Introduction

Danielle Steel is an American professional writer with an estimated net worth of $600 Million. 

Quick Facts

• Earned an estimated $201 million between 2010 and 2018
• Peak annual income of $35 million in 2011
• A former bookkeeper allegedly stole $2.7 million from her in 2009
• 67th richest self-made woman in America

Net Worth History

Although not a billionaire, Forbes has been tracking Danielle Steel’s net worth for over a decade because she is a member of America’s Richest Self-Made Women. In 2016, she had an estimated net worth of $310 million, and for the next several years, this figure grew by $10-20 million annually. In 2024, her net worth jumped from $420 million to $500 million, and at the time of writing, she’s ranked as the 67th richest self-made woman in America, with an estimated net worth of $600 Million.

Earnings History

According to reports, between 2010 and 2018, Danielle Steel earned approximately $201 million from all endeavors. She often earned substantial annual sums from book advances, film and TV rights, and royalties. This included estimated earnings of $32 million in 2010 and $35 million in 2011, which were her highest-earning years of the decade. During the 2010s, Steel’s earnings gradually declined, dropping to between $22 million and $26 million in the mid-2010s and to $12 million by 2018. 

Legal Issues & Lawsuits

In 1993, Steel filed a lawsuit against author Lorenzo Bene, who was going to disclose that her son had been adopted by her husband at the time, John Traina. California law states that adoption records must remain sealed to protect adoptive families and can only be opened under very special circumstances. Generally, the records can be disclosed for medical purposes or with the consent of the adopted child once they reach adulthood. Steel believed that if her son’s adoption went public, it would violate her family’s privacy.

Despite her arguments, the state supreme court ruled in favor of opening the adoption record, which was highly unusual given that her son was still a minor at the time. Controversially, the court decided that, because of Steel’s public profile, privacy standards didn’t apply to her and therefore agreed that the records could be opened.

Theft By Former Assistant

In 2009, Steel was the victim of theft after her bookkeeper stole approximately $2.7 million from her. Kirsty Watts had worked for Steel for 15 years when, in November 2008, Steel discovered irregularities in the way Watts had handled credit cards and subsequently terminated her employment. An investigation later revealed that Watts had stolen the money by writing herself cheques and paying herself bonuses. She also used Steel’s credit card reward points to buy flights and gift cards for her family.

Watts was sentenced to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to stealing over several years and agreed to surrender her assets to help repay the money. So far, she has returned the majority of what she stole, mainly through the sale of her home, its contents, and her family’s vehicles.

Real Estate

Danielle Steel and her husband, Thomas Perkins, own the Spreckles Estate in San Francisco, California. The property has a significant history. It was initially split into four units before Steel acquired it and began her restoration efforts. She also reportedly purchased approximately 25 parking permits for guests in the adjoining streets.

While we don’t know precisely how much Steel paid for the home, recent estimations place its current valuation at roughly $19.2 million. Public records show that the annual property taxes range from $130,000 to $140,000. Over at least twenty-five years of ownership, the couple is estimated to have spent at least $2.5 million on property taxes alone. 

Introduction

Tom Shadyac is an American professional producer and screenwriter with an estimated net worth of $5 Million. 

Quick Facts

• Earned over $30 million from backend points of Bruce Almighty
• Reportedly earned $5 million from Liar Liar
• Donated $50 million of his fortune to charity

Net Worth History

In Tom Shadyac’s case, his net worth history is rather interesting. Shadyac was responsible for producing some of the world’s most iconic films in the 2000s, including The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, Bruce Almighty, Evan Almighty, and I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry. He earned tens of millions of dollars from doing so, and once held an incredible fortune. 

However, Shadyac ultimately stepped away from producing for several years after 2007, the year in which he was involved in a bicycle accident. The accident left him hypersensitive to sound and light and caused him severe headaches, which led him to switch up his lifestyle.

For Tom, this ultimately meant selling all of his material possessions and donating everything to charity. Some reports suggest that by the time he was done, he had donated more than $50 million of his fortune.

Therefore, his current net worth, which is estimated to be in the ballpark of $5 Million, is much lower than what it once was.

Film Earnings

According to the man himself, Shadyac earned a $5 million fee for helping to create and produce Liar Liar, starring Jim Carrey. He also earned a backend percentage of the film’s revenues for Bruce Almighty, which totaled over $30 million.

Real Estate

In December 2019, Tom Shadyac paid $2.2 million for a 4,837-square-foot, four-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom home on Roxbury Road in Los Angeles, California. He acquired the property from Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul and owned it for roughly four years before relisting it on the market with an asking price of $2.75 million. It sold in May 2023 for $2.645 million, and after considering property taxes and agent fees, he potentially profited between $50,000 and $100,000.

Highlights 

Here are some of the best highlights of Tom Shadyac’s career: 

• The Nutty Professor (Movie, 1996) 
• Liar Liar (Movie, 1997) 
• Patch Adams (Movie, 1998) 
• Dragonfly (Movie, 2002) 
• Evan Almighty (Movie, 2007) 
• I Am (Documentary, 2010) 

Introduction

Jenna Bush Hager is a professional author, journalist, and news correspondent with an estimated net worth of $14 million.

Hager made her fortune on the Today show. Although she is best known as the daughter of former President George W. Bush, Jenna has created her legacy as a talented television presenter. While she started her television career in 2009, she has no plans to leave the Today show, and we can expect to see her active for many more seasons.

Quick Facts

• Reportedly earns a salary of $4 million per year on the Today show

Before Wealth & Fame

While living in Dallas, she attended Preston Hollow Elementary School and The Hockaday School until her father was elected Governor of Texas, and they moved to Austin. She then attended St. Andrew’s Episcopal School and Austin High School from 1996 until her graduation in 2000. When her father became president in 2001, she started attending the University of Texas while also taking summer classes at New York University.

In New York, she was a legacy member of her mother’s sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta, but Jenna and her sister quickly made headlines when they were both arrested on alcohol-related charges in April of 2001. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin in 2004 with a degree in English, she started making media appearances on behalf of her father’s re-election campaign.

NBC Salary

Jenna Bush Hager has been working with NBC since 2009. Her first role with the network was as a correspondent and contributor focusing on human-interest stories. Hager’s salary during this time of her career wasn’t publicly disclosed, but NBC typically paid correspondents between $100,000 and $300,000 per year. In 2014, Hager’s on-air presence grew, and she began receiving much greater visibility.

The most important promotion came in 2019, when Hager succeeded Kathie Lee Gifford as the co-host of the 4th hour of TODAY. She was also partnered with Hoda Kotb to launch Today with Hoda & Jenna. Again, her salary during this period was not public, but it was believed to be upwards of $1 million per year.

By 2020, Hager’s annual salary with NBC had grown to a reported $3 million, and at the time of writing, she is currently earning $4 million per year with the network. Based on the information above, Jenna Bush Hager has potentially earned between $21 million and $25 million since joining NBC in 2009.

Real Estate

In 2015, Jenna Bush Hager and her husband, Henry Chase Hager, paid $4.58 million for a four-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom apartment in New York City. The unit is located in the Tribeca neighborhood and features 2,545 square feet of living space. The couple listed the home for sale in 2022 with an asking price of $5.375 million. We’re not sure whether this property has been sold.

Summary 

Jenna Bush may have become well-known thanks to her father, George, but her success since 2000 has been all her own. While she has worked on the Today show since 2009, she remains a co-anchor today, and she seems to have no plans to leave anytime soon.