Thoughts Before Calculating: Not too sure how this month is going to go. It feels like I have been spending a good amount of money getting the boat into the water. In addition, I finally got myself on bi-weekly payments for my main mortgage. However, I went into my cash reserves to do so. I’ll have to “pay myself back” over the next month or two.
Calculating my Net Worth
My Family’s Assets
While I have several asset categories, I don’t think they are particularly complicated.
Cash
Cash Equivalents – Last month I wrote that “Even after depositing a good amount of my bonus into my emergency fund I really still believe I am underfunded on the account.” Well I ate into it, but at least it wasn’t for consumer items – it was to get myself on to bi-weekly mortgage payments which should get my stress level down and pay down the debt a bit faster.
Real Estate Holdings
Main Residence – Exactly what it sounds like, the Family home. As I mentioned a few times, I am now on bi-weekly payments.
Rental Property – Every month, I update a spreadsheet I keep for the minority owners of my rental property. I wrote a few months back that, “February was the first month in a very, very long time when this was not a source of stress. I am excited for a few more stress-free months.” This is still holding true for yet another month! The oven went. Since I have a cash reserve on this it wasn’t the end of the world, UNTIL the one I ordered didn’t fit AND slid on the floor! Now I am waiting for it to get picked up and a new one delivered asap. Again, not a monster headache but sucks nonetheless.
Retirement Accounts
My 401(k) – Going to stop complaining, and it is what it is with the fees on the funds. I am hoping to do one rebalance this month and maybe check it out once a quarter for rebalancing in 2026. Completed! Early this year I, rebalanced my 401k with the help of ChatGPT. My plan is to check this once a quarter. Sometime in the next week or two I will rebalance the 401(k), but boy did this thing get killed this past month (see above chart!). I looked into rebalancing this account last month – I didn’t have to, and I am going to skip this month from looking at it.
My Traditional IRA – Need to review it this month for any changes. I didn’t make any major moves in 2025, and probably won’t this year as well.
The Wife’s Roth IRA – Same as above.
The Wife’s SEP IRA – Sme as above.
Non-Qualified Accounts
My Trading Account – This one account houses both where I invest in my dividend growth companies and risky speculative option trades. I am going to update how I handle trading profits this month. Failed. I’ll handle it in February. Same Failure. I finally updated how I would invest/distribute short put proceeds, and that has been going strong. My weekly standard purchase has not hit the number yet needed so I will check back in another month
| Fund | Percentage of ETF Portfolio | Goal |
| VIG | ~33.00% | 30% |
| SCHD | ~32.00% | 30% |
| SMDV | ~9.00% | 10% |
| VIGI | ~17.00% | 15% |
| ITOT | ~8.00% | 15% |
| ~100.00% | 100% |
Alternative Investments
Crypto Currency – This account was basically started for FOMO purposes. It is a shitty reason, but it is mine nonetheless. I don’t pay much attention to the crypto market and will probably continue to ignore the account.
Life Insurance Cash Surrender Value – I own a number of permanent, cash value whole life insurance policies. Since the cash is accessible, I include it in my net worth statement. In 2026, I plan on obtaining a bit more permanent insurance for purposes of adding a Long Term Care Rider.
Physical Gold – A few years back I decided to start buying physical gold, I am hoping one day to be that crazy guy with a stack of gold I can swim through, but I haven’t bought some in so long. A few months ago I wrote that I wanted to get back into it. I have started a monthly purchase plan with Acre Gold. Given the historic price of gold, and the amount I actually allocated to the site every month, this will take a while before I get my first shipment! Finally I am done with Acre – and I would not recommend the company. I got my money back but it is a massive, massive rip off with fees built upon fees. This month I am going to have to go back to old school and just purchase it myself.
Currently, I do not include my investment club in my net worth.
My Family’s Debt
Lifestyle crept back up on me (see opening paragraph), so that is going to be a a focus for a few months. This cycle of out and in consumer debt is getting to be very, very frustrating
My Net Worth Change
- Month over Month – My family’s net worth increased about 1%
- Year to Date – I am up about 10%
The lifestyle/debt creep that seems to happen from time to time has been hidden completely by market gains. If I weren’t so on top of this world I could see how people take an ostrich approach. For me, this exercise means something because I have to be held accountable (even if it is to myself) about what is actually happening in my family’s financial life.