2. John Lennon
Earnings: $44 million
Occupation: Musician
Died: Dec. 8, 1980
Age: 40
Cause: Murder
Lennon's posthumous income was buoyed considerably over the past year thanks to resolutions of long-standing lawsuits. In February, the remaining Beatles and their heirs settled a trademark dispute with Apple Inc. (nasdaq: AAPL - news - people ), reportedly for as much as $100 million. (The Beatles' commercial interests are overseen by a firm called Apple Corps.) Two months later, the band finally resolved a 30-year battle with record label EMI over alleged unpaid royalties. Both pacts clear the way for the Beatles to begin selling their iconic catalogue of hits online.