Family home
Real wealth and security — but it doesn’t pay you an income or diversify your risk. A household that is mostly home equity can be property-rich but cash-poor.
The Wealth Efficiency Assessment
Is your wealth keeping pace with your income?
Many high-earning Australians ask the same question: “Am I building wealth as effectively as I should be?” Income is only part of the equation — true wealth comes from structure, and from having the right mix of wealth in your home, inside super and outside super. Benchmark yourself in under a minute.
The CFV Benchmark Formula
Expected Net Worth
=( Years working × Annual Income ) ÷ 5
Family home
Accessible wealth
Super
Years working = your age minus 22. Your total is then split into three buckets and compared with a benchmark mix for your age, using your own income history, compulsory super rates and Australian data.
True wealth is built from clarity, not income alone.
It’s not just how much — it’s where. Two people with the same net worth can be in very different positions. One has wealth they can use today; the other has most of it locked in super until 60, or tied up in the family home.
The Wealth Efficiency Ratio shows whether your total wealth aligns with your income and life stage. The breakdown then shows how your wealth is split between your home, accessible wealth (investments, cash, investment property) and super — and how that compares with what we’d typically expect for someone with your age and income.
Interactive assessment
Calculate your Wealth Efficiency Ratio
Enter your age, income and net worth for your ratio. Add the breakdown to see your inside-versus-outside-super split. Calculations happen in your browser.
Your financial snapshot
$
Total pre-tax earnings in AUD from all sources.
$
Everything you own (home, super, investments, cash) minus everything you owe.
Where is it? — break down your net worth
$
Home value minus the mortgage. Enter 0 if you rent.
$
Check your fund’s app or myGov.
Accessible wealth (calculated)
Investments, cash, shares & investment property, less other debts—
Home equity plus super is more than your net worth — please check the figures.
Optional — income history
$
Used to re-benchmark you fairly if your income rose recently, and to estimate the super your employers would have paid.
Your results will appear here
Fill in your age, income and net worth to see your ratio. Add your home equity and super to see your three-bucket breakdown.
Australian benchmarks
Illustrative milestones by age and income
Worked scenarios for high-earning Australian households — these incomes sit well above national averages, reflecting the clients we typically serve. The super column shows what compulsory employer contributions alone would typically have built, assuming a typical career earnings path starting at 22.
| Age | Income | Expected net worth | Of which super (est.) | Typical home share | CFV benchmark insight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | $150K | Building early wealth foundation | |||
| 35 | $250K | First home plus starting investments | |||
| 40 | $400K | Solid wealth base — focus on leverage and structure | |||
| 45 | $600K | Optimise debt, protect assets | |||
| 50 | $800K | Shift to growth plus passive income | |||
| 55 | $1M | Structure and succession focus |
Worked example: at age 40 with $400,000 income, you’ve been working about 18 years (since 22), so expected net worth is 18 × $400,000 ÷ 5 = $1.44 million. An actual net worth of $1 million gives a ratio of 0.69 — income is strong, but wealth structure is lagging.
About this benchmark: the formula builds on the widely used net-worth benchmark popularised by Stanley & Danko in The Millionaire Next Door, adjusted to count only your working years (from age 22), so it’s fairer earlier in your career and more demanding later. We use it as a conversation-starter rather than a verdict. Super estimates use the legislated super guarantee rate for each year and the maximum contribution base (ATO), less 15% contributions tax, with an assumed long-run return. Typical home share is from the ABS Survey of Income and Housing. Australian super balances are from ASFA (August 2026, ATO data at 30 June 2024).
The three buckets
Why the mix matters
Accessible wealth
Investments, shares, cash and investment property you can use before retirement — the bucket that gives you choices, like working less, funding school fees or retiring early.
Super
Tax-effective and essential for retirement, but generally locked away until you reach preservation age (60). Too little is a risk; too much of your wealth here can limit your options before 60.
Interpreting your result
What your ratio means
1.2× and above
Ahead of the Curve
Excellent wealth accumulation. Focus on optimising tax structures, sophisticated estate planning, and wealth preservation strategies.
0.8× to 1.2×
On Track
Solid foundation in place. Strengthen consistency, automate savings and investments, and refine your asset allocation strategy.
Below 0.8×
Below Benchmark
Significant opportunity to accelerate growth. Build proper wealth structures, implement cash-flow systems, and align spending with long-term goals.
Common patterns
Gaps we help Australian clients address
Income is high, but savings remain low
Lifestyle inflation consuming wealth-building capacity.
Property-rich but cash-poor
Most wealth tied up in the family home, without diversification or income streams.
Super-heavy, with little outside it
Plenty saved for retirement, but little you can use before 60 — limiting choices in your 40s and 50s.
Tax inefficiencies eroding wealth
Missing opportunities for legitimate tax optimisation inside and outside super.
No-obligation consultation
Book your Goal Discovery Meeting
Ready to understand where you truly stand and create a clear path forward? In your Goal Discovery Meeting, we’ll review your Wealth Efficiency Ratio and your inside-versus-outside-super mix, identify immediate opportunities, and outline a tailored strategy.
Book your Goal Discovery Meeting- ✓ Detailed analysis of your current financial position
- ✓ A view of your home, accessible wealth and super together
- ✓ Clear next steps to improve your ratio
- ✓ No-obligation consultation with a CFV specialist