Joan Rivers is leaving behind her estimated $150 million fortune for her daughter Melissa Rivers, her grandson Cooper, and her pet dogs. According to the Daily Mail, the legendary comedienne, who died last Thursday (Sept. 4), left behind a New York City penthouse as well as deals with QVC and several TV gigs.
According to Celebrity Networth, Rivers earned approximately $40 million a year, with her QVC clothing and jewelry line raking in the most money. Her Upper East Side apartment was valued at $35 million and Rivers was also earning a salary from "Fashion Police" and her We TV reality show "Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best."
The 81-year-old comedienne's goddaughter, Tracie Hotchner, said that Rivers loved her dogs like children and left "clear provisions" for them following her death. Rivers had two rescue dogs, Samantha and Teegan, who lived with her in her NYC apartment, as well as a Jack Russell Terrier and Border Collie back in California.
Samantha and Teegan were among the mourners by Rivers' bedside at Mount Sinai Hospital, where she died after going into cardiac and respiratory arrest while reportedly undergoing surgery on her vocal chords at Yorkville Endoscopy Center.
Hotchner told the Daily Mail that the dogs were allowed into the hospital room "for a moment to kiss mommy."
"She loved her dogs dearly, and they meant so much to her because with her hectic lifestyle and performances, her pooches were her touchstone to normalcy and genuine affection - just as they are for the rest of us," Hotchner wrote in a blog post.
Samantha and Teegan will now be looked after by Rivers' longtime assistant, Jocelyn Pickett. It was previously reported that Rivers' apartment had been placed on the market a few years ago, but a source told Hollywood Life that Melissa might not want to sell it.
"[Melissa has] been [at Joan's apartment] over the past weeks, crying," the source said. "She slept in Joan's bed with Cooper and held him. They grieved together and wanted to be surrounded by Joan and be in her living space. It's sort of like their sanctuary. So much of Joan is in the apartment and it keeps her memory alive."
