As one of the most talked-about figures, Ben Stein has built a significant fortune. In this article, we dive deep into the assets and career highlights.
What is Ben Stein's Net Worth?
Ben Stein is an American lawyer, comedian, actor, and writer who has a net worth of $25 million. Ben Stein built his career as a political and economic commentator and then transitioned into acting and comedy. Ben Stein first rose to prominence as a speechwriter forRichard NixonandGerald Ford. Later on, Stein decided to enter the entertainment world where he became an actor, comedian, and Emmy Award-winning game show host of Comedy Central's "Win Ben Stein's Money." He is probably most famous for his cameo in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off."
Stein was born on November 25, 1944 in Washington, D.C. His mother, Mildred, was a homemaker, and his father, Hubert, was a writer, economist, and presidential advisor. He grew up in a Jewish household in the Woodside Forest neighborhood of Silver Spring, Maryland. He attended Montgomery Blair High School and graduated in 1962. He then enrolled at Columbia University, where he graduated with honors and a degree in economics. He then attended Yale Law School and graduated as valedictorian in June 1970.
In addition to columns, Stein has also written several finance and investing-related books, some of which became bestsellers. Some of his most successful books include "Yes, You Can Retire Comfortably," "Can American Survive?" and "Yes, You Can Time the Market." He has also appeared on several news and political shows, including "Your World withNeil Cavuto," "Larry KingLive," and "The Kudlow Report."
Stein also got involved in politics early on in his career. He began working as a speechwriter and lawyer for President Richard Nixon and then President Gerald Ford. Some even speculated that Stein was actually Deep Throat, the pseudonym given to the secret informant who provided information that led to the Watergate scandal during the Nixon administration. However, Stein denied these allegations and later revealed that Mark Felt was the source.
Stein has also experienced success as a writer, primarily writing as a political commentator. He writes conservative columns for The American Spectator and Newsmax. He has also written for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, New York Magazine, and Barron's Magazine. He wrote a column for Yahoo! Finance until 2009. He was also fired from his position as a columnist at The New York Times in 2009 due to a conflict of interest, as he had recently become a spokesman for Freescore.com, a credit information company. The Times has stated it would not be appropriate for Stein to continue writing a business and finance-related column for them while he worked with Freescore, but Stein has stated that the thought the termination was actually motivated by his criticism of President Obama and budget cuts at the Times.
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Stein worked as a lawyer in New Haven, Connecticut, before becoming a trial lawyer for the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, D.C. He also began teaching while living in D.C. at American University. He initially taught courses in the political and social content of mass culture. He later taught classes at the University of California, Santa Cruz, on political and civil rights in the U.S. Constitution and at Pepperdine University on libel law. From 1990 to 1997, he worked as a law professor at Pepperdine.
Stein has received some criticism for his conservative viewpoints and various times in which he has become involved in conflicts. He is opposed to legalizing abortion and was given the Pro-Life Award in 2003 by the National Right to Life Educational Trust Fund. He wrote in an editorial in 2011 defendingDominique Strauss-Kahn, the then head of the International Monetary Fund, who had been arrested for sexual assault and attempted rape. He has also made comments about the death of Michael Brown following a shooting in Ferguson. Additionally, he has denounced the scientific theory of evolution as a proponent of the theory of intelligent design. He is a staunch supporter of Israel and typically has supported the Republican presidential candidates. He initially supportedDonald Trumpin 2016, though then retracted his support, arguing thatMike Penceshould be the candidate. However, he ended up voting for Trump in the 2016 presidential election.
Ultimately, Ben Stein's financial journey is a testament to their success.
Disclaimer: All net worth figures are estimates based on public data.