At the time of Gloria's death, her estate was reported to be worth an approximate $1.5 million, which is what Anderson received as his inheritance.

Following the death of heiress and fashion icon Gloria Vanderbilt in 2019, it was revealed through probate documents that Anderson Cooper inherited significantly less than the public expected. While many estimated her net worth to be near $200 million due to her Vanderbilt lineage and successful denim empire, the final value of her estate at the time of her death was approximately $1.5 million. Cooper received the "residue" of the estate, while his eldest brother, Leopold "Stan" Stokowski, was bequeathed her primary asset: a Manhattan co-op at 30 Beekman Place. Cooper had long maintained in interviews that he did not believe in inheriting large sums of money, famously calling it a "curse" and stating that his mother had made it clear there was no massive trust fund waiting for him. The relatively modest inheritance was attributed to Vanderbilt's lavish spending on philanthropic pursuits and personal lifestyle, as well as legal battles in the 1990s where she sued her former lawyer and psychiatrist for stealing millions.