In fact, data from the Federal Reserve shows that wealthy people actually end up borrowing a lot more money than the country's lowest earners. And the top 1% of the population actually holds a whopping 4.6% of all debt, while the bottom 50% of the country only has 36% of outstanding debt.
Debt can be used as leverage to multiply the returns of an investment but also means that losses could be higher. Margin investing allows for borrowing stock for a value above what an investor has money for with the hopes of stock appreciation.
Since loans have to be paid back, they do not count as income. And the wealthiest people have plenty of collateral, such as the shares they hold. So they can hold onto shares, use them as collateral without cashing them out, and get access to cash without paying taxes on it, since it's technically borrowed money.
Is being debt-free the new rich? Yes, as long as you have money and assets, in addition to no debts. Living loan-free is a fantastic way to stay financially secure, and it is possible for anyone. While there are a couple of downsides to being debt-free, they are minimal.
To avoid or delay the hefty tax obligation resulting from the capital gains incurred, they borrow against their wealth and use the proceeds to not just pay for their expenses but also to reinvest in new ventures.
Examples of cash equivalents are money market mutual funds, certificates of deposit, commercial paper and Treasury bills. Some millionaires keep their cash in Treasury bills that they keep rolling over and reinvesting. They liquidate them when they need the cash.
The average billionaire only holds 1% of their net worth in liquid assets like cash because the vast majority of their fortunes are usually tied up in business interests, stocks, bonds, mutual funds and other financial assets.
Investing and paying down debt are both good uses for any spare cash you might have. Investing makes sense if you can earn more on your investments than your debts are costing you in terms of interest. Paying off high-interest debt is likely to provide a better return on your money than almost any investment.
Further, a second study by Fidelity Investments found that 88% of all millionaires are self-made, meaning they did not inherit their wealth. The Fidelity study also revealed that self-made millionaires' top sources of assets were investments/capital appreciation, compensation and employee stock options/profit sharing.
Millionaires use credit cards like the Centurion® Card from American Express, the J.P. Morgan Reserve Credit Card, and The Platinum Card® from American Express. These high-end credit cards are available only to people who receive an invitation to apply, which millionaires have the best chance of getting.
Studies indicate that millionaires may have, on average, as much as 25% of their money in cash. This is to offset any market downturns and to have cash available as insurance for their portfolio. Cash equivalents, financial instruments that are almost as liquid as cash.
Investing Only in Intangible Assets
Ultra-wealthy individuals invest in such assets as private and commercial real estate, land, gold, and even artwork. Real estate continues to be a popular asset class in their portfolios to balance out the volatility of stocks.
Another red flag that you have too much cash in your savings account is if you exceed the $250,000 limit set by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) — obviously not a concern for the average saver.
The Ultra Wealth Effect
Selling stock generates income, so they avoid income as the system defines it. Meanwhile, billionaires can tap into their wealth by borrowing against it. And borrowing isn't taxable.
Wealthy people can use their stock portfolios to tap cheap loans and avoid the capital-gains tax. A stock-market rally and low interest rates turbocharged borrowing among America's wealthy. Cash offers on real estate is a popular use of this strategy.
Still, a credit score isn't necessarily one of those issues, and many incredibly rich people have average credit; for example, billionaire investor Warren Buffett's FICO score is just 718, according to Fortune Magazine.
Kevin O'Leary, an investor on “Shark Tank” and personal finance author, said in 2018 that the ideal age to be debt-free is 45. It's at this age, said O'Leary, that you enter the last half of your career and should therefore ramp up your retirement savings in order to ensure a comfortable life in your elderly years.
It might appear impossible, but many consumers succeed in living their entire lives without any debt. People of a variety of ages and income levels have made this choice. It's not an easy feat, but if it's something you truly want, don't let naysayers talk you out of it.
INCREASED SECURITY. When you have no debt, your credit score and other indicators of financial health, such as debt-to-income ratio (DTI), tend to be very good. This can lead to a higher credit score and be useful in other ways.