The Ex Jessica Simpson Called Her Biggest Financial Mistake

Jessica Simpson's dating history is full of superstars like Adam Levine and John Mayer. But despite her roster of past lovers, there have been only two that made it down the aisle with her. The first boyfriend who won both her heart and her hand in marriage was Nick Lachey, who she married in 2002 after three years of dating.

But marriage was a journey neither could handle in the end. The pair separated on November of 2005 before finalizing their divorce in December, 2006. Looking back on her relationship, one of the first things that came to mind for Simpson was how costly it was. So much so that she considered marrying Lachey a huge financial mistake even years later. "The biggest money mistakes? I don't know. For some reason I thought of my first marriage," Simpson once said in an interview with CNBC's "Closing Bell."

It makes sense why Simpson would feel that way. But ironically, Lachey was the one who initially suggested that they should sign a prenup, which would've spared Simpson a lot of financial headaches when they divorced. Simpson, however, rejected Lachey's proposal. "The funny thing is that Nick wanted me to sign a prenup but I was so offended. I'm like, 'But we're going to be together for the rest of our lives,'" she remembered in an interview on "The Dr. Oz Show." The result meant Simpson wasn't just parting with Lachey, but a big chunk of money. Mamamia reported that Simpson ended up paying Lachey $12 million in settlement money.

Jessica Simpson ended up paying Nick Lachey the amount she did because she reportedly earned more. According to The Washington Post, Simpson had an alleged net worth of $35 million compared to Lachey's $5 million at the time. The wealth disparity between the two was due to Simpson's side business ventures in addition to her successful work in entertainment. Nowadays, Simpson's net worth is still greater than Lachey's, but their numbers have changed. Simpson is worth $200 million according to Celebrity Net Worth. Meanwhile, Lachey has accumulated $25 million throughout his career. 

Lachey may still be significantly trailing his ex, but it's a huge step up from his earnings back in the 2000s. Lachey worked as a solo artist for some time after leaving 98 Degrees. He's also made his mark on television, specifically Reality TV, where he's been a part of shows like "Love Is Blind," Stars Earn Stripes," and "The Perfect Match," all of which contributed to his growing net worth. So although Simpson considered Lachey her biggest financial misstep, they both bounced back even stronger than before.