how often people check their portfolio / net worth? Hourly, daily, weekly, monthly? I only ask because I think the obsession of reaching the $1mm mark (not that it means much given it's an arbitrary number and not our end goal) provides a sense of satisfaction but I've recently deemed it to be unhealthy and feel I need to lose the attachment given it has no bearing on my end strategy. Hope to hear others' opinions!
As my wife and I approach the 2 comma club I wanted to ask how often people check their portfolio / net worth? Hourly, daily, weekly, monthly? I only ask because I think the obsession of reaching the $1mm mark (not that it means much given it's an arbitrary number and not our end goal) provides a sense of satisfaction but I've recently deemed it to be unhealthy and feel I need to lose the attachment given it has no bearing on my end strategy. Hope to hear others' opinions!
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
I track my balances monthly. I use the Fidelity aggregator to give me a snapshot.
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Once a week. And on December 31.
I guess it all could be much worse. |
They could be warming up my hearse.
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
I check every 6 months which is probably too often. But I like to watch the progress. Also I watch stock movements much more closely. I have found it illustrative to watch how the market responds to various pieces of news during the pandemic. Shelter in place--market crash! Reopen the economy--good recovery! Cases spike to worse than they were before--no effect!
I don't really worry about net worth because who really knows what my house is worth anyway? At one time Zillow and the Chase website were nearly 100k apart, and a comp sold for more than the higher estimate.
I don't really worry about net worth because who really knows what my house is worth anyway? At one time Zillow and the Chase website were nearly 100k apart, and a comp sold for more than the higher estimate.
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Twice a year when I check whether my asset allocation has gotten beyond rebalancing bands.
Since I have a simple portfolio of cap weighted index funds, hearing the general news about what the market has been doing gives me a good idea of whether I am up or down since the last check, and roughly by how much.
There is nothing I do with changes in the networth value, since they do not affect my investing, spending, retirement or estate planning. I need to compute it to determine asset allocation, so I see it
I could not imagine the point of checking more frequently. What difference does it make?
Since I have a simple portfolio of cap weighted index funds, hearing the general news about what the market has been doing gives me a good idea of whether I am up or down since the last check, and roughly by how much.
There is nothing I do with changes in the networth value, since they do not affect my investing, spending, retirement or estate planning. I need to compute it to determine asset allocation, so I see it
I could not imagine the point of checking more frequently. What difference does it make?
Last edited by afan on Thu Aug 20, 2020 2:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
We don't know how to beat the market on a risk-adjusted basis, and we don't know anyone that does know either |
--Swedroe |
We assume that markets are efficient, that prices are right |
--Fama
- bogleblitz
- Posts: 506
- Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2012 2:51 pm
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
On good days like stock market at an all time high this week, I check daily. It's a quick login to an app like Mint / Personal Capital.
On bad days like Feb / March 2020. I check once a month.
On bad days like Feb / March 2020. I check once a month.
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
I use personal capital (with manual data) so I can get a quick and dirty read. When the stock markets go up, I check. When it goes down, I don't check. At min, I calculate on a quarterly basis and have done so since 2006.
-
- Posts: 497
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 1:02 pm
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Formally, I do it at the end of each quarter. Some accounts I never check until then, others I will "peek" at much more frequently. For those, the frequency is correlated with observed market volatility.
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Tracking sheet in google sheets updated through the month and finalized each end of month with the official number. Tracked include both total net worth and invested assets.
-
- Posts: 487
- Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2017 2:08 pm
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Hilarious. I do the same thing.bogleblitz wrote: ↑Thu Aug 20, 2020 1:49 pm On good days like stock market at an all time high this week, I check daily. It's a quick login to an app like Mint / Personal Capital.
On bad days like Feb / March 2020. I check once a month.
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Are there people who check their net worth hourly? I think daily would be too obsessive, but hourly??
Last edited by mptfan on Thu Aug 20, 2020 2:00 pm, edited 2 times in total.
-
- Posts: 5993
- Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2016 3:22 pm
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Full net worth, 3x per year (this has gone from monthly to every-other-month to its current state). In accumulation with about 10ish years to potential retirement, there isn't much value with monthly.
Checking accounts/credit cards - Daily
Checking accounts/credit cards - Daily
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Once or twice a year, usually. Maybe a bit more often if I'm close to a milestone. Might as well celebrate those, even knowing it's entirely possible you could backtrack and cross that same data point multiple times. But I'm in it for the long haul, and as long as things seem more or less on track the point-in-time value of net worth doesn't serve much purpose.
-
- Posts: 258
- Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2019 9:17 am
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Try to do monthly out of curiosity, but inevitably miss some. Reserve time to at least record quarterly statements. I do not like to budget so, consistently checking helps me make sure I am not spending more than I can afford.
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Sporadically.
It's simply a barometer.
It's simply a barometer.
- Clever_Username
- Posts: 1915
- Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:24 am
- Location: Southern California
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
I re-balance four times a year, plus if I'm aware of significant market movement I'll check my portfolio to see if I hit my bands. That's a very large fraction of my networth, so I guess that timing.
My house has an interesting burden on the deed, which is beneficial to me overall but makes it tough for estimating its value. But my portfolio is a much larger portion of my net worth.
My house has an interesting burden on the deed, which is beneficial to me overall but makes it tough for estimating its value. But my portfolio is a much larger portion of my net worth.
"What was true then is true now. Have a plan. Stick to it." -- XXXX, _Layer Cake_ |
|
I survived my first downturn and all I got was this signature line.
-
- Posts: 752
- Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2016 9:55 am
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
I do my rebalancing calculations around the first of the year, so that is when everything gets tallied up and put into my little spreadsheets.
Once a year.
Once a year.
-
- Posts: 6972
- Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2007 6:46 pm
- Location: Allentown–Bethlehem–Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Daily .
All my/our investment/bank accounts/credit cards balances are shown on Fido's Full View product showing yesterday's closing values, along with entries representing the current estimated value of our SPIA and real estate holdings.
Knowing net worth is one thing, to ensure its increase (hopefully) over time. Other than that, I don't see value in it for most cases other than as a "feel good" number.
- Ron
All my/our investment/bank accounts/credit cards balances are shown on Fido's Full View product showing yesterday's closing values, along with entries representing the current estimated value of our SPIA and real estate holdings.
Knowing net worth is one thing, to ensure its increase (hopefully) over time. Other than that, I don't see value in it for most cases other than as a "feel good" number.
- Ron
Last edited by Ron on Thu Aug 20, 2020 2:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
- Posts: 1023
- Joined: Sun May 10, 2020 12:26 am
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
I established a family trust a couple years ago and at that time, I figured out what my NW was. I haven't thought about it since.
I do visit my main brokerage multiple times each week because I'm heavily leveraged in stock.
I do visit my main brokerage multiple times each week because I'm heavily leveraged in stock.
Last edited by neverpanic on Thu Aug 20, 2020 2:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I am not a financial professional or guru. I'm a schmuck who got lucky 10 times. Such is the life of the trader.
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Biweekly, when the paycheck hits the bank.
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Never done a full NW calculation. We keep closer track of retirement accounts, but don't run a total of EF/cash, mortgage, student loans, and all that stuff + retirement.
Will likely change once DW's student loan is gone.
So "how often do you check your net worth" - zero so far. In a couple years, maybe quarterly as we update our retirement account asset allocation tracking?
Will likely change once DW's student loan is gone.
So "how often do you check your net worth" - zero so far. In a couple years, maybe quarterly as we update our retirement account asset allocation tracking?
-
- Posts: 4816
- Joined: Wed Sep 09, 2015 4:44 pm
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
A few times a week. Not specifically to check net worth but to check other accounts. Account aggregation software shows it. Of course, it's really just a rough estimate because of things like real estate the value is just a rough estimate. I tend not to adjust real estate values until there's been very clear appreciation and discount 6% for selling costs.
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Quarterly.
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
My Microsoft Money 2002 works great for all financial records. I keep it up almost daily with all fund prices, expenditures and receipts. So, my net worth is available on a moments notice just by a click of the mouse. But, when do I look at it? Whenever I feel like it or when my spouse says "How are we doing." I bark back the answer, but with a whimper when it is down.
Woof Woof
Woof Woof
Last edited by Sheepdog on Thu Aug 20, 2020 2:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered you will never grow. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
-
- Posts: 153
- Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2020 11:45 am
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
I use Mint.com to check other accounts like CCs, so I end up seeing my NW every day. I have big fluctuations due to a large % in stocks. I think this is unhealthy to look so often so I may delete accounts other than CCs just so I am not influenced by the number. It can become an obsession.
- arcticpineapplecorp.
- Posts: 15080
- Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:22 pm
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
hourly? seriously? why not minute by minute?etfking wrote: ↑Thu Aug 20, 2020 1:03 pm New to posting on the forum and a recent follower of the Bogleheads philosophy. After years of trying to actively manage and beat the market, I've succumbed to simplifying my portfolio after realizing that I wasn't generating much (if any) alpha.
As my wife and I approach the 2 comma club I wanted to ask how often people check their portfolio / net worth? Hourly, daily, weekly, monthly? I only ask because I think the obsession of reaching the $1mm mark (not that it means much given it's an arbitrary number and not our end goal) provides a sense of satisfaction but I've recently deemed it to be unhealthy and feel I need to lose the attachment given it has no bearing on my end strategy. Hope to hear others' opinions!
make sure your self worth is more important than your net worth.
It's hard to accept the truth when the lies were exactly what you wanted to hear. Investing is simple, but not easy. Buy, hold & rebalance low cost index funds & manage taxable events. Asking Portfolio Questions |
- nisiprius
- Advisory Board
- Posts: 52213
- Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:33 am
- Location: The terrestrial, globular, planetary hunk of matter, flattened at the poles, is my abode.--O. Henry
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
I haven't done a calculation of it in twenty years. I can get as close as I need to using mental arithmetic using what I can remember of my account balances--mortgage is paid off, credit card balance is low enough to ignore--and what I can remember of my assessed property value from my last real estate bill.
It always comes out to my being one of the "mass affluent" and I don't need why I need to know anything more precise than that. Exactly what practical use do people make out of "checking their net worth?"
I would say that if you can't estimate your net worth using only memory and mental arithmetic, you should consider whether your financial life might be unnecessarily complicated, because I think it is a really good idea to be able to "keep the picture" in your head.
It always comes out to my being one of the "mass affluent" and I don't need why I need to know anything more precise than that. Exactly what practical use do people make out of "checking their net worth?"
I would say that if you can't estimate your net worth using only memory and mental arithmetic, you should consider whether your financial life might be unnecessarily complicated, because I think it is a really good idea to be able to "keep the picture" in your head.
Last edited by nisiprius on Thu Aug 20, 2020 3:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen and six, result happiness; Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery.
- life in slices
- Posts: 615
- Joined: Mon Apr 15, 2019 6:00 pm
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
I do a NW calculation and check for rebalancing every quarter.
I find tracking NW to be motivational to keeping the course
I find tracking NW to be motivational to keeping the course
-
- Posts: 8626
- Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 11:31 am
- Location: West coast of Florida, near Champa Bay !
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Check NW? Only when there is a NW thread here at BH land.
Check portfolio? I generally have an open session at Vanguard if the market is open. Today I did some rebalancing between our bond funds. I also have a couple of limit orders floating around that might be near hitting, or not.
I have all our outside investments in Vanguard's aggregator, so nothing extra needed to see where we are at any given time. Well, almost, I do need to update our I-bonds occasionally.
I like to make sure all my peeps are where they should be. So, I like to do a bed check every now and then.
Broken Man 1999
Check portfolio? I generally have an open session at Vanguard if the market is open. Today I did some rebalancing between our bond funds. I also have a couple of limit orders floating around that might be near hitting, or not.
I have all our outside investments in Vanguard's aggregator, so nothing extra needed to see where we are at any given time. Well, almost, I do need to update our I-bonds occasionally.
I like to make sure all my peeps are where they should be. So, I like to do a bed check every now and then.
Broken Man 1999
“If I cannot drink Bourbon and smoke cigars in Heaven then I shall not go." - Mark Twain
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Once a week. Fox Muldour.... trust no one.
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
I update our investment spreadsheet each month, in the first week of the month.
I update a "20,000 foot view" of our net worth 2x per year: first week of January, and first week of July. I include estimates of our house value minus mortgage; an update retirement accounts value; an estimate of my pension lump sum value; and total up bank account cash. Don't bother with vehicles, clothes, personal effects, etc.
Close enough to show a trend line, and be encouraged. Not close enough to get fretful and focus on non-actionable details.
I update a "20,000 foot view" of our net worth 2x per year: first week of January, and first week of July. I include estimates of our house value minus mortgage; an update retirement accounts value; an estimate of my pension lump sum value; and total up bank account cash. Don't bother with vehicles, clothes, personal effects, etc.
Close enough to show a trend line, and be encouraged. Not close enough to get fretful and focus on non-actionable details.
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
I'm a Quicken holdout, so I probably see it every day, even if I'm not specifically checking for it. At this point, I'm sort of numb to it... it is just numbers.
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Live net worth ticker running across the screen?
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Investable assets I check probably too often. At least weekly most of the time, just to assure myself nothing strange is going on in the market or in my accounts.
I remember when we were getting close to the two comma club, I checked it every single day. When the market closed with us over that milestone me and the wife had a mini celebration and popped a bottle of champagne.
Full net worth estimate I calculate the first of every year.
I remember when we were getting close to the two comma club, I checked it every single day. When the market closed with us over that milestone me and the wife had a mini celebration and popped a bottle of champagne.
Full net worth estimate I calculate the first of every year.
- FelixTheCat
- Posts: 2035
- Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2011 12:39 am
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
I never check my net worth.
I will have to admit that I am a psychotic YNAB user for my checking/savings account. I'm talking severe stalking on my budgeting.
I will have to admit that I am a psychotic YNAB user for my checking/savings account. I'm talking severe stalking on my budgeting.
Felix is a wonderful, wonderful cat.
-
- Posts: 2139
- Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2017 2:09 pm
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
The wife and I aren't prone to get up at 2 am and sell everything when there is a drop like just happened in Feb-March. We get a kick out of checking it daily on Vanguard where we have all our liquid investments listed with one number to look at.etfking wrote: ↑Thu Aug 20, 2020 1:03 pm New to posting on the forum and a recent follower of the Bogleheads philosophy. After years of trying to actively manage and beat the market, I've succumbed to simplifying my portfolio after realizing that I wasn't generating much (if any) alpha.
As my wife and I approach the 2 comma club I wanted to ask how often people check their portfolio / net worth? Hourly, daily, weekly, monthly? I only ask because I think the obsession of reaching the $1mm mark (not that it means much given it's an arbitrary number and not our end goal) provides a sense of satisfaction but I've recently deemed it to be unhealthy and feel I need to lose the attachment given it has no bearing on my end strategy. Hope to hear others' opinions!
John Bogle suggested that you don't look until you are ready to retire, just put the statements somewhere. I think that is a healthy approach if stock market drops bother you. Of course if you can look without selling on a dip then it is probably best to look at least once a year so that you can re-balance.
John Bogle: "It's amazing how difficult it is for a man to understand something if he's paid a small fortune not to understand it."
-
- Posts: 3908
- Joined: Fri Jan 17, 2014 9:19 am
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Once each month, manually.
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
When I was accumulating, I kept obsessive track of it, and it wasn't healthy. Checking your net worth has neutral to negative impact on your actual net worth (neutral if you do nothing, negative if you emotionally react).etfking wrote: ↑Thu Aug 20, 2020 1:03 pm New to posting on the forum and a recent follower of the Bogleheads philosophy. After years of trying to actively manage and beat the market, I've succumbed to simplifying my portfolio after realizing that I wasn't generating much (if any) alpha.
As my wife and I approach the 2 comma club I wanted to ask how often people check their portfolio / net worth? Hourly, daily, weekly, monthly? I only ask because I think the obsession of reaching the $1mm mark (not that it means much given it's an arbitrary number and not our end goal) provides a sense of satisfaction but I've recently deemed it to be unhealthy and feel I need to lose the attachment given it has no bearing on my end strategy. Hope to hear others' opinions!
At some point it got to FIRE level, and since then it's more of a bemused attention, like watching a car crash you know is coming and you can't do anything about. "Oh, today is down a lot." Next day "Hold my beer!" It's odd to think of having a down day larger than your yearly salary was...
Keep in mind that adding a digit to your net is a completely arbitrary accomplishment based on our number system, with no positive or negative benefit. It's INTERESTING, of course! Just make sure you don't focus too much on it, because you can EASILY drop back below the arbitrary number, possibly for years, and you want to avoid making decisions based on regret.
- McGilicutty
- Posts: 349
- Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2016 4:24 pm
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
I only have 3 accounts: checking, 401(k), and brokerage. I keep my brokerage account open all day and check it several times a day. My 401(k) I only check late at night after the balance gets updated. However, it's all s&p 500, so sometimes I calculate the change during the day if it's a big up day. My checking doesn't change that often so I don't check it very often. On up days, I have a pretty good idea of my net worth pretty much at all times.
On down days, weeks, months, etc., I don't keep track of my net worth nearly as closely. Back when we had the crash in March I only checked my accounts about once a week.
So it depends, if the market is going up, I have a very good idea of my net worth. If it's going down, I tend to tune out.
On down days, weeks, months, etc., I don't keep track of my net worth nearly as closely. Back when we had the crash in March I only checked my accounts about once a week.
So it depends, if the market is going up, I have a very good idea of my net worth. If it's going down, I tend to tune out.
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Net worth - never... but investments...
Random... It's 99% automated in a combo of google sheets and excel so sometimes daily, sometimes quarterly depending what's happening in real life.
Monthly or two I update positions - I reinvest dividends in non-taxable so have to positions change monthly. I also have to manually update prices for stuff in 2 401K's because they are not public funds.
Random... It's 99% automated in a combo of google sheets and excel so sometimes daily, sometimes quarterly depending what's happening in real life.
Monthly or two I update positions - I reinvest dividends in non-taxable so have to positions change monthly. I also have to manually update prices for stuff in 2 401K's because they are not public funds.
|
Rob |
Its a dangerous business going out your front door. - J.R.R.Tolkien
-
- Posts: 273
- Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2018 5:39 pm
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
I haven’t check my NW in quite a few years - even as I retired earlier this year. I do check my portfolio approximately every 4-6 weeks for rebalancing.
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Every Saturday morning while the family is still asleep. This includes checking my current asset allocation. It doesn't need to be this frequent but I enjoy the process.
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Once a month, but semi-manually (I use Excel).
But then again, I might check it daily if we have had several Really Good Days in a row.
Retired life insurance company financial executive who sincerely believes that ”It’s a GREAT day to be alive!”
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
After the end of every calendar quarter I prepare a spreadsheet and give my spouse a copy. It identifies all accounts (by custodian and account number) and quarter-end balances. I include a breakdown of stocks/equity in each account and overal. I annotate any signficant moves or changes in assets (i.e. move funds from brokerage to a bank CD) and some narrative about reasons assets are held as they are. Most of the time it just gets filed away but if/when something happens to me they'll have a starting point.
I've found that when you have to explain things to someone else you end up undertanding them better yourself.
I've found that when you have to explain things to someone else you end up undertanding them better yourself.
The closest helping hand is at the end of your own arm.
-
- Posts: 3595
- Joined: Fri Dec 26, 2014 3:19 pm
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Once a month. I have to look up some data and enter it into Excel. I could make it easier, but that might allow me to check more often than is healthy.
-
- Posts: 8626
- Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 11:31 am
- Location: West coast of Florida, near Champa Bay !
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
While I have a lot of respect for Mr Bogle, I think that is horrible advice. I have no desire to give any bad folks a head start after plundering our accounts. Nope!Vanguard Fan 1367 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 20, 2020 3:37 pmThe wife and I aren't prone to get up at 2 am and sell everything when there is a drop like just happened in Feb-March. We get a kick out of checking it daily on Vanguard where we have all our liquid investments listed with one number to look at.etfking wrote: ↑Thu Aug 20, 2020 1:03 pm New to posting on the forum and a recent follower of the Bogleheads philosophy. After years of trying to actively manage and beat the market, I've succumbed to simplifying my portfolio after realizing that I wasn't generating much (if any) alpha.
As my wife and I approach the 2 comma club I wanted to ask how often people check their portfolio / net worth? Hourly, daily, weekly, monthly? I only ask because I think the obsession of reaching the $1mm mark (not that it means much given it's an arbitrary number and not our end goal) provides a sense of satisfaction but I've recently deemed it to be unhealthy and feel I need to lose the attachment given it has no bearing on my end strategy. Hope to hear others' opinions!
John Bogle suggested that you don't look until you are ready to retire, just put the statements somewhere. I think that is a healthy approach if stock market drops bother you. Of course if you can look without selling on a dip then it is probably best to look at least once a year so that you can re-balance.
It is very possible to monitor your accounts frequently and not become a disciple of Jim Cramer and become a day trader.
Broken Man 1999
“If I cannot drink Bourbon and smoke cigars in Heaven then I shall not go." - Mark Twain
-
- Posts: 85
- Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2007 6:46 pm
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Daily on Quicken; mostly because it's automatic. Daily reconciliation and budget categorization habits that were ingrained in the early acquisition years have stayed with me. Plus, I can tell you useless information like I've spent $17,395 on telephone services and $148,756 on medical expenses so far into adulthood. It has helped me catch credit card fraud immediately and makes asset allocation checks simple.
- Harry Livermore
- Posts: 1937
- Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2019 5:32 am
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
Every Saturday morning. I update prices, balances, etc.
I also update mortgage and LOC balances whenever I make a payment.
Cheers
I also update mortgage and LOC balances whenever I make a payment.
Cheers
Re: how often do you check your net worth?
I see it every time I start up Quicken. I do like seeing it.
Once a year, I print out a screen shot of it and put it in the filing cabinet. If I croak unexpectedly, hopefully somebody will see it and think “oh, there’s another $50k over there in some account I didn’t know we had”.
Once a year, I print out a screen shot of it and put it in the filing cabinet. If I croak unexpectedly, hopefully somebody will see it and think “oh, there’s another $50k over there in some account I didn’t know we had”.