I thought net worth was a calculation of assets, both liquid and not...
IE, what's in the bank... holdings (stocks and bonds) and property.
I'd bet with her mansions and other things, she's worth at least 100 Million.
They also use the value of a person's businesses. Puff Daddy's net worth is largely based on the perceived value of Bad Boy and Sean Jean, not just how much he has in the bank, in the market, in real estate etc. Those businesses are worth something, right?
There are also intangible assets that contribute to value and net worth, and attaching a dollar amount to that type of asset is largely guesswork.
For example, the Golden Arches of McDonald are obviously an asset. As we speak, people are pulling into a McDs because they saw the Arches. But, how much are they actually worth? It's hard to say.
A reputation of a company is also an asset, but it's hard to quantify. I'm sure Britney's houses aren't worth as much now that her career has fallen off a cliff and her rep has taken such a hit. If she attempts to sell, now, potential buyers will smell blood and try to lowball her on the price.
Even the value of a person's stock holdings is not what it appears. For example, Bill Gates' net worth is based largely on the value of his Microsoft stock. But if he were to cash out tomorrow, the price of the stock would drop dramatically, because the market couldn't absord so much at one time. There wouldn't be enough buyers.
