Wendy Williams, once the reigning queen of daytime talk shows, has had a career that’s as bold and layered as her personality. Known for her no-filter commentary, trademark “How you doin’?” catchphrase, and unapologetic attitude, Williams has left an undeniable mark on the media landscape. But behind the fame lies a complicated financial story.
Once earning millions annually, Wendy’s net worth in 2025 is estimated at $5 million—a sharp decline from her peak. Her recent health battles, legal disputes, and financial guardianship have raised questions about her true financial status. Let’s take a closer look at her wealth, rise to fame, and the dramatic twists that led to her current situation.
Wendy Williams’ Peak Salary and Career Earnings
Wendy’s long-running syndicated show, The Wendy Williams Show, was her most successful venture, running from 2008 to 2022. At her peak, she earned at least $10 million per year, filming up to 180 episodes annually. That put her per-episode pay at around $55,000 or more. Some reports suggest she could have earned closer to $20 million annually based on her show’s ratings, product endorsements, and associated media appearances.
Despite this high income, Wendy claimed in a 2024 Lifetime documentary:
“I have no money, and I’m gonna tell you something. If it happens to me, it could happen to you.”
Financial Guardianship and Legal Troubles
In 2022, a New York judge placed Wendy under financial guardianship after she was deemed an “incapacitated person.” Her struggles with Graves’ disease, alcohol addiction, and mental health, including a 2024 diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia and aphasia, created concerns over her ability to manage finances.
That same year, Wells Fargo Advisors froze her bank accounts, citing possible financial exploitation. Wendy responded by filing for an injunction, arguing the freeze placed her and her family in financial distress. Her statement read:
“Until Wells Fargo reopens my personal, business, deferred compensation, and investment accounts… my family and I are at risk of suffering continued irreparable financial harm.”
The 2025 Lawsuit
In June 2025, her ex-husband Kevin Hunter filed a $250 million lawsuit against Wendy’s guardians, financial advisors, and Wells Fargo. The lawsuit claims Wendy was overmedicated, financially exploited, and isolated without independent medical evaluation. Allegations include financial mismanagement, forced asset liquidation, and unauthorized photos taken at her care facility.
Whether or not she has millions under her name, it’s clear from these events that Wendy currently does not have control of her wealth, leading to her repeated claim: “I have no money.”
Real Estate and IRS Issues
Despite her current net worth estimate, Wendy owned high-value real estate in recent years. She and Kevin Hunter purchased a 6,000-square-foot New Jersey mansion for $2.1 million in 2009, which sold in 2020 for $1.475 million.
In 2021, Wendy purchased a luxury NYC condo for $4.54 million, located at 50 West Street. The 2,400-square-foot, multi-level residence included top-tier amenities like a 60-foot lap pool and observatory access. In 2024, amid financial concerns and IRS troubles, Wendy sold the property at a reported loss.
In January 2024, the IRS filed a lien for $568,451, citing unpaid taxes from 2019 and 2021. These financial setbacks occurred around the time she began liquidating personal assets and downsizing her lifestyle.
Early Life and Education
Born on July 18, 1964, in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Wendy was the second of three children. She moved to Ocean Township at age five, later graduating from Ocean Township High School. She earned her communications degree from Northeastern University in 1986, where she worked as a DJ at college radio station WRBB—a first step into what would become a decades-spanning career.
Radio Career and Rise to Fame
Wendy’s media journey began with a radio job in the Virgin Islands, before moving on to WRKS and Hot 97 in New York City. She became known for her bold, honest commentary and no-nonsense delivery.
By 2001, she returned to New York’s WBLS, where she gained national attention with interviews that pulled no punches—most famously her tense conversation with Whitney Houston. She was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame before transitioning fully into television.
The Wendy Williams Show
Her iconic talk show launched in 2008 and ran successfully for 13 seasons. The program attracted 2.4 million daily viewers and was syndicated nationally and internationally. The show blended celebrity gossip, audience interaction, and Wendy’s unfiltered takes, quickly becoming a daytime TV staple.
She received multiple Daytime Emmy and People’s Choice nominations and gained a reputation as a cultural commentator who never held back.
In 2021, she stepped away from the show due to health complications. In 2022, the show officially ended, and Sherri Shepherd took over the time slot with her own show, Sherri.
Acting, Writing, and Business Ventures
Wendy’s on-screen talents extended to acting roles in Martin, Dancing with the Stars, One Life to Live, and Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man. She also starred in Chicago on Broadway in 2013.
As an author, Wendy penned several bestsellers, including:
- Wendy’s Got the Heat
- Ask Wendy
- Hold Me in Contempt: A Romance
- The Wendy Williams Experience
Her fashion line on HSN and jewelry collection on QVC also expanded her business footprint.
Personal Life and Divorce
Wendy was married to Kevin Hunter from 1997 to 2019. They share a son, Kevin Jr., born in 2000. The couple’s marriage was plagued by public allegations of infidelity and abuse. In 2019, Wendy filed for divorce after reports surfaced of Kevin fathering a child with another woman. That same year, she revealed she was living in a sober house due to struggles with addiction.
Final Thoughts
Wendy Williams’ net worth may now stand at $5 million, a stark contrast to her past earnings. But her legacy isn’t just financial. It’s built on decades of breaking barriers in radio and daytime television, creating space for open discussions about everything from celebrity culture to personal struggles.
Today, her story is more about resilience than riches. Regardless of her financial control, Wendy Williams remains a powerful figure in American media—an icon whose voice, humor, and courage continue to resonate.