Alger once estimated that he made no more than $100,000 during his New York years (1866–1896). He was paid about US$250 for each of his stories published in parts in magazines. He received a small amount of money when each story was published in book form. He was not rich at the end of his life, but he was not poor either. He left only small amounts of money to family and friends. He also left them his copyrights, his manuscripts, and his personal library.