Matt Lauer is essentially a disgraced former TV host these days, but he's still worth plenty of cash. Though he was fired from 'Today' in 2017 after allegations by a former co-worker emerged, Lauer still has a net worth of about $80 million, says Celebrity Net Worth.
As Celebrity Net Worth explains, at the peak of his career, Lauer was the highest-paid person on TV. Of course, piles of cash don't mean a whole lot for someone who probably can't go out in public anymore without drawing unwanted attention.
Unlike other 'Today' anchors, Matt hasn't been up to a whole lot since his firing. But while he was employed with the show, he was making bank and seemingly enjoying it.
Most anchors are able to enjoy a luxurious level of living, and as CNN reported, Matt Lauer certainly has plenty of cash to do the same. But he is missing out on what amounts to a pension from NBC. Had he finished out his career without any drama, Lauer would have been eligible for tens of millions of dollars in a retirement payout.
And Lauer's lawyers did try to take NBC to court for a $30 million figure. Matt's legal team reportedly based that figure off of the anchor's yearly income. Which, according to CNN, was a staggering $20 million per year.
However, Celebrity Net Worth claims that Lauer made around $28 million at the peak of his career. No word on whether that includes opportunities in addition to his anchor role. Either way, after 20 years of anchoring the show, that means Matt made at least a staggering 400 million bucks during his run on NBC.
For reference, well-known faces like Sherri Shepherd make less than $2 million per year on shows like 'The View,' so not everyone makes as much as Matt did.
Admittedly, CNN called his earnings "an extraordinary sum of money," and most fans of the show would agree. Of course, the show itself is worth literal millions in ad revenue, confirms CNN, so NBC was able to spend plenty on its behind-the-desk talent.
When it comes to how Lauer is handling his cash these days, he doesn't seem to be in danger of bankruptcy or anything. While stars like R. Kelly have lost more than $100 million of their net worth, Matt has "multiple properties" and investments, per CNN.
Then again, he may have lost some of his earnings when he paid out a divorce settlement to his ex-wife, Annette Roque. Their divorce was finalized in 2019, though the initial separation occurred after multiple allegations against Lauer were made public.
Whether in terms of how much cash he's lost in his divorce or the amount he missed out on due to his unceremonious end to his role on 'Today,' Matt Lauer certainly messed up his future finances.