Want to learn how to become a millionaire by 30? Here’s my story on how I reached a million dollar net worth in my late-20s. It involved a lot of luck, a lot of effort, and a lot of risk. I believe all Financial Samurai readers will eventually become millionaires due to disciplined saving and savvy investing over time.

Now that I’m in my mid-40s, in retrospect, I should have taken even more risk. Taking more calculated risk is a key theme if you want to become a millionaire at a relatively young age. The second key theme to become a millionaire by age 30 is to own appreciating assets that work hard for you.

Thanks to elevated inflation, it takes at least $3 million to live the lifestyle of a real millionaire today. If you own assets like real estate, stocks, and businesses, inflation will start working for you. Don’t make life harder than it already is!

How To Become A Millionaire By Age 30: Financial Upbringing

Growing up in a middle class household made me strong. My parents always drove beaters and frowned upon ordering anything other than water when we went out to eat.

I knew my parents were not rich because their incomes were in the public domain as foreign service officers. As a result, I made a conscious choice in high school not to attend one of the two private colleges that had accepted me. Instead, I went to William & Mary, which cost $2,890 – $3,200 a year in tuition from 1995-1999. I needed to save money.

We were by no means poor. We just pulled up to parties in a paint-less 1976 Nissan Datsun alongside Audis, Mercedes, and BMWs for the four years we lived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia between 1986-1990. It was very mortifying as a kid.

I knew nothing of expensive shoes because I had none. My wealthier friend gave me his old Air Jordans 4s that were two sizes too large. I couldn’t even afford a camera or a Nintendo game system. We led comfortable lives, but didn’t have more than we needed.

I was always curious about my wealthier friends. Many of their parents were business owners. So one day I told my father I too wanted to be a businessman.

By the time I was 13 I was hooked on every single episode of “The Lifestyles Of The Rich & Famous,” narrated by Robin Leech. A million dollar house and a $40,000 sports car. What a life! I thought to myself in the 8th grade. Might as well give it a go. That’s when I started really hitting the books.

When it comes to your finances, everything is relative. To get ahead, you must outperform the average. If everybody is up 20% in their investments, have you really gotten richer? You have not. This post will discuss the average net worth for the above average person. Our goal is to outperform the average so we can live better lives.

You’ve got one life to live. You can have the average net worth in America, which is pretty low. Or, you can shoot to have an average net worth for the above average person. Let’s all shoot to be above average with our one and only lives! This is, after all, Financial Samurai.

If we all earn $1 million dollars a year and have $5 million in the bank at the age of 40, none of us are very wealthy. With this level of wealth, all our living costs (housing, food, transportation, vacations) will be priced at levels that squeeze us to the very end.

As such, we must first get an idea of what the real average net worth is in our respective countries, and then figure out the average net worth for the above average person!

Average Net Worth By Age In America

According to the latest Federal Reserve’s Triennial Consumer Finance Survey available, the average net worth for the following ages are:

Under 35: $76,200

35-44: $288,700

45-54: $727,500

55-64: $1,167,400

65-74: $1,066,000

75+: $1,067,000

Not bad. But these average net worth numbers are skewed by the super rich who have generated an enormous amount of wealth since the financial crisis.

Although the average net worth for all Americans is roughly $692,100 in 2022, the median net worth is a more pedestrian $97,300 as of 2022. Meanwhile, the median age for Americans is around 36. Therefore, your goal is to try and beat the average net worth by age in America every step of the way. And I firmly believe if you subscribe to the free Financial Samurai newsletter and immerse yourself in personal finance by reading a great personal finance book, you will get there.

Let’s look at the average net worth for above average people. It’s much more rewarding to shoot for stretch goals and achieve the.

Becoming wealthy has never been easier in America. Both stocks and real estate have performed phenomenally well since 2009. However, feeling comfortable as a wealthy person on the other hand, has never been tougher. The pandemic created a K-shaped recovery where the investor class has widened the wealth gap between the working class. This widening gap is why I’m a big proponent of practicing Stealth Wealth.

Most recently, the investor class crushed it in 2020 and 2021, with the S&P 500 doing extremely well. The housing market is also booming and will likely continue to do well for years. If you are an owner of real estate, stocks, and other appreciating assets over the years, you’ve done well.

Meanwhile, millions of people lost their jobs or were long-term underemployed, although the economy is recovering. To be open about your income and wealth gains would be completely foolish when so many people are hurting. Instead, if you are rich, it’s much better to convince people you are middle class. This way, when the revolution comes, you will be spared.

Further, just look at how the government taxes your money. The government taxes you based on income and much less so on wealth. Taxes are likely going up under Joe Biden as well. Therefore, stealth wealth is paramount.

There’s nothing better than being free to do whatever you want. However, unless you’re born with a multi-million dollar trust fund, you’ll unfortunately have to work for your freedom. This article will discuss how you can retire early and never have to work again.

You can follow my savings guide to increase your chances of a wonderful retirement by 50-65. But, what if you want to retire earlier? Say at the age of 40, 45, or 50?

You’re in luck. I have a very simple, yet effective plan for you on how to retire early. This is something I’ve been following since I graduated from college in 1999.

In 2012, I was able to finally leave my day job in finance at age 34. I haven’t returned since. The catalysts for my early retirement were: 1) negotiate a severance that paid for five-to-six years worth of normal living expenses, 2) having enough passive income to cover my living expenses, and 3) having something to retire to.

As I look back upon my time as an early retiree, there really isn’t much I would change. Having all the freedom in the world is priceless. You will not regret all the work it takes to achieve financial freedom. But you may regret looking back on your life and wishing you didn’t try harder or take more risks.

What’s important is recognizing your inner frugality, your Herculean discipline, the government’s generosity, and your enormous hustle. There’s nothing better than taking action with your finances and seeing results!

Can you imagine scraping by on $500,000 a year? Well, believe it. Thousands of households living in expensive cities are running on this never-ending treadmill. It’s only when you can lock down expenses, save and invest aggressively, will you ever escape the rat race.

They’ve got big mortgages, private school tuition to pay, and fancy cars to drive. No matter how much they make, these households tend to spend all their income and not save as much as they should. Now with inflation running at 40-year highs, important costs are simply going up further.

I’ve highlighted in a previous article how living off $200,000 a year in an expensive city is really just an average lifestyle. In this article, I’ll discuss how one couple is living paycheck to paycheck while making a combined $500,000 a year. They are a real couple who shared with me their financial details to anonymously share with you. Judging others, after all, is an American pastime!

$500,000 a year or higher is a level which I think is considered rich. Anybody who thinks otherwise has no concept of financial reality. Even the government agrees after compromising by raising the income level for when the highest marginal tax bracket kicks in to ~$400,000 from $200,000 back in 2013.

But starting in 2018, things got even more painful for the upper middle class. The SALT tax cap capped mortgage interest deduction and limited property tax deduction to $10,000.

And now, Joe Biden is looking at raising taxes for households making over $400,000! Can you imagine working 60+ hours a week, never seeing your family, and still paying more in taxes?

No wonder why more high-income households are looking to retire early and enjoy the YOLO Economy to the maximum. Life is short and this pandemic has really motivated so many to live it up, finally.