How the ‘Seinfeld’ Characters Would Handle Money in 2025
Written by
Karen Doyle
Edited by
Brendan McGinley
Commitment to Our Readers
GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.
20 Years
Helping You Live Richer
Reviewed
by Experts
Trusted by
Millions of Readers
The characters on the classic sitcom “Seinfeld,” which ran from 1989 to 1998, would likely be retired now.
According to IMDB, Jerry’s character was 35 when the show began in 1989, Elaine was 27, and George was 31. Kramer’s age was never specified, but he’s believed to be the oldest in the group and was likely around 40 when the show began.
Let’s take a look at how these beloved characters might be handling money today.
George Costanza
To say that George was cheap would be an understatement. This is the guy who ordered the least costly envelopes for his wedding invitations, which resulted in his fiancée’s death when she licked the tainted glue.
It’s likely that George tried to save diligently for his retirement, making sure he got the full company match at every job that had a 401(k) plan. After all, he’d never pass up free money. The problem is that George had so many jobs, including hand model, bra salesman and real estate agent, that he never stayed at one job very long. So, his retirement portfolio probably wouldn’t be where he’d like it to be.
Even in retirement, George would have a side hustle so he would still be earning money.
George’s pet peeve in 2025 is probably the tip screen at the coffee shop register. When presented with the option to leave a tip for takeout, he likely selects ‘custom tip’ and puts in $0.25, because “you can’t tip zero.”
Jerry Seinfeld
Jerry was the only character on the show to not only have a steady job, but to have the same job the actor had in real life — stand-up comedian. Had the character’s life followed the same trajectory as the actor’s, he would be a billionaire today. According to Forbes, Jerry Seinfeld has a net worth of $1.1 billion.
While it’s safe to say he could easily retire, Jerry still works, doing stand-up shows around the country. He and his wife are active philanthropists. In 1999, Jerry started The Seinfeld Family Foundation, which supports children’s health and education, as well as the arts. Jerry’s wife Jessica is the founder and chair of GOOD+, which provides tangible goods to under-resourced families with the aim of ending multi-generational poverty.
Elaine Benes
At 63, Elaine would probably still be working today as a copywriter and editor. A senior copywriter and editor in New York City makes up to $142,000 per year, according to Glassdoor, and Elaine probably has a healthy 401(k) at this point. She may also be married, likely to someone who is older than she is, who may be wealthy.
Elaine’s affluence would contrast with her somewhat precarious financial situation on the show, but old habits die hard. Elaine probably still thrives on negotiating a good deal, and still spends a lot of time choosing the perfect gift.
Cosmo Kramer
Kramer had a series of jobs on the show, none of which lasted very long. Fans theorize that he had an inheritance that he lived off. As the oldest of the characters, he could certainly be retired in 2025, but his personality is such that he’s probably still working at some sort of side hustle. He probably has no 401(k) plan, but doesn’t need it.
Always looking for ‘the next big thing,’ Kramer is likely to have invested in crypto in 2010, and then promptly forgotten about it. In 2025, he would have realized he now owns about $10 billion worth of Bitcoin. This realization means he can finally stop borrowing money from Newman.
Despite their checkered employment history, the Seinfeld characters would probably be doing okay financially in 2025.
More From GOBankingRates
