Millionaire Club Growing

If your net worth is more than $1 millionexcluding the value of your homeand other real estate, you're a member ofa club that's fast becoming less exclusive.According to the World Wealth Reportissued by Merrill Lynch, one of every 130Americans is now a millionaire. When theassets of America's wealthiest are combinedwith those of their Canadian counterparts,the net worth of NorthAmerican millionaires reached a massive$8.5 trillion in 2003. That's up 14% fromthe previous year, thanks to a recoveringstock market. Millionaires had 35% oftheir money in stocks in 2003, up from20% in 2002. They also put 13% of theirassets into high-risk hedge funds in 2003,up from 10% the previous year.