[quote=dumbrenter]Is that it? I find it hard to believe. Maybe the estate tax returns whose basis IRS used are very different from living people’s return.
Maybe people do take some of their wealth with them when they die.[/quote]
“Net worth” (and their progeny) are the only (tangible) things one leaves when they die. Their “salary” doesn’t mean anything, unless a last paycheck is owed to their heir(s).
Perhaps some salaried individuals feel more comfortable leveraging their salaries into more debt in order to “own” more things. This mindset doesn’t necessarily add to their net worth.
IMHO, in most circumstances having net worth is preferable to having more income, but that’s just me … I’m not one who needs a lot to live on.
