How Kelly Rutherford Lost So Much Of Her Money

As a former cast member of iconic shows like "Gossip Girl" and "Melrose Place," Kelly Rutherford has had quite a bit of experience playing rich, wealthy characters. Unfortunately, Rutherford's real-life financial journey hasn't been nearly as ideal. While Rutherford has been acting consistently since the late 1980s, the divorce from her ex-husband, Daniel Giersch, thrust her into financial uncertainty. Rutherford filed to divorce Giersch at the start of 2009, a few months after she got pregnant with their second child. Unfortunately, this filing would kick off Rutherford's custody battle with Giersch, which went on for several years and cost the actor significant time, energy, and, most importantly, money.

By 2013, Rutherford had already lost primary custody of their children, who were living in Giersch's home country of Monaco, per E! News. She'd also spent much of her fortune on their custody battle. Rutherford revealed to the publication that she'd exhausted her resources and had "spent every penny. Every penny from 'Gossip Girl,' my pension, my stocks has been spent fighting for my children," she said. While Rutherford didn't divulge exactly how much she'd spent in this interview, she did reveal that her son didn't take it well when she had to return them to their father after her visitations. Unfortunately, Rutherford's constant back-and-forth travel was hard on both her emotions and finances.

Kelly Rutherford was deep in the hole financially by 2013. As E! News reported, Rutherford had over $1 million in legal debt pertaining to her child custody case and several hundred thousand more dollars in other bills — not including her child support to Daniel Giersch. Unfortunately, at the time, Rutherford claimed that she was only bringing in $12,000 a month, which could be why she filed for bankruptcy. 

In May 2015, Kelly Rutherford gave an update on her custody battle to Us Weekly.  "I'm just looking forward to them coming home at some point soon," Rutherford said. "They're U.S. citizens who were sent to a foreign country that neither their father nor I have any connection to. I think the whole thing is bizarre." Later that year, Rutherford became emotional during a court hearing as she revealed how difficult it'd become to travel to see her kids — which cost about $5,000 per trip (via HOLA!) — due to her limited finances. "Then it became about when I could afford to go see them," Rutherford said in court (via Page Six). "I had to spend so much time in Europe," Rutherford added. "I'd love to be working, and to have my kids home and to have a normal life."

Although Daniel Giersch also sued Kelly Rutherford for $1.57 million in child support and legal fees, Rutherford got a small court break in 2017. According to Page Six, Rutherford's bankruptcy decreased the judgment from over $1 million to $163,834. At the time, Rutherford had just under $200,000 in assets. Compared to the original lawsuit, this was a much more favorable outcome. Rutherford also got out of paying off her legal debt and bills, including her attorneys and credit card issuer. 

Although Rutherford dealt with nearly endless drama and financial issues for several years over the custody of her children, she stated in 2019 that her kids were in a good place. "They're just growing so fast," Rutherford revealed during an interview with People. "They're just becoming their own people like, you know, all of us. It's beautiful to see, and I love that they share it with me. They're really open with me. We're just really bonding, which is nice."

Kelly Rutherford has spent a considerable amount of time in Monaco — her kids' home base. And she absolutely loves it there! The beloved actor detailed the best parts of her experience across the pond during a September 2024 interview with Travel + Leisure. "It's actually quite peaceful," shared Rutherford. "It's the opposite of what everyone thinks it is, for me at least," she continued, alluding to the country's lavish reputation. "It's a place you can come and really just be quiet." With that said, Rutherford has found plenty of enjoyable activities to fill her time away from home. "I just walk the dogs, hang out with the kids, and run errands," she continued, adding, "If there's a gallery opening or something like that, I'll go just to see. But it's mostly just quiet time here for me."

As for Rutherford's current net worth? Well, 2024 reports are calculating her worth to be around $1 million. Given her flourishing career as a fashion influencer, that could soon change for the better. In 2024, Rutherford leveraged her reputation as a fashion icon to land several high-profile fashion campaigns — including a collaboration with skincare brand Noble Panacea and a capsule collection with Vanessa Sposi. "With her timeless beauty and iconic style, Parisian and American fashion icon Kelly Rutherford was a source of inspiration for VANESSA SPOSI," reads Sposi's website. "The campaign for their capsule collection features refined graphic silhouettes in organic linen, a signature Maillot with retro lines and essential summer accessories."