Britney, Inc: A Show Biz Fortune At Risk

Britney Spears's klieg-lighted meltdown sent her to the psychiatric ward twice, and left her long-divorced parents, her brother, and a SWAT team of lawyers and accountants grappling with how to protect her from predatory hangers-on, from the paparazzi who dog her every move and from her own erratic behavior.

Britney Spears, performing in 2000 on Long Island, has been a breadwinner for her mother, Lynne, and sister, Jamie Lynn, as well as for her father, Jamie.

Beyond the psychodrama being played out on tabloid covers, celebrity-news shows and gossip Web sites is another serious subject for the Spears family: how to protect the millions of dollars that Ms. Spears, 26, has amassed over a decade as one of America's biggest pop music, merchandise and endorsement engines.

It's impossible to say how much money she has. Published estimates of her net worth have varied wildly, up to $125 million. But one of her former financial advisers, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of his relationship with his client, estimated her current fortune at around $50 million.

Keep Reading

Read the AP's take on the Economy surrounding Britney.

Read the latest news about Britney at the Huffington Post.

Comments

[javaman]

09:29 AM on 02/26/2008

Sure, brit is a train wreck, but given the fact that she may have had been bi-pola for years, may explain a lot of things. As a result, given here assumed condition, she wasn't or hasn't been in any condition to make rational descissions.

And because she has lived in a bubble for most of her life, is it any wonder she is unable to make ration choices?

Given her obvious disfunctional family life as she was growing up and she being the bread winner, is it also any wonder why she has had a break down?

both her dad, her mom and her sister sponged off of her.

Her dad is a drunk that is doing everything he can to avoid work. Her mom obviously has some serious peter pan complex issues. And her sister, now prego at 16, is just another example of excellent family values championed by the spears parents.

To me, this whole "days of our lives" drama puts a fine point on what is horribly wrong with the family unit here in the US.

Take away Brits wealth and what do you have? An example of what many a family is like in the US.

[cuzkate]

08:15 AM on 02/26/2008

Twitney and the Twitettes are just the
latest poster family for white trash
bayou escapees. The hook-up with the
notorius sperm dropper Feder-a-line is
just the culmination of years of fine
breeding.

[debsbuch]

06:35 AM on 02/26/2008

I am ashamed to be part of the human race. Why the hell is someone's downfall suddenly everyone's problem? Money can't buy you everything and cases like this highlight that. There is much more going on in the world than 'celebrity' and people need to start focusing on what is going on rather than tabloid sensationalism. She's been sectioned, so what? Forget it and focus on something important - there's a war going on out there, we need to be worrying about that.

[realitytrumpsbull]

05:29 AM on 02/26/2008

Britney should let go of the shiny thing, and pop smoke and bolt for the hills. GET out of there, lady. It's a nut farm. Be somewhere NOT there, get away from the feedback.

[Puller58]

04:04 AM on 02/26/2008

If Britney were a non-celebrity, she would be either sleeping on her parents' couch, or be out on the streets using drugs and hooking. Sorry folks, I used to work at a homeless shelter and ran into a few ladies that fit the latter situation. The fact that Britney has money at the moment doesn't bode well for her future. Her family and hanger-ons have plans for the money and it doesn't include her. Expect her to do any more recording? Doubt it.

[KOisGod]

11:55 PM on 02/25/2008

A fool and his(her) money are soon parted.

True when said 200 years ago, true today.

[dora rice]

11:12 PM on 02/25/2008

oh my , they robbed her plenty already....50Mill is chicken fee for how many records she sold. Poor Britney, this is all a ploy to rob her blind.

[JScott]

06:38 PM on 02/25/2008

So how much of it is already pissed/burned away?

[WIpatriot]

05:34 PM on 02/25/2008

What can you say about someone whose existence is established around the universe that is Britney Spears?

Pathetic.

[MilwaukeeDan]

05:58 PM on 02/25/2008

WI, I agree, but you have to ask how someone makes $50 to $120 million fortune with a couple of pop songs that she didn't even write? If in a hundred years, the USA self destructs, this will be one of the reasons for it.

[drkazmd65]

05:09 PM on 02/25/2008

So? If she has a fortune based on selling records, and continuing to sell records with no long-term investment plan, and then she stops selling records while continuing to piss away all of her dividends and royalties,...

Do the math. It's not a difficult equation.

[grisgris]

03:51 PM on 02/25/2008

Spears' fortune ranges from $125 million to $50 million and this is a "fortune at risk"? How so? Is Britney shopping too much again? Is she funding the "war" in Iraq for a couple of days? This is more horrifying than global warming. How can I help?
Dammit. I KNEW all those trips to Starbucks would bankrupt Britney.

[dora rice]

11:10 PM on 02/25/2008

no her drunk of a father in my opinion, will go through her fortune, by the time she wakes up from her depression , she will be poor.

[grisgris]

03:20 PM on 02/26/2008

Her father is a RECOVERING alcoholic.
And, the court appointed more than one Conservator over her fortune. A Conservator must report periodically to the court and allow for a review of her finances and any actions the Conservator takes on her part. Spears has her own lawyer acting on her behalf who is in fact challenging the appointment of a Conservator and has moved for the scheduled hearing to be moved to federal court jurisdiction. Spears' father will not be able to "go through her fortune".
Once again, you don't know what you're talking about.

[larry278]

03:28 PM on 02/25/2008

So is the land in La a new La-Pacific or cut-over land that couldn't grow mold?