As one of the most talked-about figures, L. Ron Hubbard has built a significant fortune. In this article, we dive deep into the assets and career highlights.

What Was L. Ron Hubbard's Net Worth?

According to an estate filing after his death in 1986, L. Ron Hubbard was worth $26 million. That's the same as around $60 million after adjusting for inflation. Total assets were inventoried at $26,305,706. The vast majority of that number, precisely $25 million, was attributable to copyright and trademark materials. The remaining $1.3 million was attributed to business investments, notably in the oil and gas industries. Hubbard signed the will the day before he died. His net worth actually had been much higher right before his death. Hubbard put an unknown amount of other assets into trust for four of his five children, his wife, and the Church of Spiritual Technology.

Net Worth and Assets at Death

In the 1930s, Hubbard became a prolific writer for pulp fiction magazines; "Thrilling Adventures" was the first to publish one of his short stories. Best known for writing science-fiction and fantasy, he penned short stories under an array of pseudonyms, including Joe Blitz, Winchester Remington Colt, and Kurt von Rachen. In 1937, Hubbard published his first full-length novel, "Buckskin Brigades." He went on to pen the novelettes "Fear," "Final Blackout," and "Typewriter in the Sky" for the John W. Campbell magazines "Unknown" and "Astounding Science." Additionally, Hubbard wrote the script for the movie serial "The Secret of Treasure Island." In 1938, after reportedly having a near-death experience during a dental procedure, he created a manuscript called "Excalibur" that was supposedly going to revolutionize the world. However, the project went unpublished.

Career Beginnings as an Author

L. Ron Hubbard was an American science-fiction and fantasy author who is best known for founding the Church of Scientology. At the time of his death in 1986, L. Ron Hubbard had a net worth equal to $100 million (after adjusting for inflation).

After failing the Naval Academy entrance exam, Hubbard was enrolled at the Swavely Preparatory School in Manassas, Virginia, to prepare him for a second exam attempt. However, while there, he was diagnosed with myopia, precluding him from entering the Naval Academy. Instead, Hubbard went to the Woodward School for Boys in Washington, D.C., and then to George Washington University for his higher education. There, he posted several failing grades and ultimately dropped out.

Lafayette Ronald Hubbard was born on March 13, 1911, in Tilden, Nebraska. He was the only child of Harry and Ledora. The family soon moved to Kalispell, Montana, and subsequently settled in Helena in 1913. During the onset of World War I, Hubbard's former US Navy officer father rejoined the force, while his mother worked for the state government as a clerk. Throughout the 1920s, the family repeatedly moved around the United States and abroad. Hubbard went to Union High School in Bremerton, Washington, for his freshman year, then he attended Queen Anne High School in Seattle. He then transferred to Helena High School back in Montana but was dropped from enrollment due to failing grades.

As the movement became increasingly controversial in the '60s and '70s, he spent much of his time at sea with an elite quasi-paramilitary group, and then went into seclusion in the California desert after a failed attempt to take over a town in Florida. Hubbard spent the final years of his life holed up in a luxury motorhome on a California ranch.

During World War II, Hubbard was an officer in the United States Navy, briefly commanding two ships. However, he was removed from command both times for his rash behavior. Hubbard spent the last months of his active service in a hospital, where he was treated for a range of ailments.

Ultimately, L. Ron Hubbard's financial journey is a testament to their success.

Disclaimer: All net worth figures are estimates based on public data.