Apparently, Jim Bob Duggar Is Now Worth $3.5 Million

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

Amazon Prime's Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets shares dark and intimate details of the once-beloved family's private life. The Duggars were a 21-member family unit comprised of parents Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar and their 19 children. The brood starred in two television shows on TLC between 2008 and 2021: 19 Kids and Counting, and its spin-off, Counting On.

Shiny Happy People dives into the family's life behind the scenes, particularly their ultra-conservative religious beliefs. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar practice the teachings of the Institute in Basic Life Principles, or IBLP, in both their parenting and faith. IBLP philosophies are extremely conservative—to the point of being problematic and dangerous—as detailed in the documentary.

Although the IBLP was founded by Bill Gothard (a minister who was later ousted for sexual assault allegations), Michelle, 56, and Jim Bob Duggar, 57, became recognizable and influential faces of the religious organization.

Here's everything to know about Jim Bob Duggar, from his leadership in the IBLP to where he currently lives.

He is still involved with the IBLP.

Shiny Happy People alludes to the Duggar patriarch campaigning to be the next head of the organization, with one former Duggar family friend claiming he took over after Gothard was ousted in 2014.

While TIME reports he is the head of the organization, it is not clear if Jim Bob has any leadership involvement in the IBLP. Bill Gothard is still listed as the organization's founder and leader, and Jim Bob is not included in its list of directors, per the IBLP website.

However, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar do regularly promote IBLP practices and speak at their events. Last month, Michelle congratulated their son, Jackson, for completing Phase 1 at the ALERT Academy, an IBLP ministry.

The Duggar Family released a statement about Shiny Happy People.

A day before the documentary dropped on Prime, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar posted a statement to the family's website addressing its content. "The recent “documentary” that talks about our family is sad because in it we see the media and those with ill intentions hurting people we love," the statement reads. Every instance of the word "documentary" included quotation marks in the statement.

"We have always believed that the best chance to repair damaged relationships, or to reconcile differences, is through love in a private setting. We love every member of our family and will continue to do all we can to have a good relationship with each one," they also wrote.

He ran for Arkansas State Senate in 2021.

Jim Bob Duggar ran for Arkansas State Senate in November 2021, after his son, Josh was arrested for possession of child pornography in April of the same year. He had served as a representative for the state's legislature from 1999 to 2001, per The Arkansas State Legislature website.

"“Cancel culture” and the radical left want to keep us from being involved in politics. They say because our family has faced problems we should shrink away—this is why they are often so relentlessly unkind, but we cannot sit on the sidelines during a time when one of America’s most important battles is taking place!" Jim Bob wrote in a statement announcing his candidacy.

He later lost the primary race after Josh Duggar was convicted for possession and receipt of child pornography in December 2021.

He still lives in Arkansas with Michelle and most of his children.

Based on the family website, it seems the Duggar family still resides at their compound in Tontitown, Arkansas. Some of the Duggar children, including Jill and Jinger, live separate lives from their family, but still remain in contact.

Jessa Seewald née Duggar shared a photo of all the Duggar women getting coffee together in April 2023. However, Jill Duggar has described her relationship with her father as "pretty toxic" and says she doesn't communicate with him much in 2021, per E! News.

Jinger Vuolo née Duggar also wrote in her book, Becoming Free Indeed, that she has a good relationship with her family, but some members "agree to disagree" on certain IBLP teachings, per Entertainment Tonight.

He recently pursued a 40-day bone broth fast.

In October 2022, Jim Bob blogged about a fast he took on after realizing he was at a weight that "wasn't healthy for [him]." He originally planned to fast for 1–3 days, but continued it for at least 35 days (and planned to go on for 40).

"About three weeks before I started this fast, I looked in the mirror and asked God to help me find a way to lose weight," he wrote in his post.

He's worth $3.5 million.

The control Jim Bob has over the family's finances, particularly their earnings from TLC, was a major point in the documentary. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Jim Bob Duggar is currently worth an estimated $3.5 million.

In addition to the money made from their TLC shows, Jim Bob Duggar has also owned a towing business and a used car lot. Plus: He worked in a realty, per the Duggar family website.

You Might Also Like

• Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream

• These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals