If Johnny Depp’s lavish lifestyle contributed to his financial woes, he’s not alone.
The “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Alice in Wonderland” star is in a legal dispute with his former financial managers. Earlier this month, Depp sued The Management Firm, run by brothers Joel and Rob Mandel, alleging that they cost him $40 million and caused his Los Angeles residence to go into foreclosure; he also alleged they were to blame for a nearly $6 million tax bill. In turn, the brothers alleged breach of contract and fraud in a countersuit filed this week in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleging a “selfish, reckless and irresponsible lifestyle” that cost Depp $2 million per month. (Depp’s lawyer denied the charges; his spokeswoman did not respond to request for comment.)
Depp lived a luxurious Mad Hatter lifestyle, the suit alleges, including $75 million to buy and furnish 14 residences, a 45-acre French village, and a collection of islands in the Bahamas, plus $18 million to buy and renovate a 150-foot yacht, but Americans who have progressed in their careers face the same pitfalls. “Whether you’re an entertainer, athlete, or a salesman that had a great year, you cannot spend money at the pace of your very best income years,” says Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at personal finance site Bankrate.com. “Everyone wants to think their best year is the new norm, but you can’t spend like it is.”
Americans who earn more are actually more likely to overspend on unnecessary purchases with their credit cards, according to a study of 2,000 adults by personal finance site Nerdwallet released Tuesday. Some 65% of Americans with a household income of $100,000 per year reported overspending with their plastic, compared with just 52% of those with a household income of less than $50,000 per year and 60% for all income groups. What’s more, only 10% of those surveyed said they go into the red because their income doesn’t keep up with necessities. “Most of us overspend on stuff we don’t need,” says Sean McQuay, the company’s credit and banking expert.
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Americans may have something else in common with Depp, who recently went through a very bitter and public divorce: They could be prone to emotional spending. Almost half of Americans (49%) say emotions have caused them to spend more than they can reasonably afford, the Nerdwallet survey found. Younger adults are more likely to say they overspend due to emotions — including stress, excitement, and feelings of sadness — than older adults. Some 67% of millennials say they’re guilty of this, which might create another reason to escape real life and break out their wallet, versus 29% of baby boomers who are 65 and older.
And it’s never been easier to indulge yourself. Advertising, increasingly sophisticated retail psychology and our desire to express our identity through our clothes, gadgets and home play a part, but it’s also easier than it’s ever been, says New York-based behavioral scientist Matt Wallaert. The increase in credit card offers and the ease of one-click shopping “means that even trivial pressures can trigger a spend,” he says. Financial experts advise Americans to automate their savings, but instead, they are increasingly automating their spending on everything from subscription boxes to digital subscriptions risk surpassing most cable bills.
Wealthier Americans face other economic headwinds too, including rising health care premiums. Real disposable income grew at a slower pace in 2016 than 2015, while consumer spending rose at the fastest pace in December since the last month of 2009. “The wealthy are not immune to poor budgeting habits and emotional spending trips,” McQuay says. “I imagine we can all think of a time when we had a large check coming in the mail from extra hours worked, a year-end bonus, or a tax refund.” But as the Depp saga shows, that’s the time when one should think about saving, rather than treating ourselves to something we couldn’t usually afford.
This article originally appeared on Marketwatch.
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