Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s net worth revealed: How rich is the Florida representative?

Debbie Wasserman Schultz is an American politician who has served as the U.S. Representative from Florida since 2005. She also chaired the Democratic National Committee (DNC) from 2011 to 2016, when she resigned due to controversy and allegations of bias. Today’s article will highlight Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s net worth and trace her public sources of income. 

How rich is Debbie Wasserman Schultz?

Wasserman Schultz graduated from Half Hollow Hills High School East and then obtained a B.A. and an M.A., both in political science, from the University of Florida. She was highly active in student government, which motivated her to enter politics. 

Later in her studies, Wasserman Schultz assisted state representative Peter Deutsch. In 1992, Deutsch was elected U.S. House Representative from Florida, and he recommended Wasserman Schultz to run for his vacated state representative seat. She won the primary with 53% of the vote and became the youngest woman to become a legislator in Florida’s history. 

Wasserman Schultz served until 2000, when state term limits forced her to leave. She took a position as an adjunct instructor of political science at Broward Community College and became a public policy curriculum specialist at Nova Southeastern University. Next, Schultz successfully ran for the Florida Senate in 2000 and was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2004. She has been reelected every term since 2005.

In 2011, Barack Obama appointed Wasserman Schultz as the chair of the DNC. She resigned in the wake of 2016 WikiLeaks email leaks suggesting that the DNC strongly preferred Hilary Clinton over Bernie Sanders in the primaries.

Disclaimer: While we strive to estimate net worth accurately from filings, disclosure rules have shortcomings. Personal residences, certain personal property, and federal retirement accounts are often not reported. Large assets can be listed in broad categories like “Over $1 million” or “Over $50 million,” potentially worth much more. Likewise, state financial forms may omit residential property and liabilities like mortgages.

How did Debbie Wasserman Schultz make her money?

Wasserman Schultz has dedicated her career to politics and even briefly taught political science at university level. Here’s an overview of her sources of income:

• Politics: Wasserman Schultz occupied various elected roles in her political career. Her current position as a U.S. Representative from Florida comes with an annual salary of $174,000; 

• Teaching politics: After her tenure as the Florida state representative ended in 2000, Wasserman Schultz became an adjunct instructor of political science at Broward Community College and a public policy curriculum specialist at Nova Southeastern University;

• Investment portfolio: The Florida representative’s financial disclosure shows assets derived from investing, with stock holdings in various businesses, including gold, energy companies like Berry Corporation (NASDAQ: BRY), and various other industries;

• Writing: In 2013, Debbie Wasserman Schultz wrote For the Next Generation: A Wake-Up Call to Solving Our Nation’s Problems, which outlines her approach to politics with particular focus on children.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s assets and liabilities

Wasserman Schultz’s net worth is anchored to a sum below zero mainly due to high-debt mortgages that vastly outsize the total value of her listed assets. In 2023, she had a dozen stock positions, none worth above $15,000. On the contrary, her liabilities are as follows:

• Mortgage on personal residence in Weston, FL, Provident Funding  – estimated value $500,001 – $1,000,000;
• Mortgage on personal residence in Weston, FL, Interfirst  – estimated value $500,001 – $1,000,000;
• Mortgage on personal residence in Newbury, NH, Claremont Savings Bank  – estimated value $250,001 – $500,000;
• Home equity line of credit on personal residence in Weston, FL, Trust Bank F/K/A Suntrust Bank  – estimated value $100,001 – $250,000.

Insider trading involvement

According to a report published by the New York Post, Schultz’s stock portfolio grew by over 50% in 2022, which was the second-highest gain in Congress that year.

In fact, most of her profits came from trading energy stocks, including a $45,000 investment in an oil drilling company. As she was sitting on the House Natural Resources Committee at the time, she was in breach of the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act.

More recently, Schultz made a controversial trade move on a stock after months of hibernation. In fact, she disclosed a purchase of Hecla Mining Company (NYSE: HL) shares worth up to $15,000. The move is uncommon as the silver and gold mining company gained little attention and has been experiencing short-term volatility. 

Who is Debbie Wasserman Schultz?

Debbie Wasserman Schultz was born in Forest Hills, New York, on September 27, 1966. A member of the Democrats, she has been involved in politics since her early twenties and has occupied various positions in state and federal governments.

She currently serves as the U.S. Representative from Florida, but she was notably a member of the DNC between 2011 and 2016. During her tenure, she advocated for expanded healthcare access, education, and women’s rights.

Recommended video: Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz speaks at Democratic National Convention

Her father, Larry Wasserman, is a Certified Public Accountant, while her brother, Steven Wasserman, is an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. She is an active member of several Jewish organizations, such as the National Jewish Democratic Council and Hadassah.

In 2009, she revealed she had gone through seven surgeries related to breast cancer in 2008 while maintaining her House responsibilities. She has since promoted breast cancer awareness and early screenings.

The bottom line

As Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s net worth remains deep in the red at between -$2,474,988 and -$642,004, she most likely isn’t winning any wealth competition in the U.S. House of Representatives. Despite her active investing in assets like stocks and mutual funds, she has not managed to outpace the magnitude of her liabilities—at least according to her public financial report. 

Disclaimer: The content on this site should not be considered investment advice. Investing is speculative. When investing, your capital is at risk.

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