Ariana Biermann on Kim Zolciak: “Money Can Be Repaid—Moms Can’t”

Ariana Opens Up About Supporting Her Mom

Ariana Biermann’s bond with Kim Zolciak-Biermann is invaluable. During a panel at BravoCon 2025 on Sunday, Nov. 16, the Next Gen NYC star, 24, shared insights on how her decision to publicly disclose that she has been financially supporting her mom, 47, has influenced their relationship — and whether she has received any repayment yet.

"I want to be very authentic and honest and open with people," Ariana expressed. "I started from the ground up, and I was partly doing that right before I arrived in New York. I mean, of course, no one enjoys airing out their family's dirty laundry, but I'm someone who's not really ashamed. This is my life. Share whatever you want. We're really close, and my mom is my best friend, so it didn't change our relationship in a significant way.

From Left: Ariana Biermann, Brielle Biermann and Kim Zolciak via Instagram.

Ariana Reflects on Lost Childhood Earnings

Biermann previously revealed during the premiere of Next Gen NYC that she began earning money from reality TV and social media at the age of 5.

However, she stated that her parents, Kroy Biermann, who legally adopted Ariana and her older sister Brielle in July 2013 and is currently going through a complicated divorce from Zolciak, spent all of it before she turned 18. "I would never drop a bomb like that without informing everyone about what was coming,"

Ariana expressed. "Ultimately, it's my story and what I've experienced. People had a very different view of how I was living my life and the events that transpired, thinking I did nothing and had all this money while I was actually broke. [My parents] took it all." "All that money from the past, I don't expect to see even one dollar from it," she later mentioned, although she clarified that this doesn't apply to the current loans she provides to Zolciak. "If I've ever assisted her with a few things she needs here and there in the recent months, she always pays me back. You can always earn more money. You can't replace a mom. She's my best friend."

Opening Up About Money on Camera

In June, Ariana chatted with PEOPLE about her experience of being vulnerable with her audience and discussing a tough subject on camera. "I think it's a bit nerve-wracking to share the financial situation," she confessed. She elaborated, "Money creates awkwardness, and I dislike the impact it can have on people.

I've really tried to ensure it doesn't affect my relationship with my mom — she's my best friend in the world. It was never anyone's intention for things to turn out this way, and we haven't allowed it to influence us." Ariana then humorously remarked that she’s not “balling” with cash as many might think, but she affirmed that Zolciak “is very good at paying me back.” "She’s done a few shows, which is fantastic, and it takes a little while to get paid for everything," Ariana pointed out. "My mom always pays me back, though, and things have definitely improved. She’s putting in a lot of effort."

Navigating Divorce, Foreclosure, and Family Strain

Zolciak is also currently navigating her divorce from Kroy, 40, after their third filing in two years, and they recently sold their Georgia mansion to avoid foreclosure. "She’s dealing with this intense divorce and is the mother of four kids," Ariana recognized at that moment. "I understand, and I never want money to ruin my relationship with my family, ever."

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Legal Insight: What Happens When a Child’s Earnings Are Spent by Parents?

In the U.S., money earned by a minor through acting, modeling or reality TV is typically protected under Coogan laws, which require a portion of the child’s income to be placed in a blocked trust account that parents cannot access. However, Georgia — where Ariana grew up and filmed — does not currently have a Coogan-style statute in place. This legal gap means that parents have far more discretion over a child’s earnings, and there is no automatic requirement for a protected trust.

When a child becomes an adult, recovering spent earnings is extremely difficult unless there is evidence of:

• Misappropriation or fraud

• Breach of fiduciary duty

• A written agreement promising to safeguard funds

Without those elements, courts usually treat parental control of childhood earnings as a family matter rather than a legal dispute, which is why many former child performers never recover lost income.

In Ariana’s case, her public statements suggest she is not pursuing legal remedies and does not expect to recover past earnings, focusing instead on maintaining her relationship with her mother and keeping current loans transparent and repayable.

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