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How Much Does Vanna White Make?

December 5, 2018 By Amanda Stewart 1 Comment

Vanna White has been in the public eye since the early 80s. Most people know her from her role on Wheel of Fortune. She and Pat Sajak have run the show for decades. So, how much does Vanna White make and what is her net worth?

How Much Does Vanna White Make?

Vanna White’s annual salary from Wheel of Fortune sits around $8 million. Pat Sajak pulls in slightly more at $12 million per year. However, her role on the show has led to plenty of other opportunities. Not to mention, Vanna has become a pop-culture icon. Her name and likeness have been referenced hundreds of thousands of times.

Outside of her part on the Wheel Vanna has also played some minor roles in films and television. She appeared in Married…With Children, Graduation Day, Simon and Simon, Double Dragon, Goddess of Love, L.A. Law, Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult, 227, Super Mario Bros. Super Show, The King of Queens, and Full House.

Each of these roles, both large and small, have made way for Vanna’s wealth to be what it is today. Let’s take a look at her net worth…

Vanna White’s Net Worth

Currently, Vanna White’s net worth sits around $40 million. The bulk of this has stemmed from Wheel of Fortune. As mentioned above, she has been a host on the show since 1982.

Outside of her work on the Wheel, Vanna has also landed acting roles. Each of these has paid rather minimally (nothing compared to her $8 million a year salary on Wheel of Fortune).

Many people don’t know Vanna has a number of other sources of income as well. She loves knitting and crocheting and even launched her own line of yarn with Lion Brand Yarns called Vanna’s Choice. This adds to her overall net worth.

Not surprisingly, Vanna has also made quite a bit of money from endorsements and sponsorship as well. These partnerships have earned Vanna more than $10 million over the years, contributing to her net worth here and there. She has not signed any lucrative deals recently though.

Vanna was also awarded $403,000 at the end of a lawsuit with Samsung Electronics in 1993. The company featured a parody of her in an advertisement and the judge ruled in Vanna’s favor.

For now, Vanna will continue cashing in on her $8 million a year salary with Wheel of Fortune. She has signed on until 2022 when her contract will renew once again. Vanna has not let on as to when she may leave the show.

Readers, what do you think about Vanna White’s salary and net worth?

Photo: celebrityabc

Meghan Markle’s Taxes Have Become Prince Harry’s Nightmare

November 27, 2018 By Amanda Stewart Leave a Comment

United States officials have begun to take a closer look at Meghan Markle’s taxes and whether or not the U.S. may be entitled to a portion of the newlywed couple’s multi-million dollar fortune. Millions of people tuned in to watch Meghan and Harry get hitched, but what many people didn’t know is Meghan has remained a U.S. citizen, subjecting her (and anyone she draws money from) to taxes.

How The Tax Law Is Still Impacting Markle

If you’ve ever dealt with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), you know how strict they can be in tracking people down that owe them money. Currently, Markle is living in the United Kingdom on a family visa. However, as long as she maintains her U.S. citizenship, she will have to pay taxes in the states even if she lives in the U.K. full-time.

What Will Meghan Markle’s Taxes Do To Their Wealth?

As you know, Markle came into the marriage with her own wealth from her career as an actress in the U.S. However, her tax bill could deplete that $5 million fortune as well as knock out Harry’s £300,000-a-year trust fund (which he already pays taxes on in the U.K.).

What’s even more interesting is that this tax debt could possibly even extend to the Queen and Prince Charles. Because the Queen and Charles provide some funding to Meghan and Harry, they may also be impacted by this.

One of the royal aides reported the family is looking to employ a team of financial consultants from the U.S. to deal with the issue. “We’re looking at a level of financial exposure the Royal Family has never had to face before,” one of the aides said.

What Income Does Meghan Have to Claim?

Legally, Markle has to give the IRS full details of her finances, including any joint assets she may have with her husband. Any joint bank accounts or offshore trusts in excess of $200,000 will need to be reported. There are other things she’ll have to report as well.

Any perks she’s received after joining the Royal Family will need to be reported as well. This includes the use of Nottingham Cottage and the grounds of Kensington Palace. Both of these will need to be valued and declared in her tax return (unless she’s paying the Royal Family rent).

What Else?

That is only a small portion of the income, gifts, and assets that may be taxed now that Markle is a member of the Royal Family. Here are just a few things Uncle Sam plans to examine when determining how much Markle will owe.

Future television income: Any repeat fees and residual income coming from Markle’s role in Suits will be taxed. She made about $50,000 per episode while on the show. While the final season airs in December, she will be paid every time a re-run is shown on TV.
Her engagement ring and wedding dress: It is possible that Markle may have to declare personal items like her ring and dress. According to the IRS, these are technically gifts from a foreign person that she would need to claim via a Form 3520 or face a $10,000 penalty.
Royal allowance: Anything more than $100,000 from the Royal Family will need to be reported on Markle’s taxes. This includes her royal allowances as well as any money given to her to cover her various expenses. Prince Harry receives $450,000 per year from his mother’s estate as well as $4.88 million annually from his father (Prince Charles) to cover expenses. Although these are taxed in the U.K., these allowances may also be subjected to being taxed by Uncle Sam now too.
Property: As mentioned above, she may have to claim the property in which she and Harry live because it is seen as a substitute for her income prior to being married.
Other gifts: Any luxury gifts bought for Harry or the rest of the Royals in the U.S. will need to be reported to the U.K. tax administration. Any gifts imported into the U.K. outside of the EU are subject to a customs tax (2.5% on gifts between $188 and $877).

The Royal Family And Taxes

Since 1993, the Queen’s personal income has been just as taxable as any other taxpayer in the U.K. She pays local rates in customs tax on a voluntary basis. Her wealth stems from the Sovereign Grant, the Privy (her portfolio of properties), and her own investments.

The monarch contributes around £1.8 billion to Britain’s economy on an annual basis through tourism, the media, and other business dealings. It takes about £292 million a year to maintain the Royal Family (or 1p per person per day).

Because the situation with Meghan Markle’s taxes is unprecedented, it will be interesting to see how it plays out. Readers, what do you think about the latest on The Royal Family and the potential tax nightmare?

Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Filed Under: Celebrity Net Worth Tagged With: Meghan Markle, meghan markle's net worth, meghan markle's taxes, royal family taxes, Taxes, taxes for wealthy people

Notes From Elon Musk’s Wife: What It Takes To Become a Billionaire

November 19, 2018 By Amanda Stewart Leave a Comment

Justine Musk isn’t known for being in the spotlight very often, however, it seems she is rather insightful about her ex-husband’s success. After seeing Elon become the founder of PayPal as well as CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, Justine has an idea of what it takes to become a billionaire.

Elon Musk’s Net Worth

Currently, Elon Musk is estimated to have a net worth of $12.1 billion. Much of this has obviously stemmed from his business endeavors directly. Although Tesla hasn’t been wildly profitable, the company is still doing extremely well.

Justine was by Elon’s side until 2008 when the couple parted ways, making her privy to the “secrets” of becoming a billionaire. Recently, she responded to a Quora thread asking the following question: Will I become a billiaonaire if I am determined to be one and put in all the necessary work required?

What Does It Take To Be a Billionaire?

Musk’s former wife answered the question fairly simply with “no.” However, she believes the person asking the question is focused on the wrong things. She continued her response by saying.

You’re determined. So what? You haven’t been racing naked through shark-infested waters yet. Will you be just as determined when you wash up on some deserted island, disoriented and bloody and ragged and beaten and staring into the horizon with no sign of rescue?
Shift your focus away from what you want (a billion dollars) and get deeply, intensely curious about what the world wants and needs. Ask yourself what you have the potential to offer that is so unique and compelling and helpful that no computer could replace you, no one could outsource you, no one could steal your product and make it better and then club you into oblivion (not literally). Then develop that potential. Choose one thing and become a master of it. Choose a second thing and become a master of that. When you become a master of two worlds (say, engineering and business), you can bring them together in a way that will a) introduce hot ideas to each other, so they can have idea sex and make idea babies that no one has seen before and b) create a competitive advantage because you can move between worlds, speak both languages, connect the tribes, mash the elements to spark fresh creative insight until you wake up with the epiphany that changes your life.The world doesn’t throw a billion dollars at a person because the person wants it or works so hard they feel they deserve it. (The world does not care what you want or deserve.)
The world gives you money in exchange for something it perceives to be of equal or greater value: something that transforms an aspect of the culture, reworks a familiar story or introduces a new one, alters the way people think about the category and make use of it in daily life. There is no roadmap, no blueprint for this; a lot of people will give you a lot of advice, and most of it will be bad, and a lot of it will be good and sound but you’ll have to figure out how it doesn’t apply to you because you’re coming from an unexpected angle. And you’ll be doing it alone, until you develop the charisma and credibility to attract the talent you need to come with you. Have courage. (You will need it.)
And good luck. (You’ll need that too.)

Closing Word of Advice

All in all, becoming a billionaire does take some hard work. But no matter how determined you are to have that dollar amount in your bank account, you will need to develop potential and have the courage to reach your goals. Oh, and as Justine pointed out, having a little luck on your side won’t hurt either!

Filed Under: Life Lesson Tagged With: advice to be a billionaire, billionaire, elon musk, justine musk, what it takes to become a billionaire

Beloved American Icon Stan Lee’s Net Worth

November 13, 2018 By Amanda Stewart Leave a Comment

On Monday, November 12, one of America’s most beloved icons died. Stan Lee, the creator of a large number of popular Marvel comic characters, was 95 years old. He often made cameos in Marvel films, helped direct, and loved what he did. Those years of success helped him build wealth and a legacy that would outlive him for centuries. So, what was Stan Lee’s net worth at his time of death?

About Stan Lee

Before we get into his finances, you have to know what a huge deal Stan Lee was to so many people and why.

Stanley Martin Lieber (Stan Lee) was born in Manhattan on December 28, 1922. Throughout his childhood, he was influenced by various books and movies, especially those depicting Errol Flynn as the hero. His family suffered financially after the Great Depression, forcing them to move to The Bronx. Lee and his younger brother shared a room while their parents slept in the living room on a foldout couch.

There he attended DeWitt Clinton High School, where he graduated early at the age of 16 1/2. During his teens, he enjoyed writing and hoped to write the “Great American Novel” one day. He also spent time writing obituaries and press releases, in addition to some odd jobs like delivering sandwiches, office work, ushering, and selling subscriptions to the newspaper.

After graduating from high school, Lee joined the WPA Federal Theatre Project. With help from his uncle (Robbie Solomon) he was able to get an assistant position at the Timely Comics division of Pulp magazine. Timely eventually evolved into Marvel Comics.

His Early Career

At first, Lee’s main duty at Marvel was to refill the inkwells for the artists. He would also get lunch and do proofreading. Lee didn’t make his comic-book debut until May 1941. He debuted with the text filler Captain America Foils the Traitor’s Revenge. This is the first time he used the name “Stan Lee,” which he later changed to his legal name. Lee revealed he used a pseudonym so that if one day he wrote the “Great American Novel” he would not be embarrassed by his time at Marvel. At the time, comic books meant you assumed a lower social status.

Eventually, he graduated from writing filler to crafting actual comics with a backup feature. His first superhero co-creation was the Destroyer in Mystic Comics #6 (August 1941). He also co-created Jack Frost and Feather Time in two other comics that month.

After two of his superiors left the publisher, Lee was swiftly promoted to interim editor at the age of 19. Lee was able to display a knack for the business and remained editor-in-chief (and art director) until 1972. It is also important to note that Lee served in the U.S. Army from 1942 until his return from WWII in 1945.

Later Marvel Years

Over time, Lee became the figurehead and public face for Marvel. He’d frequently make appearances at conventions, lectures, and panel discussions around the country. And, in January 1977, Lee and John Romita Sr. launched the Spider-Man comic strip. At the time, neither of them knew how successful the character would be.

In 1981, Lee moved to California to develop Marvel’s television and movie properties for which he served as an executive producer. And, as many fans know, he made cameo appearances in every film. Lee stepped away from his regular duties at Marvel in the 1990s. However, he continued to receive an annual salary of $1 million from the company as Chairman Emeritus.

After Marvel

In 1998, he began an Internet-based superhero creation, production, and marketing studio called Stan Lee Media. The company grew to 165 people and went public in 1999. Unbeknownst to Lee, two of his business pals were involved in illegal stock manipulation, forcing the company to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 2001.

Fox created a successful X-Men film in 2000 which brought Lee back into the comic game once again. After the blowout success of the first film, Lee sued Marvel for his share of the profits. Lee said that because he co-created the characters, he deserved some of the profits. He and Marvel settled in 2005 for an undisclosed seven-figure amount. Marvel also promised to pay him 10% of any future profits.

Since then, he has worked on a number of different projects with numerous companies. There is no doubt he took the comic book world over. In fact, there’s no way to think about Stan Lee without thinking about comics. What did this HUGE career do for Stan Lee’s net worth?

Stan Lee’s Net Worth

At the time of his death, Stan Lee was estimated to be worth $50 million. While that doesn’t seem like it is a lot, there are a number of lawsuits in Lee’s career that dented his net worth over time. He also once said that he should have been greedier. Although he practically made the Marvel universe, he didn’t always profit from it.

He started at Marvel in 1941 for just $8 a week. Throughout the decades Lee was with Marvel and working with Marvel, the company was bought-and-sold multiple times. However, because Lee was never an owner, he never cashed in on any of those sales.

Later in his life, it seemed Lee was plagued with lawsuits. As you know, he sued Marvel. Just earlier this year, he also sued POW! Entertainment for $1 billion in damages for fraud, claiming he was tricked into signing away rights to use his identity. He was also known to be a bit gullible and fell victim to scams and conmen throughout his life.

It has also been reported that Lee was mixed up in a lawsuit with his daughter over elder abuse. “Lee stands at the center of a nasty battle for his care (and estate) as one friend pleads for help: ‘He’s in need of a superhero himself.’” the Hollywood Reporter reported.

Lee also moved a number of times within the Los Angeles area. His first Hollywood home was priced around $3.6 million and sold for $3.75 million. It has also been reported Lee bought-and-sold a number of other homes in the area, ranging in price from $4 million to $5 million.

The End of an Era

Stan Lee died on November 12, 2018, at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. In recent years, he’d battled with illness. However, his dream still lives on in the characters he created and, of course, with his fans. His daughter spoke after his death saying, “My father loved all of his fans. He was the greatest, most decent man.”

Photo: IGN

Filed Under: Celebrity Net Worth Tagged With: how much is stan lee worth, Marvel comics, Stan Lee, Stan Lee's Net Worth, stan lee's salary, stan lee's wealth, what is Stan Lee's Net Worth

How Much Does Vanna White Make?

How Much Does Vanna White Make?

Vanna White’s Net Worth

Read More

Meghan Markle’s Taxes Have Become Prince Harry’s Nightmare

How The Tax Law Is Still Impacting Markle

What Will Meghan Markle’s Taxes Do To Their Wealth?

What Income Does Meghan Have to Claim?

What Else?

The Royal Family And Taxes

Read More

Notes From Elon Musk’s Wife: What It Takes To Become a Billionaire

Elon Musk’s Net Worth

What Does It Take To Be a Billionaire?

Closing Word of Advice

Read More

Beloved American Icon Stan Lee’s Net Worth

About Stan Lee

His Early Career

Later Marvel Years

After Marvel

Stan Lee’s Net Worth

The End of an Era

Read More

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