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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Someone
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Fortune, perhaps? – m.a.a. Nov 21 '22 at 00:09
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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 Nov 21 '22 at 00:46
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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 Nov 21 '22 at 06:18
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Related: How is the worth of a person an amount of money?. – jsw29 Nov 21 '22 at 15:56
3 Answers
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Simplicity is best.
Bill Gates has $114B.
DJClayworth
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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 Nov 21 '22 at 08:17
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1I 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 Nov 21 '22 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.
banuyayi
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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.
MarcInManhattan
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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 Nov 28 '22 at 09:53
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@StuartF I agree; that's why I recommend saying "of Bill Gates's accounts". Accounts can have balances. – MarcInManhattan Nov 28 '22 at 18:32