The assets people most often forget in Net Worth are EPF from old employers, PPF accounts, NPS, vested ESOPs and RSUs, forgotten FDs, old bank balances, insurance with surrender value, demat holdings and gold. Commonly forgotten liabilities include credit-card dues, informal loans and your share of joint loans.
Why do people forget assets in their Net Worth?
Because the money isn't in one place. A career with three employers can leave three EPF accounts. A decade of saving can leave a dozen bank accounts and several fund folios. Net Worth gets understated not because you did badly, but because you can't see everything.
Which assets do people forget?
- EPF (counts): Includes employee and employer contributions. Check old employers' accounts and whether they are linked to one UAN.
- PPF (counts): Include old accounts and any you manage for family.
- NPS (counts): Include Tier I and Tier II, if you have both.
- ESOPs (count partly): Include vested options at a realistic value after exercise cost and likely tax. Track unvested ones separately.
- RSUs (count once vested): Treat vested shares like any holding.
- Old bank accounts (count): Salary accounts from past jobs and dormant accounts.
- Forgotten FDs and RDs (count): Especially auto-renewed deposits.
- Insurance with value (value only): Include surrender or maturity value. Pure term insurance has no value to include.
- Demat holdings (count): Include IPO allotments and inherited shares.
- Mutual funds (count): Check every folio and platform.
- Gold and SGBs (count): Use current market value, not purchase price.
- Bonds and private investments (count): Use a conservative estimate.
- Property (counts): Use a realistic market value.
- Family-held assets (depends): Include only what is legally yours.
For how to value each of these, see How to Calculate Your NetWorth in India. For ESOPs, see how to count ESOPs on your Net Worth statement.
Should a car, inheritance or joint assets be included?
- Car: Include at current resale value. Don't include the purchase price.
- Inherited property: Include it once it is legally yours.
- Joint assets: Include your share, not the whole value.
- Household items: Most people leave out furniture and personal belongings.
Which liabilities do people forget?
- Credit-card outstanding, including unbilled spends
- Buy-now-pay-later and no-cost EMIs
- Loans from family or friends
- Loans taken against FDs, gold or insurance
- Your share of joint loans
- Tax due
Deduct all of these. Leaving them out overstates your Net Worth just as missing assets understates it.
What can a full review change? An example
Ananya thought her Net Worth was ₹42 lakh (illustrative figures). A full review found:
- Old employer EPF: +₹3.2 lakh
- A forgotten PPF: +₹1.8 lakh
- Vested RSUs: +₹4.0 lakh
- An old FD: +₹0.9 lakh
- Missed credit-card dues: −₹0.6 lakh
Corrected Net Worth: ₹51.3 lakh. Nothing changed in her life. Only her visibility did.
How do you do a 20-minute sweep?
- Log in to the EPFO member portal and check your passbook and UAN.
- Search your email for "folio", "policy", "FD" and "demat".
- Check your credit report for loans you've forgotten.
- List every bank account you have ever opened.
- Ask family about joint holdings and nominee details.
Frequently asked questions
Does EPF count towards Net Worth?
Yes. EPF is an asset. It is restricted until withdrawal conditions are met, so it belongs in total Net Worth but not in Liquid Net Worth.
Does PPF count towards Net Worth?
Yes, with the same liquidity note. Check the current PPF lock-in and partial-withdrawal rules on the official scheme pages.
Should insurance be included?
Only surrender or maturity value. The sum assured is not an asset.
Are ESOPs part of Net Worth?
Vested ones can be, valued after exercise cost and likely tax. Tax treatment changes, so verify it on the Income Tax Department site or with a tax professional.
Methodology note
Values are at current market or realistic realisable value. Examples are illustrative. Tax and withdrawal rules vary and change; check official sources before acting.
Sources
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This article is for educational purposes and is not investment, tax, or legal advice. Investment in securities market are subject to market risks. Examples are illustrative; tax and withdrawal rules change, so check official sources before acting.
