Jon Gosselin and Kate Gosselin divorced after 10 years, 5 months of marriage. The settlement was reportedly about $2M. See the full timeline.
Figures are reported estimates. Last updated Oct 2026.
Their reality show divorce played out on national television.
Jon Gosselin and Kate Kreider met in 1999 while she was working as a nurse and he as a computer technician. They married on 12 June 1999 in Pennsylvania. The couple had twins, Cara and Madelyn, in 2001 and sextuplets, Aaden, Alexis, Collin, Hannah, Joel and Leah, in 2004, and became famous through the television series Jon and Kate Plus 8, which began in 2007 on TLC. The family became one of the best-known reality television households in the United States.
The family's wealth came from television. Jon and Kate Plus 8 became a major hit for TLC, and the couple were reportedly paid tens of thousands of dollars per episode, with additional income from books, sponsorship and appearances. The show was among the highest-rated on cable. The couple's earnings came almost entirely during the final years of their marriage, and were small in comparison with those of film stars or athletes.
The couple married in 1999 and became a media fixture in 2007. In June 2009, the couple announced their separation amid reports of infidelity, and the divorce was finalized in November 2009 after 10 years of marriage. The divorce was followed by a bitter custody battle and a legal dispute, and Jon and Kate Plus 8 was replaced by Kate Plus 8. The children's custody remained a source of conflict for years.
Reports at the time put the settlement at about $2 million, but the details were not made public. Kate retained primary custody of the children, and Jon agreed to pay child support. The couple also divided the money earned from the show. The sums were modest, and the main issues were custody and the use of the children's images on television.
The settlement is small by the standards of other cases, reflecting the couple's more modest earnings from reality television. Pennsylvania law divides marital property, and the couple's assets were largely derived from the show and from their house. The expense of raising eight children, however, made child support a key part of the arrangement.
The television show was canceled after the divorce. Kate continued with the program Kate Plus 8 until 2017, and wrote books, while Jon appeared in other reality shows. The children became the subject of a long-running dispute about their participation in television. Both parents experienced financial difficulties in later years.
The Gosselin divorce is a good example of a reality television divorce, as with the Pippen and Hogan cases. It differs from the film and music divorces on this list because the wealth was relatively modest. It shows that public interest in a divorce does not depend on the size of the money involved.
The couple's sextuplets were born in 2004 after fertility treatment. The show Jon and Kate Plus 8 was watched by millions of viewers. Jon's name was widely known for his appearance on other shows. The $2 million figure is an estimate.
Kate Gosselin's reported settlement was about $2 million.
They married in 1999 and divorced in 2009, a marriage of roughly 10 years.
No prenuptial agreement was reported.
Yes, the family is reported to include 8 children.
Reported assets include: Pennsylvania home, TV show proceeds, cash.
The settlement is small by the standards of other cases, reflecting the couple's more modest earnings from reality television. Pennsylvania law divides marital property, and the couple's assets were largely derived from the show and from their house.