Jennifer Garner Says She 'Panicked' About Money After Ben Affleck Divorce

For years, Jennifer Garner didn't think much about money while she was married. Once her marriage to Ben Affleck ended, she says that mindset had to change fast.

Jennifer Garner opened up about the financial implications of her divorce from Ben Affleck, admitting she “panicked” about money.

Jennifer Garner at Peacock's "The Five Star Weekend" premiere on July 08, 2026 in Los Angeles | Source: Getty Images

Garner had stepped back from her career to raise their three children. She realized she wasn't prepared for what came next after the split.

Speaking on the "Aspire with Emma Grede" podcast on August 25, Garner confessed, "I panicked when I was first out of my marriage and realized I had taken such a step back in my work," she said.

Garner knew the realities of the film and TV industry, where getting older didn’t necessarily mean higher pay, unlike traditional professions. She worried about how to provide for herself and her children as a single mother, something she never had to worry about while married.

Jennifer Garner poses with her children Violet Affleck, Seraphina Rose Elizabeth Affleck and Samuel Garner Affleck at her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on August 20, 2018 | Source: Getty Images

Realizing that fame alone didn't guarantee financial security, Garner sat down with a financial advisor to figure out a path forward.

Despite having to work, Garner was clear that time with her children would still be a priority. This meant turning down roles that would keep her away from their vicinity for long periods of time. “I said, ‘I can work in Los Angeles. I can’t leave these kids for six months at a time,’” she said, even if she enjoyed filming on location.

Garner has credited Affleck for being an “incredible co-parent,” stepping in and taking care of their kids when she needed to work, such as when she had to shoot a TV adaptation for a month in Nantucket.

Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck are seen on September 14, 2019 in Los Angeles | Source: Getty Images

Garner and Affleck married in 2005 and finalized their divorce in 2018, and they share three children: Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel.