Surveying the Super Rich

The questionnaire that 165 households answered for a Boston College study on the secret fears of the wealthy.

1. How would you describe your current overall goals regarding your wealth?  Use a scale from 0 to 10, with a 0 meaning completely in the phase of acquiring your wealth, and a 10 meaning completely in the phase of allocating your wealth.  (Circle only one number).

Acquisition                                                  Allocation
0    1    2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10

2. How financially secure do you feel?  Use a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 meaning not at all financially secure and 10 meaning extremely financially secure.  Circle only one number.

Not at all secure                                          Extremely secure
0    1    2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10

3. How would you describe the ultimate goal or deepest aspiration for your life?

4. How does your wealth help accomplish this aspiration?

5. How does your wealth get in the way?

6. How would you describe your ultimate goal or deepest aspiration for your children (or heirs if no children)?

7. How does your wealth help accomplish this?

8. How does your wealth get in the way?

9. How would you describe your ultimate goal or deepest aspiration for the world or society?

10. How does your wealth help accomplish this?

11. How does your wealth get in the way?

13. Describe the "best" thing you have done with your wealth so far.

14. Describe the best thing you hope to do next with your wealth.

15. Describe the biggest mistake you have made with your wealth so far.