Anderson Cooper Inheritance Much Smaller Than Estimated

If the equity in her townhouse was only worth $1.2 million, she must have been in mortgaged up to her eyeballs.

Based on these details, he was probably giving her money, rather than expecting a windfall. She probably didn't have a lot of cash to cover her lifestyle.

I can teach Andy how to live frugally.

That fits with the earlier DL thread where folks talked about her financial troubles in the 90s. Anderson probably was supporting his mother. He may have even told her to leave the townhouse to his brother--he has several houses of his own and doesn't need it.

She didn't have a townhouse, she had a small apartment, two bedrooms at the most.

This is BS reporting. This is only the part of her estate that went through probate, the only part that is public. Everything else is held in a grantor trust, which does not go through probate. The trust holds the vast bulk of the estate.

Only $1.2 million for a co op in Manhattan? Did she live in a tiny 1 bedroom apartment?

Gloria Vanderbilt is an historical figure as far as Social culture etc. I'm certain she has "stuff" someone will happily pay money for. Once Anderson and "Stan" sort it all out, and those who deserve a memory get something like a figurine or a favorite book, the rest will go to Southeby's or Christie's. Andy will eventually collect. Not a lot, but easily $5-6 Million. Liquidation her estate is where the money is.

Her ancestors pissed away most of the Vanderbilt fortune.

Agree R5.

If this report is true, it is not surprising at all. Anderson Cooper is comfortably off, because of his work on CNN. He does not need the money. Gloria Venderbilt no doubt in consultation with him planned her will accordingly. As for her previous fortune, well good accountants, good lawyers, and good investments can insure the continuation of the core of any fortune. Bad accountants, bad lawyers, bad investments, and taxes will whittle away fortunes.

BTW, what about her other son? Was he completely estranged from the family at the time of her death?

Yep R8. I said that in another thread - the first two generations of Vanderbilt tycoons made most of the money and then the subsequent two generations spent up to 90% of it on frivolous shit and parties while having little business acumen to sustain their wealth for future generations. They just did not give a fuck. Some of the less famous great-grandkids of those folks are on record as being quite bitter about that today.

Shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves in three generations.

Sometimes it takes longer if the fortune is massive.

Glad Anderson made his own way.

... so's his dick.

[quote] BTW, what about her other son? Was he completely estranged from the family at the time of her death?

None of them had any contact with him in the last 40 years I've read. Something about the family meddling in his love life long ago.

Update to my post at R14. It appears Chris reunited with the family in 2016 after Gloria's book "Nothing Left Unsaid" was released. Also, her former lawyer and the psychiatrist who was meddling in Christopher's love life were found guilty of stealing Gloria blind, but were never able to pay the money back.

[quote] Christopher Stokowski (half-brother from Gloria’s marriage to Leopold Stokowski II) He is the second oldest child to Gloria and was barely a decade-old when his parents split. He was a painfully shy child and resented his mother’s growing fame. Chris was also angry with the fact that his father was another renowned figure in the society and decided to make his own path neglecting the fortune he earned already as his birthright. He was making plans to get married to April Sandmeyer before his father fell ill and his step father Wyatt died. - Soon enough, Vanderbilt fell under the spell of her dapper therapist Dr Christ Zois and he began meddling in Chris’s love life. His fiancée, April broke up with him and after several failed attempts to win her back, the younger Stokowski was heart-broken as they were the perfect definition of two peas in a pod. He left his family for good in 1978 and never looked back. That was the same year Anderson lost his father so he was torn when the half-brother whom he adored also left the house becoming a recluse. - Gloria was all along a troubled mother as she had no idea where her son was for almost four decades. She later realized her lawyer and Dr Christ Zois had ripped her off, she sued them but they were never able to pay. According to the Vanderbilt heiress, Zois ruined many lives including the life of her beloved son. After the release of Nothing Left Unsaid, the estranged Stokowski returned after almost four decades and the entire family reunited.

30 Beekman is a coop building and not a town house. A two bedroom apartment similar to Gloria's is listed for sale at $1.075m, so hers was probably not mortgaged

Once again, the Eldergays of the Datalounge got it right. They said that Gloria couldn't have much money from her Vanderbilt name, her marriages, or the clothing company that was largely sold off years ago, and bingo! Of course there's probably more in trusts and various other accountant-approved forms of passing money along, but maybe a few million rather than the hundreds of millions the totally inaccurate celebrity-net-worth bullshit sites think about.

Anderson Cooper has done what rich kids usually have to do after a few generations, earn his own living. With the help of a top-flight education, inherited fame, and knowing the best and most useful people through his Society connections.

[quote]30 Beekman Place is a 38 unit, 10 story, co-operative apartment building located in the charming and sophisticated Beekman neighborhood. Built in 1930 and designed by George F. Pelham, the building retains much of its original detail including a canopied entrance. 30 Beekman Place is a full-service building with a 24 hour doorman and live-in superintendent. There is also a central laundry room and storage in the building.

So did Gloria end up schlepping her own laundry to the basement?

generally "the help" do the laundry in the basement while cleaning

Gloria was quoted years ago saying that AC had "found" her a small place in the city but it didn't have "the space and light" she was used to. I interpreted that to mean he bought it for her. According to TownandCountry.com "Prior to this inheritance, celebritynetworth.com estimated that Cooper makes $12 million a year and is worth about $110 million." Considering his mother's circumstances, wise he made his own way early on.

The Times did a feature on Gloria at home in her apartment. Her eccentric decorating style has limited appeal and if the apt is put up for sale will either be totally redone or sold at a discount to market

1.5 million on the books has to at least cover a laundry service, [R18]. Even in NYC.

And Gloria undoubtedly had some sort of "help", she was in her 90s and on her way out, but lived in her own place instead of a nursing home. Anderson was probably paying, because a million on the books doesn't actually get you very much on that front.

I misread op's headline and thought it read "intelligence".