Nov 26, 2025
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Managing money is a lot like running. Many people dislike it, and most are just trying to reach the finish line without burning out.
But a few are like elite athletes — effortlessly staying ahead of the pack. In fact, you might be managing your finances so well that you don’t even realize you’re part of this high-performing group.
Here are five clear signs your personal finances are well above the average American’s, and what you can learn from them if you’re not.
1. You have six figures in your 401(k)
If you have any retirement savings, you’re already ahead — about 40% of Americans have none, according to Gallup.
Even among savers, balances are modest: Fidelity reports that the average 401(k) for ages 40–44 is $109,100, while those over 50 hold around $200,000 to $250,000.
Yet most Americans believe they’ll need about $1.26 million to retire comfortably, according to Northwestern Mutual.
If you want to boost your 401(k) balance, you could invest in a Gold IRA with Goldco. Gold typically performs well during times of economic uncertainty, and recently broke past the $4,300 per ounce benchmark in mid-October for the first time.
By opening a Gold IRA, you could be looking out for your future self and cushioning your retirement by potentially hedging your investments against economic turbulence. Investing in gold through a tax-advantaged account can also help stabilize your finances by allowing you to invest directly in physical precious metals rather than stocks and bonds.
You can even get a free gold and silver kit shipped to you, which includes an instant match of up to 10% in free silver depending on your contribution. Terms and conditions apply.
If you want to boost your IRA, but aren’t sure about gold, another option is to tap into inflation-resistant assets like real estate.
You can tap into this market by investing in shares of vacation homes or rental properties through platforms like Arrived.
Backed by world-class investors including Jeff Bezos, Arrived allows you to invest in shares of vacation and rental properties, earning a passive income stream without the extra work that comes with being a landlord of your own rental property.
To get started, simply browse through their selection of vetted properties, each picked for their potential appreciation and income generation. Once you choose a property, you can start investing with as little as $100, potentially earning quarterly dividends.
100% Funded
The Vanzant
Single Family Residential
$415K
Invested
1,294
Investors
100% Funded
The Smokey
Vacation Rental
$983K
Invested
1,748
Investors
100% Funded
The SuiteSpot
Vacation Rental
$1.2M
Invested
1,672
Investors
These are a few examples of properties from Arrived. Check out the full list of single family residential homes and vacation rentals currently available.
Once you’re an investor with Arrived, you’ll gain access to their newly launched secondary market, where investors can buy and sell shares of individual rental and vacation rental properties directly on the platform.
This allows you to buy into properties you may have missed at the initial offering or sell shares before a property reaches the end of its hold period.
With access to more than 400 properties in 60 cities, this new way to trade real estate opens up flexibility and opportunities to gain access to more properties every quarter.
2. You're saving more than $10,000 a year
With the rising living costs and stagnant wages, saving has become a challenge for many Americans.
A 2024 study by New York Life found that the average American saved about $7,460.94 over the year.
So, if you’re saving more than $10,000 annually — or putting away a double-digit percentage of your income — you're well ahead of the curve. A strong savings rate not only sets you apart but also accelerates your path to financial goals.
No matter what you’re saving, it’s important to get the best interest rate you can so that your money is being put to work in the background.
For example, you can open a high-yield cash account like the one offered by Wealthfront, a financial services platform offering a range of products, from automated investing to cash accounts.
With a Wealthfront Cash account, you could earn up to 4.15% APY on your uninvested cash for your first three months (0.50% APY boost on top of the 3.50% base variable APY as of November 7, 2025) provided by program banks. That’s over nine times the national deposit savings rate, according to the FDIC’s October report.
Plus, Wealthfront charges no account fees. With full access to your money at all times, Wealthfront also offers fast (and free) transfers to eligible accounts 24/7.
Another smart way to grow your savings is by reducing monthly expenses.
For instance, many people are overpaying for car insurance simply because they don't compare rates regularly.
OfficialCarInsurance.com makes it easy to compare quotes from leading insurers in your area, potentially saving you hundreds of dollars annually on premiums.
The process is 100% free and won’t affect your credit score. In just a few clicks, you could pay as little as $29 a month.
The money you save on lower car insurance rates can go directly into your emergency fund, accelerating your progress toward financial security.
3. You're living with low or no debt
Debt is a fact of life for many Americans — about 90% of adults carry some form of it, according to Debt.org. The bulk of this debt is typically mortgages, which are often considered “good debt” because they can help build equity.
If you're struggling with multiple credit cards and high-interest debts, one way to start regaining control is by tapping into your home's equity through a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC).
Having access to your home equity could help to cover unexpected expenses, pay substantial debt, fund a major purchase like a home renovation or supplement income from your retirement nest egg.
Rates on HELOCs are typically lower than APRs on credit cards and personal loans, making it an appealing option for homeowners with substantial equity
Unlock great low rates in minutes with Figure. You can fill out an application that's 100% online – no need to wait for an in-person appraisal.
If you owe a substantial amount, you may also want to see if you qualify for a debt relief program to help clear a significant portion of your debt.
With Freedom Debt Relief, you can speak with a certified debt relief consultant for free, who can show you how much you can save by partnering with them.
If you're eligible, they can negotiate settlements with your creditors until all of your enrolled debt is resolved.
4. You hire professionals
Only one-third of U.S. adults have hired a financial advisor, according to Northwestern Mutual's 2024 Planning & Progress Study. Among millionaires, however, that number jumps to 69%.
If you’re a part of this elite club and don’t have an advisor, you could consider working with the tax experts and professional advisors at Range. They offer white-glove financial services to households making at least $200,000 a year, or individuals making a minimum of $250,000.
Once your equity enters this ballpark, one of the biggest financial pain points can be asset under management (AUM) fees. These fees mean that portfolio managers take a percentage of the value, typically between 0.5% and 2%, of your managed assets — so their fees scale with your wealth.
Range offers 0% AUM fees for advisory services and a flat-fee structure so that you can preserve more of your wealth. What’s more, they also offer an all-in-one solution for everything from alternative asset management to taxes — all of which is informed by modern AI solutions, but backed by a team of certified financial professionals.
And the best part? You can book a complimentary demo to see if Range can meet your comprehensive financial needs.
But even if you’re not a millionaire, working with an advisor can improve how you manage your money and help you reach your goals faster. And there are services that can get you started on the path to millionaire status.
One option is Advisor, which can match you with between one and three experts in just minutes.
All you need to do is enter some basic information, like your ZIP code, and Advisor will match you with local fiduciaries that could help you meet your specific financial needs.
From here, you can then book a free call with no obligation to hire to make sure they’re the right fit.
5. You feel wealthy
Economic anxiety is so common that even many millionaires don’t feel secure. In fact, only 32% of millionaires in the same Northwestern Mutual said they consider themselves "wealthy."
So if you genuinely feel financially secure or even “rich,” you’re not just outperforming the average American — you may even be ahead of wealthy peers. Confidence in your financial position is a powerful indicator that you’re operating at an elite level.
The next factor to consider is the preservation and protection of your wealth. Life insurance is one such tool for protecting your wealth, offering financial security for your family and ensuring your legacy is preserved.
If you already have life insurance in place – especially a term policy – it may be worth comparison-shopping to find a more affordable option. You can typically cancel a term life policy without incurring any penalties.
With Ethos, you can get term life insurance in 5 minutes, with no medical exams or blood tests.
You can get a policy with up to $2 million in coverage, starting at just $2/day.
Ethos’ application process ensures you get flexible coverage options quickly and transparently, allowing you to focus on what matters most.
Another option is their Indexed Universal Life Insurance policy, which can offer insurance coverage you’ll never outlive, along with the potential for cash value growth.
Plus, if you are eligible for an accelerated death benefit rider, and you’re diagnosed with a qualifying major illness, you can access a portion of your death benefit early, ensuring financial support at a difficult time.
A portion of your premiums goes into the policy’s cash value component, which tracks market indexes — allowing you to benefit from market-based, tax-advantaged growth. And because losses are capped, there’s less downside risk in the event of a market downturn.
Unlike traditional policies, the Ethos application process doesn’t require extensive medical exams or a lengthy underwriting process. All you have to do is answer a few health questions online, and you can get an instant coverage decision and a free personalized quote from Ethos.
Disclaimers: Cash value growth not guaranteed. It is still possible to lose money due to the impact of policy related fees and expenses. Accessing cash value will reduce death benefit, if not repaid
Vishesh Raisinghani is a financial journalist covering personal finance, investing and the global economy. He's also the founder of Sharpe Ascension Inc., a content marketing agency focused on investment firms. His work has appeared in Moneywise, Yahoo Finance!, Motley Fool, Seeking Alpha, Mergers & Acquisitions Magazine and Piggybank.
