Motley Fool Money How Much Makes Someone Wealthy, and Why It Pays to Delay Social Security
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Aug 2, 2025 
Dr. Michael Finke, a professor at the American College of Financial Services and an expert in retirement planning, discusses the pitfalls of claiming Social Security too early. He emphasizes the importance of understanding financial comfort, pointing out that net worth benchmarks stand at $839,000 and $2.3 million for comfort and wealth, respectively. Finke also highlights the strategic benefits of delaying Social Security for better long-term returns, especially for higher earners, while examining stock market performance in 2025.
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Defining Financial Comfort
- Financial comfort and wealth are subjective but can be assessed by meeting financial well-being criteria.
- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's four criteria define comfort and wealth more than fixed net worth numbers.
International Stocks Lead 2025
- International stock markets have outperformed the US market significantly in 2025.
- A declining US dollar and local economic investments are key reasons for this trend.
Labor Hours to Buy S&P 500
- It now takes 218 work hours at average wages to purchase one S&P 500 share, the highest since 1947.
- This indicates high stock market valuations and wage growth issues over the decades.