The 13 highest-earning dead celebrities still making millions

Who makes most from beyond the grave?

Each year, Forbes publishes its annual list of the highest-paid dead celebrities – and some of the names in the most recent edition might surprise you.

From music icons to beloved sports stars, click or scroll on to discover the 13 stars featured and find out how much money their estates made. We'll also explore who benefits from each star's millions, from family members to estate management companies.

All dollar amounts in US dollars.

13. Kobe Bryant: $10 million

NBA star Kobe Bryant was widely regarded as one of the greatest players in basketball history. He died in a helicopter crash in 2020, a tragedy that also claimed the life of his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others.

His legacy lives on, however, with his estate earning $10 million in 2025. In 2022, Nike reached a long-term agreement with Bryant’s family to release new footwear and apparel, and revenues from these products have quadrupled over the past year.

13. Kobe Bryant: $10 million

Bryant’s $600 million estate was placed in a trust for his wife Vanessa (pictured) and their three surviving children, Natalia, Bianka, and Capri.

The trust is structured to allow Vanessa to draw from the assets to support the family. The children will inherit the trust upon Vanessa’s death.

=11. Arnold Palmer: $11 million

American golf legend Arnold Palmer is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 87 due to heart problems. Though Palmer banked a fortune from his golfing career, another major money-spinner was his namesake beverage line. His popular half-lemonade, half-iced tea drink was launched in 2001 in partnership with the Arizona Beverage Company.

The Arnold Palmer iced tea and lemonade drink sells around 500 million cans annually. As a result, the Palmer estate banked $11 million last year. 

=11. Arnold Palmer: $11 million

Upon his death, Arnold Palmer bequeathed $10 million of his fortune to his widow, Kathleen. An additional $10 million was left to his non-profit organization, Arnie’s Army Charitable Foundation. Launched in 2015, it provides financial aid to charities that help children, families, the environment, and communities.

A portion of Palmer's fortune was also allocated to settle debts with creditors and compensate former employees.

Palmer's two daughters, Peggy and Amy, inherited the lion's share of his estate, including golf courses, properties, and merchandise licensing. The heiresses most likely also profit from the royalties generated by his beverage line.

=11. Prince: $11 million

American music icon Prince passed away from an accidental overdose in 2016 at the age of 57.

The star's estate earned $11 million last year, bolstered by his lucrative music catalog and savvy licensing deals. The estate also profits from visitors to his Paisley Park compound, located in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

However, an upcoming Netflix documentary on Prince has sparked controversy and may never be released due to objections from his estate. The estate reportedly disapproved of how Paisley Park looked on film and also contested scenes featured in the documentary.

=11. Prince: $11 million

Prince passed away suddenly and without a will, resulting in his six half-siblings being named as his heirs. However, this led to a lengthy legal battle over his estate, which wasn't resolved until 2022.

The final ruling determined that the estate should be divided equally between Prince Legacy LLC and Prince OAT Holdings LLC.

Prince Legacy LLC comprises interests previously held by three of Prince's half-siblings, while Prince OAT Holdings LLC is owned by the music publishing company Primary Wave.

10. John Lennon: $12 million

The late John Lennon rose to fame with The Beatles, but the musician-turned-activist’s life was cut short in 1980 when he was murdered at the age of 40.

Lennon’s estate continues to earn millions from his music catalog. It also banked money from an HBO documentary released last year titled One to One: John & Yoko, which followed the couple’s music career in the 1970s.

Thanks to the enduring popularity of Lennon’s music, his estate earned $12 million in 2025.

10. John Lennon: $12 million

Following John Lennon's sudden death, his estate was primarily owned and managed by his widow Yoko Ono.

Lennon's sons Julian (from his first marriage to Cynthia Powell) and Sean (who he shared with Ono) were also named beneficiaries of the estate. Ono primarily managed the Lennon estate until 2021 before retiring from the public eye, leaving Sean in charge.

9. Bob Marley: $13 million

Music icon Bob Marley is regarded as a pioneer of the reggae genre. Tragically, he passed away at the age of 36 in 1981 after a battle with cancer.

More than four decades after his untimely death, Marley's estate remains a money-spinner, raking in an incredible $13 million in 2025.

Unsurprisingly, his estate primarily makes money from music royalties and merchandising deals. It also makes money from a new Las Vegas show, Bob Marley Hope Road, which was launched last year. 

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9. Bob Marley: $13 million

Marley didn't leave a will when he died, and Jamaican law dictated the estate's division. It was declared that 10% would go to Marley's widow, Rita, with an additional 45% distributed to her throughout her lifetime, while the remaining 45% would be shared equally among his children.

However, the decision was contested, leading to a decade-long legal battle between Rita, Marley's children, former band members, and his music label. In 1991, the court finally ruled in favour of Rita Marley and Chris Blackwell's Island Logic Ltd., which had been managing Marley's estate since 1989.

Meanwhile, his 11 children were given exclusive rights to Marley's name, likeness, and image for commercial purposes. Island Logic Ltd. continued to control the estate for another decade before it transitioned to Marley's 11 children. Today, the estate is run by four of his children under the name House of Marley, while his remaining offspring have seats on the board.

8. Jimmy Buffett: $14 million

American singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett passed away in 2023 following a battle with skin cancer. He was 76 years old.

The late musician rose to fame with his unique beach/island-lifestyle brand of music. His most famous song is the 1977 hit Margaritaville.

Buffett turned Margaritaville into a sprawling business empire, including restaurants, resorts, merchandise, and even a cruise line. The success of the Margaritaville brand saw him posthumously reach billionaire status in 2023. Last year alone, his estate raked in $14 million. 

8. Jimmy Buffett: $14 million

Buffett left his family two trusts: one for his children and another for his wife, Jane (pictured together).

The latter trust, valued at $275 million, is at the center of an ongoing legal battle between Jane and Richard Mozaenter, the estate’s co-executor, over the amount of money she is entitled to receive annually. 

7. Elvis Presley: $17 million

Elvis Presley passed away tragically young, dying from a heart attack in 1977 at the age of 42. His legacy endures, with his estate earning $17 million in 2025. 

In addition to his lucrative music catalog and image rights, Presley's Graceland home, which is now a major tourist attraction, is another big money-spinner for the estate.

7. Elvis Presley: $17 million

Upon Presley's death, he left his entire estate to his only child, Lisa Marie Presley. As Lisa Marie was only nine when her father died, Presley's ex-wife, Priscilla, managed the estate, with Lisa Marie eventually taking control on her 25th birthday.

Shockingly, Lisa Marie died in 2023 at the age of 54. Her sudden death sparked a legal battle for control of the Elvis Presley estate between Priscilla Presley and her granddaughter, Riley Keough (pictured together). Lisa Marie had left all her assets to her adult daughter (Riley) and her teenage twins, Harper and Finley Lockwood, a decision contested by Priscilla. 

The battle has since ended, with a judge ruling in favor of Riley. 

6. Miles Davis: $21 million

American jazz musician Miles Davis enjoyed a decades-long career that established him as one of the world’s most influential artists. He passed away in 1991 at the age of 65.

This year marks the music legend’s 100th birthday, and a biopic celebrating his life is in the works starring actor Damson Idris. Catalog acquirer Reservoir Media also purchased 90% of Davis’s estate ahead of the milestone, with live centennial performances across the United States.

His estate banked $21 million last year. 

6. Miles Davis: $21 million

The estate was previously controlled by Miles Davis Properties, LLC, overseen by Davis' children, Cheryl Davis and Erin Davis, along with his nephew, Vincent Wilburn Jr.

However, as mentioned, Reservoir Media Inc. recently acquired a 90% stake in the estate.

5. The Notorious B.I.G.: $80 million

East Coast rapper The Notorious B.I.G. (born Christopher Wallace) was tragically murdered in 1997. He was just 24 years old when he died.

Almost three decades on, his estate remains a major moneymaker. In March 2025, Primary Wave Music bought a 50% stake in his music catalog and publishing rights, contributing to the mammoth $80 million banked by the estate. 

5. The Notorious B.I.G.: $80 million

For decades, the estate of The Notorious B.I.G. was overseen by his mother, Voletta Wallace (pictured). It was Wallace who brokered the aforementioned deal with Primary Wave Music.

However, Wallace passed away last year, and it is believed that her share of the estate is now managed by the late rapper’s former management team, Mark Pitts and Wayne Barrow.

=3. Richard Wright and Syd Barrett: $81 million each

The estates of Pink Floyd co-founding members Richard Wright and Syd Barrett (pictured) each earned a whopping $81 million in the past year.

Both band members died following battles with cancer: Barrett in 2006, aged 60, and Wright in 2008, aged 65.

In 2024, the iconic rock band sold its music catalog in a deal worth $400 million to Sony Music. The proceeds from this deal were split between the band’s three surviving members and the estates of Wright and Barrett. Wright and Barrett are also credited with co-writing many Pink Floyd hits, further boosting the incomes of their estates. 

=3. Richard Wright and Syd Barrett: $81 million each

The estates of Richard Wright and Syd Barrett were inherited by their respective families.

Wright’s (pictured) estate was inherited by his children, while Barrett’s estate passed to his sister, Rosemary. These family members were likely the primary beneficiaries of the recent Sony Music Publishing sale.

2. Dr. Seuss: $85 million

Dr. Seuss is regarded as one of the best children's authors of all time. He wrote more than 60 books, including The Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Green Eggs and Ham.

He passed away in 1991 at the age of 87 after a battle with cancer. Yet his legacy lives on, and he regularly sells millions of books worldwide each year.

Other income streams include licensing for theme parks, TV and movies, and apparel. As a result, his estate banked an eye-watering $85 million.

2. Dr. Seuss: $85 million

Following the death of Dr. Seuss, whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel, his widow Audrey Geisel took over the management of his estate and the licensing of his work. She founded Dr. Seuss Enterprises in 1993 and ran the business until her death in 2018.

It's currently unclear who owns the lucrative estate. In 2021, it was reported that a woman named Susan Brandt was serving as the president of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, but it's not certain if she owns a share in the company.

While Dr. Seuss didn't have any biological children, he did have two stepdaughters, Lark and Leagrey, courtesy of Audrey's previous marriage. It's unknown if they were named heirs after their mother's death.

1. Michael Jackson: $105 million

Music legend Michael Jackson passed away in 2009 at the age of 50. An investigation into Jackson's untimely death led to his doctor, Conrad Murray, being convicted of involuntary manslaughter for administering a lethal cocktail of drugs to the singer.

Jackson's estate earned $105 million last year. In 2024, Sony Music Group purchased half of Jackson's music catalog for at least $600 million pre-tax, in a deal that valued the singer's musical assets at more than $1.2 billion – the highest sum ever paid for the work of a single musician.

The Jackson estate also profits from the globetrotting MJ: The Michael Jackson Musical stage show. Productions of the show in major cities such as London and Las Vegas earn $6 million per week. 

1. Michael Jackson: $105 million

So, who profits from the lucrative Jackson estate? Upon his death, Michael Jackson left 40% of his estate to his beloved mother Katherine. He also donated a 20% share to charity.

The remaining 40% was divided among his three children, Prince, Paris, and Bigi (pictured). They will also inherit Katherine's share upon her death, although it's unclear how much of this money flows directly into the estate itself.

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