Tuesday's ruling on his divorce case shows him to be short of that goal, but still with a net worth of close to £400 million (S$1.1 billion).
The ruling presents McCartney as a man who shuns security, banning bodyguards at the house he shared with his first wife, Linda. It says he put his children, who had 'little security', through state schools.
He might jet round the world to tour but he would also take the Tube to his London office.
His tours earned him £27 million during his marriage to Mills but the albums he recorded for EMI in 2002 and 2003 were 'not profitable'.
What his £387 million is made up of:
Property: £33.9 million
McCartney is based at his 604ha estate in Peasmarsh, East Sussex, or at his north London home. He had no bodyguards at Peasmarsh before 2003 when his daughter Beatrice was born and when Mills campaigned for increased security.
He also had properties in England, New York and Beverly Hills and extensive Scottish estates.
Business assets: £240.9 million
These include his firm MPL Communications, shares in the Beatles record label Apple and other income such as music rights.
Cash: £15.1 million
They are held in bank accounts in Britain and the United States, plus £6,000 in cash
Investments: £34.3 million
Works of art: £32.2 million
They include works by masters such as Picasso and Renoir and his own paintings, musical instruments, jewellery, furniture, cars and horses
Pension assets: £36.2 million
Total net assets: £387,012,000. He was owed £3.6 million and has tax liabilities of £9.6 million
Total net income for the next 12 months: £5.3 million