"The latest government figures show that Americans are socking away less for our futures than during any other sustained period since the Great Depression.</br></br>That sounds alarming.</br></br>However, a close look at how the government calculates personal saving suggests the number may be incomplete. Affluent Americans, especially, ought to be figuring their own savings differently -- counting important things that we'll add up below. Once you do your own math, you'll have a clearer snapshot of where your wealth really lies, and a strong foundation to use as you build your financial plan.</br></br>First, a bit about the government figure. This month, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis put the nation's personal saving at negative $116.6 billion for December 2006.</br></br>To get that number, the bureau starts with after-tax disposable income then subtracts ""personal consumption"" of all sorts."