George Kamel on Age and Net Worth: Why Your Years Matter Less Than You Think

Personal finance expert George Kamel recently challenged a common misconception about building wealth: that your age directly determines your financial success. While the relationship between age and net worth is real, Kamel argues that obsessing over where you should be financially by a certain age can actually derail your progress. What matters more is having a solid financial strategy and understanding the mechanics of wealth-building, regardless of which decade you’re in.

The reality is that net worth serves as a snapshot of your financial health, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. Understanding what your net worth means—and more importantly, what it doesn’t mean—is the first step toward making smarter money decisions.

Breaking Down Your Net Worth: A Foundation for Financial Clarity

Your net worth is fundamentally a calculation: the total value of everything you own minus everything you owe. To determine this number, you need to add up all your assets (savings accounts, investments, real estate, and other holdings) and subtract your liabilities (student loans, credit card debt, mortgages, and other obligations). The resulting figure tells you where you stand financially.

While knowing your net worth can provide useful guidance—showing you how close you are to your financial goals and what adjustments might be necessary—it’s important not to treat it as the ultimate measure of success. The number alone doesn’t capture your earning potential, your financial discipline, or your ability to adapt during economic changes.

The Age Factor: How Your Years Influence Your Financial Trajectory

Here’s what the data shows: according to Federal Reserve research, median net worth varies significantly by age group. In 2022, Americans under 35 had a median net worth of approximately $39,000, while those aged 35 to 44 reached around $136,000. The numbers continued climbing through middle age—$247,000 for the 45-54 group and $365,000 for those 55-64. Interestingly, the median peaked at $410,000 for ages 65-74 before declining slightly to $336,000 for those over 75.

These benchmarks exist because age generally correlates with work experience, career advancement, and compound investment returns. However, George Kamel emphasizes that these are merely reference points, not targets you must hit. Major life events—purchasing a home, starting a family, or facing unexpected setbacks—can temporarily reduce net worth even as your earning power increases. Conversely, some younger individuals might exceed typical benchmarks through inheritance, early business success, or disciplined saving.

The median, which Kamel prefers over the average, provides a more accurate picture because it reflects the middle of the distribution rather than being skewed by extreme highs and lows. Yet even the median shouldn’t become an obsession.

Beyond the Numbers: What Personal Finance Expert George Kamel Recommends Instead

Rather than fixating on hitting a specific net worth figure by a particular age, Kamel advocates for focusing on actionable financial principles that actually build long-term wealth. This shift in perspective is transformative.

Tackle your debt strategically. Credit card debt alone exceeded $1 trillion nationwide in 2023 according to Experian, and for most households, reducing this burden should be a priority. Every dollar freed from debt payments is a dollar available for wealth-building.

Establish a robust emergency fund. Setting aside three to six months of living expenses in a liquid, accessible account acts as a financial buffer. This prevents the common trap of going deeper into debt when unexpected events occur—a medical emergency, job loss, or urgent home repair.

Guard against lifestyle inflation. This is perhaps George Kamel’s most crucial warning. Lifestyle inflation (or lifestyle creep) happens when your spending increases proportionally with your income. When you receive a raise or land a better job, the temptation to upgrade your car, move to a fancier neighborhood, or indulge in lifestyle luxuries is powerful. But here’s the trap: doing so completely offsets the additional income you’ve earned, leaving your net savings unchanged. You feel richer while actually staying in the same financial position.

Strategic Actions Over Age Anxiety: Building Real Wealth Through Deliberate Choices

The most successful wealth builders don’t obsess about comparative net worth figures—they focus on what they control. By prioritizing debt reduction, emergency fund building, and resisting lifestyle inflation, you develop financial habits that compound over time regardless of your current age.

George Kamel’s core insight is this: your age is relevant, but your decisions are decisive. Someone who starts intentional wealth-building at 45 can catch up to peers who started at 35, simply through consistent, smart financial choices. Conversely, someone with a higher net worth at 35 who allows lifestyle creep to take hold may fall behind.

The path to sustainable wealth isn’t determined by where the median net worth sits for your age bracket—it’s determined by whether you’re actively executing a financial plan, paying down debt, protecting yourself from unexpected financial shock, and maintaining spending discipline. These principles apply equally whether you’re 25, 45, or 65.

By shifting your focus from net worth anxiety to practical financial execution, you’ll build stronger money habits and a more resilient financial future. That’s the George Kamel philosophy: age is just a number, but intentional financial strategy is everything.