Biography

How did Samuel Alito Become the Second-Richest Supreme Court Justice?

February 13, 2024

Table of Contents

Samuel Alito, currently serving as a Supreme Court Justice, has risen to become the second-richest among the nine justices, with an estimated net worth of $10 million, just behind Chief Justice John Roberts.

This financial standing is noteworthy, considering Alito’s long public-sector career. His wealth accumulated significantly in the 2010s, largely due to inheritances from both his wife’s father and his mother.

Join our Telegram Channel for Updates

Starting with a relatively modest net worth of $2 million when he took his seat on the Supreme Court in 2006, Alito’s financial profile underwent a substantial transformation.

He currently owns two homes and boasts an investment portfolio estimated to be worth $5 million.

This diverse portfolio includes holdings in over two dozen publicly traded companies, such as Boeing, ConocoPhillips, Anheuser-Busch, and Raytheon.

Samuel Alito was born in Trenton, New Jersey, in 1950, to parents of Italian descent. Raised in a middle-class family, his father worked as a cryptologist during World War II, an English teacher, and the head of the Office of Legislative Services in the state legislature.

samuel Alito career in the public sector began in the 1970s, marked by a commitment to law enforcement. He served as a federal prosecutor from 1977, handling appellate work and witnessing a significant salary increase during his tenure.

Alito’s journey continued with positions in Washington, D.C., including a role in the solicitor general’s office, where he argued cases before the Supreme Court.

He was eventually appointed U.S. Attorney in New Jersey in 1987, marking a return to the state where he started his legal career. Later, in 1990, President George H.W. Bush nominated him for a judgeship on the Third Circuit, where he had previously clerked.

In 2005, Alito’s trajectory took a significant turn when he was nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court by President George W. Bush, filling the seat vacated by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

Samuel Alito net worth, at that time, was just over $2 million, reflecting his relatively modest financial status compared to his future standing.

The substantial increase in Alito’s wealth began with inheritances, the first in 2012 following the death of his wife’s father. The exact size of this windfall remains unclear due to disclosure limitations, but it significantly expanded Alito’s financial holdings.

The second inheritance came in 2013 after the passing of Alito’s mother, leading to further increases in his holdings, including blue-chip stocks, bonds, and even a plot of land in Oklahoma.

Despite controversies, such as his failure to report a luxury vacation in 2008 with a hedge fund billionaire, Alito’s financial future appears secure.

Supreme Court justices receive an annual salary for life upon retirement, contributing to a lucrative pension estimated to be worth more than $1.7 million for Alito.

Coupled with significant home equity and holdings valued at around $5 million, Alito’s financial standing positions him as one of the most affluent members of the Supreme Court.