Steve Eisman Biography: Net Worth, Age, Parents, Wife, Children, Height, Podcast, Brother

Biography

Steve Eisman (born Steven Eisman, July 8, 1962) is a prominent American investor and portfolio manager.

He is best known for his prescient bet against the subprime mortgage market, which he profited from immensely during the 2007–2008 financial crisis.

A magna cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard Law School alumnus, Eisman transitioned from law to finance, rising through roles at Oppenheimer & Co. and FrontPoint Partners (a Morgan Stanley subsidiary), where he managed over $1 billion by 2010.

His story was featured in Michael Lewis‘ book The Big Short and the 2015 film adaptation, where he inspired the character Mark Baum (played by Steve Carell).

After founding and later closing Emrys Partners, Eisman joined Neuberger Berman in 2014 as a managing director and senior portfolio manager, overseeing family-run investment strategies for high-net-worth clients.

He remains active in finance and hosts the podcast The Real Eisman Playbook, where he shares market insights.

American investor and portfolio manager
Steve Eisman
Wiki Facts & About Data
Real Name:	Steven Eisman
Stage Name:	Steve Eisman
Born:	8 July 1962 (age 63 years old)
Place of Birth:	New York City, New York, United States
Nationality:	American
Education:	University of Pennsylvania, Harvard Law School
Height:	1.63 m
Parents:	Elliott Eisman, Lillian Eisman
Siblings:	N/A
Spouse:	Valerie Feigen (m. 1989)
Girlfriend • Partner:	Not Dating
Children:	Max Eisman, David Eisman
Occupation:	Investor • Portfolio Manager
Net Worth:	$100 million-$1.6 billion (USD)

Early Life & Education

Steve Eisman was born on July 8, 1962, in New York City, New York, United States. He grew up in a Jewish family in the city, attending Yeshiva schools for his early education, which reflected his religious and cultural background.

His parents, Elliott Eisman and Lillian Eisman, were both involved in finance as stockbrokers at Oppenheimer & Co., where they managed portfolios for wealthy clients. Some sources vaguely mention a brother, but there are no confirmed details about any siblings.

Eisman pursued higher education with distinction, graduating magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then attended Harvard Law School, earning his Juris Doctor (J.D.) with honours.

These formative years in a finance-oriented family and rigorous academic environment laid the groundwork for his transition from law to a prominent career in investment management.

Career

Steve Eisman began his career after graduating from Harvard Law School, briefly practising law before realizing it wasn’t the right fit.

His move into finance came through his parents—both stockbrokers at Oppenheimer & Co.—who helped him join the firm as an equity analyst in the early 1990s.

Eisman quickly built a reputation for contrarian, deeply researched views, earning repeated All-Star Analyst rankings from Institutional Investor and The Wall Street Journal, particularly in financial services and healthcare.

He later became a managing director and senior financial services analyst at Chilton Investment Co. In 2004, Eisman joined FrontPoint Partners, a unit of Morgan Stanley, as a senior portfolio manager. There, he famously recognized the instability of the subprime mortgage market.

By taking large short positions against mortgage-backed securities and CDOs through credit default swaps, his team delivered enormous gains during the 2007–2008 financial crisis, overseeing more than $1 billion by 2010.

His story became widely known through Michael Lewis’s The Big Short and its 2015 film adaptation, where the character Mark Baum—played by Steve Carell—was based on him.

After leaving FrontPoint in 2011, Eisman launched Emrys Partners in 2012, a hedge fund he operated until closing it in 2014. He then joined Neuberger Berman as a managing director and senior portfolio manager, leading the Eisman Group—a team that includes his parents—focused on managing portfolios for high-net-worth families.

In recent years, Eisman has been an active market commentator, sharing bullish views on areas such as AI and infrastructure while criticizing sectors he finds structurally weak, including cryptocurrencies. He also hosts The Real Eisman Playbook, a podcast where he provides weekly market commentary, interviews, and investment insights.

Social Media

• YouTube: Steve Eisman
• Facebook: Steve Eisman
• LinkedIn: Steve Eisman
• Twitter: Steve Eisman (@realsteveeisman) / X

Personal Life

Steve Eisman is 63 years old, having been born on July 8, 1962.

He has been married once, to Valerie Feigen (also known as Valerie Kim Feigen), since 1989.

Feigen, a lawyer who previously worked at J.P. Morgan, was portrayed as “Cynthia” (played by Marisa Tomei) in the 2015 film The Big Short.

The couple has three children. Tragically, their firstborn son, Max Eisman, died as an infant in an accident when a night nurse accidentally rolled onto him while sleeping—a deeply influential event in Eisman‘s life that shaped his worldview.

They have at least one surviving son, David Eisman, who runs a video game company called Pixelman Productions, and references indicate another child (possibly a daughter).

Eisman‘s height is 1.63 m.

Net Worth

Steve Eisman‘s net worth is estimated to range widely from $100 million to $1.6 billion, primarily driven by his massive profits from shorting subprime mortgages during the 2007–2008 crisis (where his fund reportedly managed over $1 billion and gained significantly) and his ongoing role as a senior portfolio manager at Neuberger Berman.

Higher figures (around $1.5 billion+) appear frequently on lesser-known financial blogs but lack verification from primary sources and may be exaggerated. More conservative estimates align with his career trajectory as a high-earning hedge fund manager rather than a billionaire founder.