A snapshot of Americans' wealth

Americans' wealth, or net worth, is the value of assets such as homes, checking accounts and investments, minus debt such as mortgages and credit cards. The Federal Reserve provides a snapshot each quarter. Net worth grew to nearly $55 trillion in the third quarter, a 2.2 percent rise from the prior three months. Here are some of the parts on the asset side of the ledger.

-Real estate holdings account for 30 percent of net worth.

-Individual stocks make up 14 percent of net worth.

-Mutual fund shares make up 8 percent of net worth.

-Bank accounts, checking accounts and other savings products make up nearly 14 percent of net worth.

-The balance includes retirement accounts, bonds and possessions such as cars and jewelry.

The Associated Press


