Charles L. Cotton is a retired attorney from Friendswood, Texas, best known as a longtime NRA board member and NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund trustee. Based on publicly available records, his net worth is estimated in the range of $500,000 to $1.5 million as of April 2026. That range reflects a modest but comfortable professional profile: a retired lawyer with Texas real estate holdings, volunteer governance roles (which are unpaid), and no verified evidence of major investment portfolios or business windfalls. There is no confirmed public figure with this name who is a celebrity, CEO, or prominent entrepreneur, so if you landed here expecting a household name, the disambiguation section below is worth a quick read.
Charles L. Cotton Net Worth: Estimate, Method, Proof
Marcus Redfield
29 Apr 2026
Who is Charles L. Cotton? (Disambiguation)
The name 'Charles L. Cotton' appears in several distinct contexts, so it's worth pinning down exactly who this article covers before getting into numbers. The most documented and living individual matching this exact name format is an attorney and gun-rights advocate based in Friendswood, Texas. He has served on the NRA Board of Directors, acted as chair of the NRA's internal audit committee, and held a trustee position on the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund (EIN 52-1136665) through at least late 2024, according to IRS Form 990 filings. He is also listed as a member of Texas American Realty, LLC, and has been an active moderator and participant on TexasCHLforum.com, a Texas concealed-handgun-license community. In short, his career sits at the intersection of law, Second Amendment advocacy, and Texas real estate.
Two other 'Charles L. Cotton' profiles exist but are clearly different people. One is a Korean War-era veteran memorialized on the Veterans Legacies Memorial site, with life dates of January 28, 1933 to November 14, 1976, who served as a Corporal in the U.S. Army. He is deceased and has no financial profile to analyze. A 1999 Jefferson County, Texas court record also shows 'Cotton Charles L' and 'Cotton Theresa' in a domestic case index, which may or may not relate to the same Friendswood attorney but does not add meaningful net worth data. This article focuses exclusively on the living NRA-affiliated retired attorney from Friendswood, Texas.
Charles L. Cotton's Net Worth: Current Estimate
As of April 2026, the best estimate for Charles L. Cotton's net worth sits between $500,000 and $1.5 million. If you are instead looking for charles comiskey net worth, that is a different person and will be handled separately in the relevant profile. The midpoint working estimate is roughly $900,000. This is a conservative, evidence-based range that reflects what public records actually reveal rather than speculation. He is not a billionaire, not a high-profile business executive, and his governance roles at the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund are unpaid trustee positions. The fund itself held net assets of $13,620,412 for the fiscal year ending December 2023, but those are organizational assets, not personal wealth.
| Wealth Component | Estimated Value | Confidence Level |
|---|---|---|
| Texas residential real estate (Friendswood area) | $350,000 – $600,000 | Moderate |
| Retirement savings / IRA / investment accounts | $100,000 – $600,000 | Low-to-Moderate |
| Texas American Realty, LLC membership interest | $25,000 – $150,000 | Low |
| Legal career earnings (historical, partially spent/saved) | Factored into above | N/A |
| NRA board / trustee compensation | $0 (unpaid) | High |
| Total estimated net worth | $500,000 – $1,500,000 | Low-to-Moderate |
This range is deliberately wide because Cotton is a private individual. Private individuals do not file public financial disclosures the way politicians or public company executives do. The figures above represent reasonable inferences from what is verifiable, not confirmed account balances.
How This Estimate Was Calculated
Estimating the net worth of a private individual like Cotton requires piecing together multiple indirect data sources. Here is the methodology used for this profile, and why each source matters.
IRS Form 990 Filings
The NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund's Form 990 (publicly available via ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer and Instrumentl) lists Cotton in Part VII, the governance and compensation section. Critically, the 2023 filing shows $0 reported compensation for board trustees, which confirms these roles generate no direct personal income. The fund's net assets of $13.6 million for FY2023 are institutional, not personal. Form 990s are reliable because they are sworn tax documents submitted to the IRS under penalty of perjury.
Texas Business Records
Texas American Realty, LLC lists Cotton as a member at the Friendswood, Texas address. Texas LLC membership records are filed with the Texas Secretary of State and are public documents. Membership in a small real estate LLC suggests some level of real estate investment activity, though the exact equity stake or asset value of the LLC is not publicly disclosed. Texas does not require LLCs to file annual financial statements publicly, so this data point provides directional evidence of real estate involvement without precise dollar amounts.
Professional Background and Career Earnings Benchmarks
Cotton is identified in multiple sources, including an Indybay article on NRA board members, as a retired attorney based in Friendswood, Texas. Texas attorney compensation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and state bar surveys suggests mid-career private practice attorneys in the Houston-Galveston metro area (which includes Friendswood) typically earned $80,000 to $200,000 annually depending on specialty and firm size. Over a 30-plus year career, cumulative earnings in the $3 million to $6 million range would be plausible before taxes, living expenses, and savings rates are applied. A realistic retirement savings accumulation from that career trajectory lands in the $500,000 to $1.5 million range, which is consistent with the overall estimate.
Property Data
Friendswood, Texas sits in Galveston County, and Galveston County Appraisal District (GCAD) records are publicly searchable. Residential properties in the Eagle Lakes area of Friendswood, where Cotton's business address is listed, are typically appraised in the $350,000 to $600,000 range as of 2025-2026. While I cannot confirm the specific appraised value of Cotton's personal residence without a direct GCAD lookup tied to his name, this range provides a reasonable anchor for the real estate component of his net worth.
Income Streams and Major Assets
Cotton's wealth profile is that of a retired professional, not an active income-generator with multiple revenue streams. The likely components of his financial picture break down as follows.
- Retirement income: Social Security benefits plus any pension or defined-contribution plan (401k, IRA) accumulated over his legal career. For a Texas attorney retiring in his 60s or 70s, combined annual retirement income of $40,000 to $90,000 is a reasonable assumption.
- Real estate: Primary residence in Friendswood plus any income-generating properties held through Texas American Realty, LLC. Texas real estate appreciated significantly between 2020 and 2023, which would have lifted the value of any property holdings.
- Legal career savings: Accumulated savings from decades as a practicing attorney. This is the largest likely component of net worth for someone with his background.
- NRA and advocacy roles: These are volunteer governance positions. NRA board members and fund trustees are not compensated, so no income flows from these roles.
- Forum moderation (TexasCHLforum.com): Volunteer activity, no material income.
There is no public evidence of equity stakes in large companies, significant stock portfolios, book deals, speaking fees, or other wealth-building vehicles that would push the estimate substantially higher. If such assets exist, they are not visible in publicly available records.
Liabilities, Taxes, and What Can Change the Number
Net worth is assets minus liabilities, and several factors can move that number meaningfully for someone in Cotton's position.
Mortgage and Real Estate Debt
If Cotton carries a mortgage on his Friendswood home or properties held through the LLC, the outstanding balance reduces net worth directly. A $300,000 home with a $150,000 remaining mortgage contributes only $150,000 in net equity. Texas property records (via GCAD and county deed records) can show whether liens exist on a given property.
Taxes
Texas has no state income tax, which is a meaningful advantage for retirees. However, federal income tax on Social Security, IRA withdrawals, and any LLC distributions still applies. Capital gains taxes would apply if he sells appreciated real estate. Texas does levy property taxes, which in Galveston County run approximately 1.5% to 2.2% of appraised value annually. On a $450,000 property, that's $6,750 to $9,900 per year, a real but manageable expense.
NRA-Related Legal and Reputational Risk
Cotton served as audit committee chair during the NRA's high-profile bankruptcy filing period. The NRA's Chapter 11 case, filed in 2021 and ultimately dismissed, generated significant legal scrutiny of board members and governance. While Cotton has not been identified as a defendant in any related litigation in available sources, prolonged association with an organization under financial and legal stress can create indirect exposure, particularly for governance figures. This is a risk factor, not a confirmed liability.
Market Fluctuations
Texas real estate, after peaking in 2022-2023, has seen some price softening in the Houston metro area. Any investment accounts tied to equity markets would also fluctuate. A 10% to 15% market correction could reduce the investment component of his net worth by $50,000 to $100,000 at this estimate level.
Timeline of Wealth Changes and Career Milestones
Reconstructing a precise timeline for a private individual is inherently limited, but the publicly documented milestones give useful anchors for understanding how Cotton's financial profile has evolved.
- Pre-2000s: Active legal career in Texas, building primary income and retirement savings. Participation in Second Amendment advocacy communities, including TexasCHLforum.com moderation, establishes his profile in gun-rights circles.
- 1999: A domestic court case in Jefferson County, Texas appears under 'Cotton Charles L' and 'Cotton Theresa.' This is a historical data point with no confirmed financial impact on current net worth.
- 2010s: Cotton becomes an active NRA board candidate and elected board member. The 2017 NRA board election shows 'Charles L Cotton — 80,779' votes, indicating a well-established presence in NRA governance. Board membership is unpaid but carries influence.
- 2021-2022: Cotton is identified as NRA audit committee chair during the NRA's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. His role in governance during this period is documented in reporting from the Washington Free Beacon. No personal financial liability has been publicly confirmed from this period.
- 2023: NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund Form 990 lists Cotton as a board trustee with $0 compensation. Fund net assets are $13.6 million, entirely organizational.
- Late 2024: ProPublica Form 990 data shows Cotton's trustee role ending by December 13, 2024. This marks a transition out of active NRA governance, consistent with retirement from professional and volunteer leadership roles.
- April 2026 (current): Cotton is a retired attorney, no longer in active NRA governance. Net worth estimated at $500,000 to $1.5 million based on accumulated career savings, Texas real estate, and LLC membership interest.
How to Verify and Update This Estimate Yourself
If you want to go beyond this article and check the numbers yourself, here are the most reliable steps. These are the same types of sources used to build this profile, and most are free to access.
- Check NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund Form 990s on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (search EIN 52-1136665). Look at Part VII for compensation figures and confirm whether Cotton still appears as a trustee in the most recent filing.
- Search Galveston County Appraisal District (GCAD) records at galvestoncad.org for properties associated with Cotton's Friendswood address or name. This gives you the current appraised value of any real estate and shows whether liens or exemptions apply.
- Search the Texas Secretary of State's business entity database (sos.state.tx.us) for 'Texas American Realty LLC' to confirm current membership status and any registered agent or address updates.
- Run a search on Instrumentl or Cause IQ using the organization's EIN to find historical 990 data and board composition going back multiple years.
- Check Jefferson County and Galveston County district clerk records for any pending civil cases, judgments, or liens tied to the name. Both counties offer online index searches.
- For a sanity check on real estate values, compare recent Zillow or Redfin sold comps in the Eagle Lakes area of Friendswood, TX to calibrate what the property component of net worth is worth in today's market.
- If a third-party celebrity net worth site cites a dramatically different figure (say, $10 million or more), look for the sourcing. Sites that don't explain their methodology or cite Form 990s, property records, or credible reporting are likely extrapolating without evidence.
One honest note: because Cotton is a private individual with no celebrity profile, no public company filings, and no reported business exits or major transactions, this estimate carries more uncertainty than profiles for public figures. The $500,000 to $1.5 million range is defensible from available data, but the true figure could fall outside that range if there are private investments, inheritance, or other assets not visible in public records. The $500,000 to $1.5 million range is defensible from available data, but the true figure could fall outside that range if there are private investments, inheritance, or other assets not visible in public records charles crenchaw net worth. That uncertainty is normal and worth acknowledging rather than papering over with a single precise number that implies false confidence.
For comparison, other Charles profiles on this site, including figures in entertainment, business, and sports, often have richer public financial trails through SEC filings, box office data, or contract reporting. For comparison, if you specifically meant Charles Coffey, you can look up Charles Coffey net worth for a different set of public financial signals. Cotton's profile is more typical of a civic-minded professional whose wealth is real but not publicly documented in the same way. That makes the estimation exercise more methodologically honest to communicate clearly, even if the final number is less dramatic.
FAQ
How can I verify whether the Friendswood address and Texas American Realty, LLC membership actually relate to the same Charles L. Cotton mentioned in the NRA records?
Cross-check the address listed on governance or forum profiles against the LLC member address shown in Texas Secretary of State filings, then match that to the attorney’s public professional identifiers (for example, bar membership name format and city). If the addresses differ or name formatting is inconsistent (middle initial, suffixes), treat the linkage as unconfirmed and do not fold the LLC into a net worth assumption.
Does the $0 compensation reported in an NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund Form 990 mean he has no other income sources?
No. It only indicates trustee compensation from that nonprofit was reported as zero for the filing year. He could still earn income from private legal practice, retirement distributions, rent from property, or other employment, since those would not be captured in that specific Form 990.
Can the net worth estimate be updated using current real estate values, and what’s the best way to do that quickly?
Yes, but update in two steps: (1) pull current appraisal or sale data for the specific parcels tied to him (including any property where he is named as a grantee or where his LLC is listed as owner), then (2) subtract any recorded mortgages and liens visible in county deed and lien records. Without the parcel-level owner match, you should keep the estimate as a broad range.
Why might the net worth range be off if he owns property through an LLC or trust?
Entity ownership can hide direct personal ownership details. If his home is held by an LLC or trust, the public records may show ownership by the entity rather than his name, and the entity’s internal equity structure is usually not fully disclosed. That can cause the estimate to undercount assets or misattribute them.
What liabilities should I look for beyond a mortgage when estimating net worth for a private individual in Texas?
Check for recorded judgments, tax liens, and UCC filings against the individual and any related business entities. Also consider whether there are co-signed loans or business debts tied to the LLC. These items reduce net worth but are not captured by property appraisals alone.
How should I treat retirement contributions and pensions when the person’s employment history is only partially documented?
Use a conservative assumption based on a plausible career timeline, then bracket it. Because exact plan balances are private, the safer approach is to treat retirement income as creating savings buffers rather than assuming a specific pension present and large. If you find evidence of long-term employer plans, only then narrow the range.
Could a market correction or real estate price changes materially shift the estimate, and how much?
They can, especially if a large share of net worth is tied to a single or few properties. The article notes potential equity-market declines; for real estate, small percentage changes in appraised value can meaningfully move net worth when mortgages reduce equity. A practical approach is to rerun the range using updated appraisals and a constant mortgage assumption to see sensitivity.
Is it appropriate to compare this profile to other “Charles [Name]” net worth articles on the same site?
Only for methodological context, not for cross-identity conclusions. The comparable profiles may involve people with entirely different industries and public reporting trails. Always verify you have the same person using identifiers like location, middle initial, known roles, and unique name formatting before applying any assumptions.
What’s the quickest self-check to catch common mistakes when people estimate net worth from public records?
Avoid three pitfalls: (1) confusing asset value with net equity (real net worth is after mortgages and liens), (2) assuming unpaid board or trustee roles imply no personal wealth, and (3) treating organizational assets from Form 990 as personal assets. Also, do not assume LLC membership equals a large ownership stake without any evidence of equity size.
If I find a conflicting ‘Charles L. Cotton’ record in court or online, how do I determine whether it affects this net worth estimate?
Look for corroborating identifiers such as the same city (Friendswood), attorney-related professional markers, and consistent name format (including middle initial). Court records that involve a different person with the same name should be excluded from the net worth model unless you can confidently link them to the attorney profile.