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I've never liked the term "net worth"; it seems to imply that a wealthier person is more valuable or important. Are there alternative words or phrases which do not have this problem?

Bill Gates's [word or phrase] is $114 billion.

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  • Fortune, perhaps?
    – m.a.a.
    Commented Nov 21, 2022 at 0:09
  • The core problem is attributing the net worth of Gates the human as a stand in for Gates's assets. His net worth is actually his assets' & liabilities' net worth.
    – Yosef Baskin
    Commented Nov 21, 2022 at 0:46
  • The problem with using another term is that the reader will wonder what you’re trying to say if you avoid the commonly used and understood term.
    – Xanne
    Commented Nov 21, 2022 at 6:18
  • Related: How is the worth of a person an amount of money?.
    – jsw29
    Commented Nov 21, 2022 at 15:56

3 Answers 3

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Simplicity is best.

Bill Gates has $114B.

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  • While it does indeed make sense, your answer is a comment at best. Sans any supporting details, which authenticate an answer, it'd best be relegated to a comment.
    – user405662
    Commented Nov 21, 2022 at 8:17
  • What sort of details are you expecting?
    – DJClayworth
    Commented Nov 21, 2022 at 13:10
  • I mean fleshing out your answer, Sir.
    – user405662
    Commented Nov 21, 2022 at 13:14
  • What extra information would you like?
    – DJClayworth
    Commented Nov 21, 2022 at 14:19
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    I don't think this answer needs anything else. It's short, but it's still a good answer; there's not really anything else to add.
    – Someone
    Commented Nov 21, 2022 at 18:00
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You can use FINANCIAL WORTH

Definition & Legal Meaning (thelawdictionary)

This term applies to the net value of a person’s assets and property after his liabilities and debts have been taken away.

There is no defined term for FINANCIAL WORTH before liabilities and debts have been taken away.

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When we weigh assets against liabilities, the result is a "balance":

4a accounting : an amount in excess especially on the credit side of an account

You could therefore write:

The net balance of Bill Gates's accounts is $114 billion.1

If it was clear that you were talking about Gates's financial portfolio, then the term could work in your sentence with no modifications:

Bill Gates's net balance is $114 billion.

1I've retained the word "net" from your question even though it's probably redundant here.

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  • I don't think this is commonly used of people. It's also often used for corporate income/expenditure or (with countries) balance of payments.
    – Stuart F
    Commented Nov 28, 2022 at 9:53
  • @StuartF I agree; that's why I recommend saying "of Bill Gates's accounts". Accounts can have balances.
    – MarcInManhattan
    Commented Nov 28, 2022 at 18:32

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