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Social inequalities in morbidity and mortality continue to be one of the highest public health concerns in times of increasing income inequalities in economically advanced countries. Compelling scientific evidence supports the notion that adverse socioeconomic circumstances determine poor health. To a large extent, respective epidemiological research is based on established indicators of people's socioeconomic position, such as education, occupational status and income. With a few exceptions, wealth, a complementary indicator, has received less attention. The paper by Demakakos et al,1 published in the April issue, addresses this gap of knowledge, and it offers several significant insights. First, it demonstrates that accumulated disadvantage over the life course in terms of household wealth (assets, housing) is a powerful predictor of mortality, specifically so in early old age. This …