Jennifer Garner Reveals Financial Fears After Divorce From Ben Affleck

Jennifer Garner has opened up about the financial anxiety she experienced after separating from Ben Affleck, saying she suddenly realized she needed to support herself and their children.

Speaking on the “Aspire” podcast with Emma Grede, Garner said she “panicked” after leaving her marriage because she had stepped back from acting to raise her children and had not received a large financial payout.

“I have to take care of myself. I have to take care of these kids,” Garner recalled thinking.

The actress, 54, said she also worried about Hollywood’s ageism and whether she would continue finding well-paying roles. As a single mother, she faced another challenge: she could no longer easily spend months filming far from Los Angeles.

Garner said the experience changed her attitude toward money. She began focusing more seriously on becoming an “earner” and became involved with Once Upon a Farm, an organic children’s food company she co-founded in 2017. The company went public in February with a valuation of about $724 million.

Garner and Affleck married in 2005 and announced their separation in 2015. Their divorce was finalized in 2018. They share three children: Violet, 20, Seraphina, 17, and Samuel, 13.

Despite their divorce, Garner has repeatedly praised Affleck as a co-parent. She recently said his willingness to care for their children allows her to accept roles that require her to work away from Los Angeles.

“He’s a great partner in that way,” Garner said, adding that his support is “very freeing.”