Kevin Jonas’s 2013 Money Meltdown: Lessons from a Bad Property Play
Here’s a millennial-approved reality check: Kevin Jonas nearly bankrupted himself after the Jonas Brothers split in 2013. In a July 7 episode of Lewis Howes’ The School of Greatness podcast, the “Sucker” singer—now 37—admitted that a “bad business deal” in real estate drained his bank account to just 10 percent of what it once was. He confessed, “I’ve seen it both ways…to not having [money], to losing almost all of it.”
Kevin’s confession is refreshingly candid. He and brothers Nick, 32, and Joe, 35, rose to Disney-pop fame back in 2005 and rode that wave until the hiatus. Behind the scenes, Kevin was “investing in a bunch of property and doing other things,” he said, but the partnership “wasn’t the right one.” While he can’t dish on all the specifics, he’s clear about the takeaway: don’t rush big decisions. He credits Nick’s cool-down tactic—“I’ll let you know”—for teaching him that it’s okay to sleep on a choice.
Fast forward to 2019: the brothers reunite and Kevin now describes it as a “second shot and bite at the apple.” He told E! News in May that the Jonas20: Living the Dream Tour launching in August is both a reunion celebration and a forward-looking statement. “The fact that we can continue to play music and continue to play live, we know how special it is,” he explained.
Kevin’s financial rollercoaster isn’t unique among celebs who go public about their money lessons. Over on Dancing With the Stars, pro Jenna Johnson revealed that contestants get paid per episode—dancer salaries reportedly start around $1,200 to $1,600 (with senior pros up to $100,000 per season), while celebrity contestants kick off at about $125,000 plus up to $50,000 bonuses for the finale (per ABC-leaked figures). Meanwhile, in Hollywood blockbuster land, Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence pocketed $25 million for Don’t Look Up, just shy of co-star Leonardo DiCaprio’s $30 million—proof that box-office clout can shift paychecks (Vanity Fair, Dec ’20/Jan ’21).
What ties these anecdotes together is a clear-through strategy: learn from your missteps, take your time on deals, and treat every comeback like a rare encore. Kevin’s journey from near-poverty to packed arenas underscores that a financial wipeout can become the ultimate growth hack.
Anyway, that’s the deal. Do with it what you will.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and Lewis Howes’ The School of Greatness podcast; E! News; Vanity Fair; ABC reports
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
