Merrill Markoe Highest-Paid Author in the World

  • By Carol Kearney
  • Washington
  • Last updated on

Merrill Markoe
Merrill Markoe led People With Money’s annual list of the “100 highest paid authors” released on Monday.

It's been a rough year for the author, but at least she has her millions of dollars to ease the pain. 77-year-old Merrill Markoe has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid authors for 2026 with an estimated $96 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 17/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Merrill Markoe tops annual list of highest-paid authors

In 2023 it looked like the author’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, she was back on top. People With Money reports on Monday (March 16) that Markoe is the highest-paid author in the world, pulling in an astonishing $96 million between February 2025 and February 2026, a nearly $60 million lead over her closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The American author has an estimated net worth of $275 million. She owes her fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. She also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Markoe Burger” chain) in Washington, a Football Team (the “New York Angels”), has launched her own brand of Vodka (Pure Wondermarkoe - US), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Merrill) and a fashion line called “Merrill Markoe Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Merrill fans, who have been waiting for her triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

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