A sudden loss of net worth in middle or older age is associated with a significantly higher risk of death, reports a new study. When people lose a big chunk of their total wealth during a two-year period, they are 50 percent more likely to die in the next 20 years. More than 25 percent of Americans had a wealth shock over the 20 years of the study. This is the first look at the long-term effects of a large financial loss.