A sudden loss of wealth increases your chances of death

When people lose 75% or more of their wealth, they are 50% more likely to die early than people whose wealth remains steady, according to JAMA.

Researchers examined how losing financial stability impacts a person’s health over time.

They looked at how experiencing a “negative wealth shock”—defined as losing 75% or more of their total asset value, including things like a pension, home or business, over two years—affected a person’s mortality.

Over a 20-year follow-up period, 25% of people experienced a negative wealth shock; those men and women were at a much higher risk for death from all causes.

The study did not look at how the loss of wealth directly impacted people’s health. 

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