NEW YORK (Money Magazine) - As a group, affluent Americans are pretty pleased with their finances, according to Money Magazine and RoperASW's survey of Americans with incomes over $75,000. Three-quarters say that they are somewhat to very satisfied with their personal financial situation. Forty-three percent report that they have achieved at least half their financial goals, a percentage that rises sharply among affluent Americans over age 50.

They see their homes (and real estate, in general) as bedrock elements of their wealth and visible symbols of their success. Ninety-three percent own their own homes, 25 percent claim the smartest financial move they ever made was buying their own home and 45 percent say that owning a second home is a sign of affluence. In fact, affluent Americans ranked real estate investing as the best way to get rich in America today.

Counting their mortgages, affluents carry a considerable debt load -- 60 percent owe $100,000 or more -- but they are largely confident in their ability to manage their finances. Not that all days are sunny in the world of the affluent: Eighty-five percent wish they had a bigger financial cushion, 36 percent worry about money all the time or fairly often and 32 percent say that they'd have a fairly big or very big problem paying an unexpected $5,000 bill. A sizeable minority -- 24 percent -- dread the day they have to pay their bills. And 42 percent report that they are buying less this year so that they can pay off their debts.

Even before the stock market's seismic shift forced Americans to reassess their financial plans, securing a comfortable retirement was the No. 1 financial goal among the affluent. Now, the focus is laser-sharp: Eighty-six percent have a tax-advantaged retirement savings plan such as a 401(k), Keogh or Individual Retirement Account, and 73 percent are building assets outside of tax-advantaged plans. The next most popular saving and investing goal is education. In fact, 70 percent of parents who are saving and investing and who have kids under 18 report that they are setting aside funds for college.

Most don't manage these funds without help. About three-fourths of affluent Americans pay at least one financial professional for information or advice; 35 percent call their financial adviser their single most reliable source of information. And the more knowledgeable the investor, the more likely he or she is to turn to the media for advice (hey, thanks); 25 percent rely on newspapers and magazines, and 18 percent get their best info from the Internet. (An astonishing 88 percent of affluents use the Net.) Yet 16 percent of all affluent Americans still get their tips from friends and family members -- rarely the best idea, unless your social circle has unusual financial prowess.

Investors who use an adviser are more likely to own stocks (55 percent, compared with 43 percent of those who don't employ an adviser), equity mutual funds (51 percent vs. 34 percent), money market funds (48 percent vs. 36 percent), bond funds (18 percent vs. 13 percent) and investment real estate (24 percent vs. 13 percent).

But after two down years on Wall Street, accompanied by a spectacular run-up in the value of our homes, Americans are less likely to believe that stocks alone will provide the prosperity they desire. Investing in the stock market ranks fourth as the best way to build wealth today. Nineteen percent pick investing in real estate as their top choice. In the West, where real estate has skyrocketed, that number is even higher, with 25 percent touting real estate as the major route to riches. (Of course, this may be a sure signal that the real estate bubble is getting ready to burst.) What ranked second and third? Getting a professional degree and inheriting money. And our survey furnishes proof positive that faith in the New Economy has faded away. Only 3 percent believe stock options are the sure bet to get rich.

Asked whether the events of Sept. 11 have caused them to change their financial lives, few report any alterations. The most common ones: carrying more cash, buying more life insurance and updating estate plans. Once again, the affluents are making wise decisions -- only 3 percent got out of the stock market.

The disciplined saving habits of affluent Americans enable them to be confident about spending their retirement in relative comfort. They figure they'll need about $1 million for a secure retirement and 17 percent are already there. Seventy-four percent are confident that they will live well in retirement. Even so, most intend to continue working. Only 28 percent would retire completely if money were not an issue. One in five would work as an active volunteer.