The Elvis estate didn't pay Colonel Tom Parker; rather, the estate, led by Elvis's father Vernon Presley, settled lawsuits with Parker in 1983 for over $3 million, including $2 million for Parker's rights and $1.1 million to settle disputes, while Parker also received money for masters and concert rights, essentially buying out his control and resolving long-standing financial issues with the estate and RCA after Elvis's death.
Between 1969 and 1972 alone, RCA released three albums of live material. By 1972, Parker had managed to increase Presley's weekly wage in Las Vegas to $150,000 ($1,127,566 in 2024 dollars) and secured $50,000 a year ($375,855 in 2024 dollars) for himself as a "consultant to the hotel chain".
Elvis Presley had a net worth of $5 million when he died on Aug. 16, 1977, according to CelebrityNetWorth, a website that estimates the wealth and finances of celebrities. Adjusted for inflation, that $5 million equals close to $26 million today.
EXCLUSIVE: Tom Parker of The Wanted died without writing a will when he lost 18-month cancer battle aged 33 but left £70,000 to his widow Kelsey. The Wanted singer Tom Parker was unable to make a valid will before he died, leaving £70,000 to his widow Kelsey.
While most of Presley's estate belongs to the late rock star's daughter, a deal that was made before his death rerouted all of the royalties from his music away from his estate. In 1973, Elvis and his manager, "Colonel Tom" Parker, went to RCA and offered them a deal in return for all future royalties from his music.
The divorce was finalized on October 9, 1973. Priscilla and Elvis agreed to share custody of Lisa Marie. She received a $725,000 cash settlement, spousal and child support, 5% of Elvis's new publishing companies, and half the proceeds from the sale of their Beverly Hills home.
ABG owns more than 50 consumer brands, as well as the likeness rights or estates of celebrities, including Muhammad Ali, Elvis Presley, and Marilyn Monroe.
At the time of his death, the King of Rock and Roll was in debt. He had a net worth of $US5 million ($A7. 7 million), but owed the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) double that amount. The singer's ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, shared her struggle to retain Graceland.
Still, although Elvis once said he loved Parker “like a father,” the pair certainly had their share of disagreements. In fact, the pair's relationship nearly ended for good in September 1973 after a late-night concert gone wrong.
The ceremony was held at St Francis of Assisi church and was attended by Tom's family and friends, including his bandmates and One Direction's Liam Payne. Four large TV screens were set up outside the church so fans could watch the service, while mourners grieved privately inside.
He paid $2,959,000 in income taxes. In today's money, that's $21,482,035 from personal appearances, $23,452,149 from music and $795,837 from movies, and $16,467,705 paid in taxes. Elvis would've paid $28,883.88 for those same jumpsuits in 2016. Elvis definitely enjoyed a few shopping sprees, too.
At the time of his death in 2009, Michael Jackson was reportedly over $500 million in debt, but his estate has since become immensely profitable, earning billions through music, merchandise, and posthumous projects, making him the highest-earning deceased celebrity. Key assets, like his 50% stake in the Sony/ATV music catalog, were leveraged, but sales of this catalog alone later generated huge returns for his heirs.
Elvis stipulated that Lisa Marie's inheritance was to be held in trust for her until her twenty-fifth birthday on February 1, 1993. On that date, the trust automatically dissolved, and Lisa Marie inherited $100 million.
Dolly Parton refused to let Elvis Presley record her song, "I Will Always Love You," because his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, demanded half the publishing rights, which Parton would not give up, believing the song was her most important copyright and retirement fund. Although Elvis loved the song and sang it to Priscilla Presley after their divorce, the deal fell through due to Parker's insistence on the publishing cut, a decision Parton later recognized as prescient when Whitney Houston made the song a global phenomenon.
Priscilla Presley's net worth in 2025
With her long career and ties to the Presley family fortune, many have wondered just how much Priscilla is worth now in 2025. Unfortunately, the information has not been made public, but many websites estimate her net worth to be anywhere between $10 million and $50 million.
Up until his 1977 death at age 42, Elvis had an alleged net worth of $5 million, which is approximately $20 million today. However, his estate is worth close to $500 million, and profits from it contribute to both his ex-wife Priscilla Presley and their granddaughter Riley Keough's net worths.
Nick explained. “Usually you pass it all in two or three days, but at the autopsy we found stool in his colon which had been there for five months or more because of the poor motility of the bowel.”
How Much Money Did Priscilla Presley Get in Her Divorce From Elvis Presley? After her 1973 divorce from Elvis, Priscilla received a one-time payment of $725,000 and five percent of Elvis' royalties. She also received spousal support and child support for their late daughter, Lisa Marie Presley.
When Elvis died, Frank Sinatra honored him as a "wonderful fellow," a "gentle, good man," and a generous friend, acknowledging his immense contribution to American music and his kindness to children's hospitals, despite their earlier artistic differences. Sinatra's comments, made in a 1977 performance, highlighted Elvis's graciousness and impact, showing a personal respect for the man behind the legend.
Michael Jackson's estate pulled in $105 million in 2025 alone, but that's just one part of a much bigger story. Since his death in 2009, Jackson's estate has earned an estimated $3.5 billion, making him the highest-earning deceased celebrity since Forbes began tracking posthumous earnings in 2001.
He never thought he had a problem because he was taking "prescription drugs". Lab reports indicated that 14 drugs were found in Presley's blood at the time of his death, including "near toxic levels" of codeine, morphine, Placidyl and other prescription drugs.
Presley blamed the root cause of her financial woes on a 2005 deal to sell an 85% stake in the Elvis Presley Estate (EPE) to CKX, an entertainment company that also owned the "American Idol" television show.
“I'm removing it. It is a negative character, as [Monroe] suffered from personality disorders and was bipolar,” Fox told the news source. “I do not want to attract this kind of negative energy in my life.”
How much was Marilyn Monroe worth when she died? When Monroe died, she was single and childless. She had a net worth of $800,000, approximately $7 million today. Monroe lived lavishly and spent her money freely on clothing, jewelry and her home.
The March 1973 Deal
The deal was made. RCA paid $5.4 million, which Elvis and the Colonel split 50-50. That meant Elvis no longer got (EPE today does not get) his artist's royalties for the ongoing sales of any recordings created before the March 1973 deal.