Sister Wives has been airing for over 12 years, with 17 seasons and counting. The family has made a comfortable life with the money earned from documenting their lives and relationships on the TLC show over the years. However, do any of the children get any money from appearing on the show? Here’s what we know.
How much money does the family make from ‘Sister Wives’?
While there’s never been a precise number from the Browns or TLC, reality producer Terence Michael estimated that the Browns would take home anywhere from $25,000 to $40,000 per episode (via InTouch). With no confirmation from Kody or his wives, that’s just an estimation. However, new information surfaced, revealing that they might be making slightly more than predicted.
Reality TV blogger, Katie Joy (@withoutacrystalball), received inside information from the Brown’s neighbors. They allege that Kody doesn’t work much and primarily lives off the family’s TLC paychecks. They claim the Browns make around $50,000 per episode of Sister Wives. With 14-15 episodes per season, the Brown family earns approximately $700,000 to $750,000 yearly from TLC.
Do any of the kids get money from ‘Sister Wives’?
Beyond documenting Kody and his relationships with his wives, Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn, their 18 children have been featured since the first episode. With child actors, a bill called Coogan’s Law is designed to safeguard a portion of earnings for when they reach the age of maturity. However, the law only applies in certain US states, but not Utah, Nevada, and Arizona, where Sister Wives was filmed. Unfortunately, Coogan’s Law doesn’t protect children on reality TV.
Like the children featured on other TLC shows such as Jon & Kate Plus 8 and 19 Kids and Counting, the Sister Wives children also didn’t receive a share of the show’s profit. Christine and Kody’s daughter, Gwendlyn Brown, revealed on her Patreon account that the TLC paycheck is put into a family account, and none of the children receive a cut. She said the point of the family account is “to use the money for the kids and family,” but the kids don’t have their own trust funds set up. Christine’s son, Paedon Brown, had previously revealed the same thing.
The Brown family’s ongoing financial troubles
Despite making at minimum $6 million from TLC earnings throughout the 17 seasons, the Brown family continues to struggle financially. In Sister Wives Season 17, Janelle was living on the family’s Coyote Pass land in her new fifth-wheel trailer in the hopes of building on the property. However, her plans were thwarted because the family didn’t have the money to pay off the land, which the family must do before the building began.
The family has struggled financially for years despite the hefty TLC paychecks. Kody owns a business selling guns at gun shows across the country that he owns with two of his friends.
Meanwhile, each wife has protected their children by having their own side gigs. Christine and Janelle made their small fortune selling LuLuRoe and Plexus MLM to their followers. Meri runs her successful bed and breakfast, Lizzie’s Heritage Inn, which has made the family a lot of money.
Since joining the family, Robyn has been the only wife who hasn’t contributed financially. While she did start the now-defunct jewelry business, My Sisterwife’s Closet, it went out of business in 2019. As of right now, it’s unclear if she has another job.
