Anderson Cooper is well known for his role hosting 60 Minutes and Anderson Cooper 360 on CNN, but also for his connection to the famous and once very rich Vanderbilt dynasty. Having grown up a sixth generation descendant of the family, you might think the popular journalist was blessed by an handsome inheritance, but in fact the star has been open about how his mom Gloria did not leave much behind on her death.
The veteran reporter is also keen for his sons Wyatt and Sebastian to avoid being buoyed by any inheritance driven confidence. Speaking on Air Mail's Morning Meeting podcast back in 2021, the 56-year-old made his position clear.
"I don't believe in passing on huge amounts of money," he said. "I don't intend to have some sort of pot of gold for my son[s]. I'll go with what my parents said…'College will be paid for, and then you gotta get on it."
Following his mom's death in June 2019, Anderson inherited a mere $1.5 million of the once estimated $200 billion (in today's money) Vanderbilt fortune. But over the years the TV star has amassed his own fortune of around $200 million through his hard work as a journalist and news show host.
Elaborating further on the philosophy behind why he still doesn't necessarily want his sons to inherit all that money, Anderson told the podcast how he grew up "watching money being lost and knowing it was being lost." As a result: "From a very young age, I was very aware of, 'This is not me. This is something my mom has' or 'This is money my mom has, but it's not money I'm going to have and I need to forge my own way," and it appears the 60 Minutes host appreciated this outlook on life.
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Speaking on The Howard Stern Show in 2014, Anderson also said of his own inheritance: "I don’t believe in inheriting money… I think it’s a curse… From the time I was growing up, if I felt like there was some pot of gold waiting for me, I don’t know if I would have been so motivated." While the popular host was speaking of his experience here and not thinking of his children (who were born later in 2020 and 2022) it is likely he has not completely changed this outlook since their birth.
Anderson welcomed both Wyatt and Sebastian via surrogate mothers, and shares his kids with his ex-partner Benjamin Maisani. The four live in a comfortable co-parenting arrangement, as despite the pair having split in 2018 after a nearly ten year long relationship, both Anderson and Ben remain close.
"Benjamin and I separated as boyfriends some time ago," the Anderson Cooper 360 star confirmed to Us Weekly in 2018. But he added: "We are still family to each other and love each other very much. We remain the best of friends and will continue to share much of our lives together."
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This continued bond led to the pair welcoming Wyatt to their family in April 2020, and then Sebastian in February 2022. Speaking of the parenting arrangement in September 2021, Anderson told People: "It's awesome. It's probably an unusual setup, but I knew he would be a great dad, and he is. We're exes, but we’re family to each other, and we love each other as family and as co-parents."