AnswerAt age 75 with $25k income, the median US net worth is $99,000. The 75th percentile is $281,000. You can see where you rank below.
Median: $99,000 · 75th percentile: $281,000
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, 2025 data (released Oct 2026), computed from public microdata
Am I behind at age 75 on $25k?
Median net worth for US households age 75 earning $25k is $99,000; top 10% starts at $503,000. Computed from the Federal Reserve's 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances.
Households aged 75 and over with roughly $25,000 of income have a median net worth of $99,000 in SCF 2025, about 4.0x their income. The 25th percentile is just $5,000, the 75th is $281,000, and the 90th is $503,000. This cell is based on a small sample, so the figures are approximate, especially the upper percentiles, and an age-75 household is compared with the whole 75-plus group.
Your numbers
Peer group: age 75 and over · under $25,000Your $99,000 ranks ahead of 50% of US households age 75 and over earning under $25,000.
Another $404,000 in net worth would put you in the top 10% for your peer group.
How this number is calculated
We look up your age and income in the Federal Reserve's 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances (the most recent SCF, released Oct 2026), then interpolate your position between 25th/50th/75th/90th/99th percentile breakpoints for that age×income cell. The Fed does not publish those cells, so we compute them from its public microdata. Figures are in 2025 USD, and cells with few sampled families are noisy. Households with similar age and income show meaningful net-worth variance — the percentile reflects how your balance sheet compares to theirs, not to the full US population.
What these numbers mean for age 75, $25k
An age-75 household is compared with the 75-plus bracket, whose all-income median is $505,000; younger members of the bracket usually sit lower and the oldest higher. This income tier's median of $99,000 is about a fifth of that overall median, which is typical for a low income. For context, the 75-plus median is noticeably higher in SCF 2025 than in the previous survey, though sampling error is large and no cause should be read into it. Low income at this age does not imply zero wealth: the 90th percentile here is $503,000.
Required minimum distributions from traditional IRAs and 401(k) plans began at 73, and at 75 they are roughly 4 percent of the prior year-end balance, a share that rises slowly each year. A $100,000 IRA would therefore require about $4,000. With Social Security as the main income, small distributions like that are often what separate a $25,000 income from a lower one. Research on retirement spending generally finds that real spending tends to decline with age, although health costs can move in the opposite direction.
The bigger planning question at this age is often long-term care. Medicaid generally pays for nursing home care only after most countable assets are spent, and transfers made within the five years before applying can trigger a penalty period. The primary home is usually protected up to a state-set equity limit while you live there, but states can seek repayment from the estate afterward. An elder law attorney can explain the rules where you live, and this page is not legal or financial advice.
Benchmarks for age 75, $25k
Source: Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, 2025 (released October 9, 2026); cells computed from public microdata. Figures in 2025 USD. Cells built on fewer than about 100 sampled families are noisy. Your seeded percentile if net worth equals the median for this cell: 50th.
Related views
Go deeper on this number
Frequently asked questions
Is $99,000 a good net worth at 75 on $25,000 of income?
$99,000 is the median for this age and income group in SCF 2025, so it is typical, and about half of comparable households hold less. It is well below the $505,000 all-income median for those 75 and over, partly because that group includes far higher earners. The cell is a small sample, so treat all figures as approximate.
How much is my required minimum distribution at age 75?
You divide the prior December 31 balance of each traditional retirement account by the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table divisor for your age, which is 24.6 at 75. That works out to about 4.1 percent, so a $100,000 IRA requires roughly $4,070. The percentage rises each year, and Roth IRAs have no required distributions during the owner's life.
How does the Medicaid five-year lookback work?
When you apply for Medicaid long-term care, the state reviews asset transfers made in the previous 60 months. Gifts or below-market transfers can create a penalty period of ineligibility, calculated from the amount transferred and the state's average monthly nursing home cost. Rules differ by state, so check with an elder law attorney before moving assets.
Can a family member be paid to provide my care?
Sometimes. A written personal care agreement at a fair rate, signed before the care is provided, can pay a relative and sometimes helps with Medicaid planning. The payments are taxable income to the caregiver, and payments without a clear agreement may be treated as gifts. Some state Medicaid programs also pay family caregivers directly.
What property tax relief exists for low-income seniors?
Many states and localities offer homestead exemptions, assessment freezes, deferral programs, or circuit-breaker credits for older homeowners, often with income limits. The details vary widely and often require an application each year or once. Your county assessor or state revenue department can tell you what is available at your address.
Can I use the 0 percent capital gains bracket at this income?
Probably. For single filers, long-term capital gains are taxed at 0 percent up to roughly $48,000 of taxable income in 2025, a threshold that is adjusted yearly. A $25,000 income usually leaves room to realize gains on appreciated investments and reset the basis at no federal tax, though gains can affect Social Security taxation and benefit eligibility.
Methodology & data sources
Calculations on this page use benchmarks from US federal statistical agencies. Percentile breakpoints are interpolated linearly between tabulated cells. Figures are in the dollars of each dataset's reference year unless noted. Numbers are educational estimates, not personalized financial advice.
Net worth figures come from the Federal Reserve SCF 2025 (2025 dollars). Age medians match the Fed's published tables; the age × income cells are computed from the public microdata, and cells with fewer than about 100 sampled families are noisy. Full methodology.