The balance sheet provides the values needed in the equity equation: Total Equity = Total Assets - Total Liabilities. Where: Total assets are all that a business or a company owns.
If you're taking out a home equity line of credit, the amount of available equity you have in your home plays an important role. Your home equity is the difference between the appraised value of your home and your current mortgage balance(s).
NOTE 1: Retirement funds should be listed in the space for IRA/Keogh/SEP or the space for Vested Interest in Pension Plans/401k/403b, as appropriate. NOTE 2: If you own your business, do not put the value here. It is not a publicly traded stock.
In personal finance, equity is known as net worth. It's the difference between your personal assets (like your home, savings, or retirement accounts) and your personal liabilities (like credit card debt or a mortgage).