Michael Jackson Forbes status is still as solid as when he was still alive.

Because of the singer's massive earning in 2016, Michael Jackson is on the top list of Forbes Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities.

The King of Pop earned a total of $825 million in 2016, contributing largely to the already immense Michael Jackson net worth.

The dead singer's 2016 gross income is highest annual income by any celebrity, dead or alive.

How is this possible? As reported by Forbes, more than half of the famous singer's earnings is from the Sony/ATV Publishing Catalogue. Which some believe as an overpriced investment.

In 1985, Michael Jackson initially paid $47.5 million for the original Beatles-packed ATV publishing catalog. In 1995, Sony bought half of the catalog for $115 million.

The final sale with Sony, which happened in March 2016, contributed $750 million to Michael Jackson net worth. This deal is also the biggest factor in Jackson's top spot in Forbes Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities.

Other celebrities included in the Forbes Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities are Peanuts Creator Charles Schulz ($48 million), Golf Superstar Arnold Palmer ($40 million), Elvis Presley ($27 million) and Prince ($25 million).

Singers David Bowie and Prince, who both died not so long ago, are also included in the lost. To view the full list of Forbes Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities, visit Forbes website here.

Michael Jackson net worth beneficiaries include some charities, his mother, Katherine Jackson and all his three children namely, Prince Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince Michael Joseph Jackson, II.

Michael Jackson net worth is approximately $3 billion, if all his earnings before and after death are accounted. The money together with the whole estate is overseen by Atty. John Branca and Music Executive John McCain.

Michael Jackson, the music genius he is even during death, is surely to be a main stay in Forbes Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities.