1 – Net Worth
Elon Musk’s net worth has been estimated at around $138B as of 2020. This is credited to an ambitious work ethic, from engineering to computing and from the automotive industry to aerospace, Musk’s investments and creations span a broad number of areas. Even though it has been reported that Musk’s net worth had dropped by $3.1 B over the past 3 years, he still remains to be one of the richest individuals in the world.
Among his most valued investments are Tesla, SpaceX, and The Boring Company. In 2020, Tesla’s stock hit an unprecedented $1,200-level, leading to an estimated 3 billion dollar profit as Musk owns 53 million Tesla shares. This success has been due to Musk’s ambition to create an all-electric car company that puts environmental consequences at the forefront of its business goals. Alongside this, Musk is tackling the aerospace industry with SpaceX, providing reusable launch vehicles to take astronauts to the International Space Station.
2 – Income Strategies
Another element that has contributed to Elon Musk’s estimated net worth is his income strategies. Musk has been known to reinvest most of his earnings into his businesses, making sure they grow and expand. This allows him to increase his net worth as his companies continue to make profits and go public on stock exchanges.
Additionally, he receives a great deal of his income through compensation packages by some of his businesses, such as Tesla. This is due to the Performance Award Plan that Tesla drafted, relying on long-term performance and average market capitalization, yielding a 10-fold satisfaction of the stock performance.
3 – Cost Efficiency
In order to gain the estimated net worth, it is not all about income but also about cost efficiency. Musk is known to not be interested in luxury; for instance, he seeks to travel by economy seat despite his estimated wealth. He has also been reported to live in a rather modest $4 million-dollar estate in Los Angeles.
Furthermore, Musk has been noticed to spend most of his income in the growth of his businesses, despite not being obligated to do so. This kind of mentality allows him to keep the cost effectiveness in check and maximize the potential of his investments.
4 – Philanthropy
Musk has also engaged in philanthropic activities throughout his career, donating close a billion dollars in total however not donating as much as many of his peers such as Bill Gates and Warren Buffett among others. Nonetheless, he has donated resources to diversified projects – like building a school in South Africa, creating foundations to promote renewable energy, and helping the victims of Indigenous lands affected by the wildfires.
Musk has also been supportive of varied organizations, namely the Future of Life Institute and the OpenAI research institute. Additionally, Musk has pledged to used 2/3 of his wealth for charitable causes and is constantly monitoring the progress of his donations and engagements with his philanthropic foundations.
5 – Investing
Elon Musk also has a history of investing in a number of start-up businesses, often selling them on as soon as they reach a certain stage. This has allowed Musk to gain a considerable net worth by gradually investing in new ventures, and then selling them on to help fund other companies.
For example, in 1999 Musk invested a considerable amount of money in PayPal – which he sold to eBay a few months later, gaining approximately $180m. Musk has used similar tactics when investing in Tesla, Solar City, and Hyperloop – which are now multi-billion-dollar companies worldwide.
6 – Tax Implications
As with many wealthy super investors, tax implications can have a massive effect on the estimated overall net worth of Elon Musk.
The United States government has identified extensive economic incentives for the wealthy, such as deductions and tax credit systems targeted at
eliminating or reducing any tax burden on those with high incomes – due to personal or business investments. Musk is reported to use his wealth as efficiently as possible, legally avoiding any kind of taxes related to his investments.
For instance, Tesla offers lenders relatively low-interest loans and investors tend to take large deductions with regard to their tax liabilities. This is mainly due to Tesla electing to provide income in the form of stocks instead of cash, allowing them a great deal of flexibility.
7 – Earnings From Stock Options
Elon Musk owns 53.1 million A (voting) and B (non-voting) Tesla shares, as well as 5.3 million shares of SolarCity Corporation. This gives him voting control over these two companies. In addition, Musk holds share options that vest over a 4-year period, allowing him to benefit from stock prices going up.
As the stock has gone up since 2017, Musk has made over $7 billion from his stock options. This is money that Musk is free to do whatever he wishes with, and as he invests much of his wealth back into Tesla and SolarCity, the stock prices continue to rise. Although the stock market can be volatile, Musk’s gamble seems successful so far.
8 – Other Sources of Income
Musk is also a co-founder of a number of other businesses such as SpaceX, The Boring Company, and Neuralink – who are developing technology to connect brains directly with computers. All of these companies offer Musk not just a steady source of income but also a sense of purpose in advancing humanity.
In 2020, it was also reported that Musk had struck a $775 million deal that combines SolarCity pension liabilities with some of his other companies – Tesla, SpaceX, and The Boring Company. This helped to ensure the Survival of SolarCity and eased the liabilities of its corporate pension.
Musk has also been named by Forbes as the highest-paid person in the US for 2020, and due to his investments in these different businesses as well as gains from his share options, it is no surprise why.
9 – Short-Term vs. Long-Term Wealth
Even though Elon Musk has become very wealthy in a very short space of time, it is important to remember that his wealth is largely in shares of companies he owns, such as Tesla. This means that his wealth could drop dramatically if the stock prices of those companies were to decline. As such, it is important to strive for a sustainable approach when making investments.
In addition, Musk is known for reinvesting most of his earnings back into his businesses, meaning that his wealth is primarily concentrated in his investments. This means that his ability to access his wealth is limited, since most of his wealth is not liquid. This can be beneficial for long-term sustainability, but it does make achieving short-term wealth more difficult.
10 – Summary of Elon Musk’s Net Worth
Elon Musk is an ambitious entrepreneur whose net worth has been estimated to be around $138B as of 2020. He has gained much of his wealth through investments and involvement in a number of businesses such as Tesla, SpaceX, and The Boring Company. It has been reported that he has gained 3 billion dollars in profits through Tesla in 2020, as well as through compensation packages, cost efficiency, and reinvestment of his earnings. Musk has also donated a considerable amount to charity, given his estimated wealth – about a billion dollars.
Additionally, Musk has been very selective in the investments he makes and invests in long-term sustainability instead of short-term gain. And, lastly, Musk holds stock options of companies he owns, which helps him benefit from the stock prices continually increasing. It is evident that Musk is a shrewd investor who is maximizing the potential of his investments, to add to his already impressive wealth.
