Phaedra Parks is much more than just a reality TV star. She is a smart businesswoman who has built an impressive career across several different fields. With a net worth of around $6 million, Parks has shown that she knows how to turn her skills into money. From her work as a lawyer to her time on television, and even her unique career as a mortician, Parks has created many ways to earn income.
Personal Info
| Full Name | Phaedra Creonta Parks |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | October 26, 1973 |
| Place of Birth | Athens, Georgia, USA |
| Profession | Attorney, Reality TV Star, Mortician, Author |
| Education | Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan College, Juris Doctor from University of Georgia School of Law |
| Net Worth (2025) | $6 Million |
| Famous For | The Real Housewives of Atlanta |
| Children | Two sons – Ayden and Dylan |
Early Life and Education
Phaedra Parks was born in Athens, Georgia, where she grew up with three siblings. Her parents were both pastors, which gave her a strong foundation of values and community service. From an early age, Parks showed she was serious about her studies.
Parks attended Wesleyan College and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors. She didn’t stop there. She went on to study law at the University of Georgia School of Law, where she received her Juris Doctor degree in 1998. Parks also attended the London School of Economics, which helped her learn more about business and law from a global view.
What makes Parks special is that she was a first-generation law student. This means she was the first in her family to attend law school, which made her journey harder but also more meaningful. However, Parks is actually part of a four-generation family of University of Georgia graduates, showing how important education has always been to her family.
Legal Career: The Foundation of Her Wealth
Before Parks became famous on television, she was already making a name for herself in the legal world. She started her own law practice called The Parks Group, which is based in Atlanta. Her firm handles many types of cases, including entertainment law, criminal defense, and contract work.
Parks has represented big name clients like Michael Jackson, Bobby Brown, and Ludacris. Her work with famous people helped her build a strong reputation. One of her early success stories was helping a young rapper named Drama. He was supposed to go on tour but was in prison. Parks convinced the judge to let him tour, and she went along to make sure he came back to finish his sentence. This case opened doors for her to work with more high-profile clients.
In 2006, Parks received the Attorney of the Year award, which showed how respected she was in her field. She has also worked as a legal expert on television for networks like Fox News, NBC, and Entertainment Tonight. This work not only paid well but also helped more people know who she was.
Her legal career gave Parks a solid financial base. As an entertainment lawyer working with celebrities and athletes, she could charge good fees for her services. This steady income from her law firm has been one of the main sources of her wealth over the years.
Reality TV Success
In 2010, Parks joined the cast of The Real Housewives of Atlanta during its third season. This move changed everything for her career. Her Southern charm, quick wit, and funny one-liners made her a fan favorite right away.
During her seven seasons on the show, she reportedly earned up to $1.3 million per season. That’s a lot of money! The show not only paid her well but also gave her national fame. Suddenly, millions of people across the country knew who Phaedra Parks was.
Parks left the show in 2017 after seven seasons, but her time on television wasn’t over. She appeared on other shows like Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition, The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, and Married to Medicine. In 2024, she got even more attention when she appeared on The Traitors, a reality competition show where she was picked as a “traitor” and impressed viewers with her smart game play.
In July 2024, Parks announced she was coming back to The Real Housewives of Atlanta for Season 16. Fans were very excited to see her return. She also joined Dancing with the Stars in 2024, dancing with professional partner Valentin Chmerkovskiy.
These television appearances have been very good for Parks’ bank account. Even when she wasn’t on RHOA, she kept earning money from other TV shows and used her fame to grow her other businesses.
Unique Business Venture: Mortician and Funeral Services
One of the most interesting parts of Parks’ career is her work as a mortician and funeral director. This might surprise some people, but Parks takes this work very seriously.
Parks earned a degree in mortuary sciences from Jefferson State College. She became interested in the funeral business after losing several friends and family members, including her beloved great-aunt Nina. The experience of planning funerals made her want to learn more about the science and art of mortuary work.
Parks trained under Willie Watkins, a well-known funeral director in Atlanta. She has directed several high-profile funerals, including the 2020 funeral of Rayshard Brooks, whose death at the hands of police led to protests in Atlanta.
Parks describes the mortuary business as her creative outlet. Unlike law, which is very strict and follows clear rules, working with bodies and funeral planning lets her be more artistic. She has said she enjoys the peaceful, creative nature of the work, which happens mostly at night and on weekends.
While it’s not completely clear if Parks owns her own funeral home or works closely with Willie Watkins’ business, she has mentioned that her funeral business is doing very well. This unique career path has added to her income and shows how Parks is willing to explore different opportunities.
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Author and Public Speaker
In 2013, Parks wrote a book called “Secrets of the Southern Belle: How to Be Nice, Work Hard, Look Pretty, Have Fun and Never Have an Off Moment.” The book became a bestseller and gave readers advice on etiquette, business, and personal growth.
Writing a book helped Parks in two ways. First, it brought in money from book sales. Second, it made her more famous as a lifestyle expert and media personality. The book showed a different side of Parks beyond her legal work and television appearances.
Parks also works as a motivational speaker. She travels around the country giving talks about business, law, personal development, and achieving success. These speaking events pay well and help Parks connect with fans and followers in a more personal way.
Real Estate Investments
Like many wealthy people, Parks has invested in real estate. She has bought and sold several properties in Atlanta over the years. Parks and her sons live in a $3.7 million, 10,000-square-foot home in the Buckhead suburb of Atlanta with six bedrooms and ten bathrooms.
Real estate is a smart way to build wealth because property values usually go up over time, especially in growing cities like Atlanta. Parks has taken advantage of Atlanta’s strong housing market to increase her net worth through property investments.
Other Business Ventures
Parks is always looking for new ways to make money. She has launched wellness and beauty products, focusing on self-care and natural healing. As a certified Reiki healer, she has talked about possibly opening a wellness center that offers Reiki therapy and healing crystals.
She also runs The Phaedra Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps African-American boys and their families. While this is charity work, it also helps keep her name in the public eye and shows her commitment to giving back to the community.
Parks has mentioned she might get into floral design in the future because it would work well with her funeral business. She enjoys making flower arrangements in her free time and sees it as another creative outlet.
How Parks Built Her $6 Million Net Worth
Phaedra Parks didn’t build her fortune from just one source. Instead, she created multiple streams of income:
- Legal Practice – Her law firm continues to bring in money from clients
- Reality Television – Appearances on multiple shows, especially RHOA
- Mortuary Business – Income from funeral directing services
- Book Sales – Money from her bestselling book
- Public Speaking – Paid appearances and motivational talks
- Real Estate – Property investments in Atlanta
- Brand Partnerships – Endorsements and business collaborations
This smart approach to building wealth means that even if one area slows down, Parks still has other ways to earn money. It’s a strategy that has helped her maintain financial success for many years.
Challenges and Comebacks
Parks’ career hasn’t always been smooth. She went through a difficult divorce from Apollo Nida, who was sentenced to prison. She also faced challenges when she left The Real Housewives of Atlanta in 2017 after a controversy with other cast members.
But Parks showed she could bounce back. She kept working as a lawyer, grew her mortuary business, and appeared on other TV shows. Her return to RHOA in 2024 proved that fans still loved her and that she remained a valuable part of the show.
These experiences taught Parks to be tough and to always have backup plans. Instead of depending on just one job or one source of income, she built a career that could survive setbacks.
What’s Next for Phaedra Parks?
As of 2024, Parks has exciting plans for her career, including expanding her business ventures, potentially in the wellness or beauty industry. With her return to The Real Housewives of Atlanta and her appearance on Dancing with the Stars, Parks is back in the spotlight.
She continues to run her law practice, work in the funeral business, and look for new opportunities. Parks has proven she’s not afraid to try new things and take on challenges. Her ability to reinvent herself while staying true to who she is has been key to her success.
Conclusion
Phaedra Parks‘ journey to a $6 million net worth shows what can happen when someone combines education, hard work, and a willingness to explore different opportunities. From her start as an entertainment lawyer to her time on reality TV, her work as a mortician, and her various business ventures, Parks has built a career that is both unique and successful.
What makes Parks special is that she doesn’t fit into just one box. She’s a lawyer, a TV star, a mortician, an author, and a businesswoman all at once. This variety has helped her create a strong financial foundation that continues to grow.
For anyone looking to build their own success, Parks’ story offers an important lesson: don’t be afraid to use all your talents and interests. By being open to different paths and working hard in everything she does, Phaedra Parks has created a life and career that many people admire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How much is Phaedra Parks worth in 2025?
Phaedra Parks has an estimated net worth of $6 million in 2025. She earned this money through her work as a lawyer, reality TV appearances, mortuary business, book sales, and other business ventures.
Q2: What is Phaedra Parks’ main source of income?
Parks has multiple income sources, but her main earnings come from her law practice (The Parks Group), her appearances on reality TV shows like The Real Housewives of Atlanta, and her mortuary business. She also makes money from public speaking and book sales.
Q3: Is Phaedra Parks still practicing law?
Yes, Parks continues to practice law. She runs The Parks Group, her Atlanta-based law firm that handles entertainment law, criminal defense, and civil litigation. She balances her legal work with her other business interests.
Q4: Does Phaedra Parks own a funeral home?
Parks is a licensed mortician and funeral director who works closely with the funeral industry. While she has mentioned having mortuary business operations, it’s unclear if she owns her own funeral home or works in partnership with other funeral homes in Atlanta.
Q5: What TV shows has Phaedra Parks appeared on?
Parks is best known for The Real Housewives of Atlanta, where she appeared from 2010 to 2017 and returned in 2024. She has also appeared on The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, Married to Medicine, The Traitors, Marriage Boot Camp: Hip Hop Edition, and Dancing with the Stars.
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