EXHIBIT 99.1



                   CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER


      I, Keith A. Tucker, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief
Executive Officer of Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. (the "Company") hereby
certify, pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, 18 U.S.C.
Section 1350 (the "Act"), that:

   1.    The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June
         30, 2002 (the "Report") dated November 14, 2002 and filed with the
         United States Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof,
         fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
         Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

   2.    The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all
         material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of
         the Company.


Dated:  November 14, 2002

                                          /s/ Keith A. Tucker
                                          -------------------
                                          Keith A. Tucker
                                          Chairman and Chief Executive Officer



The foregoing Certification is being furnished solely pursuant to 18 U.S.C.
Section 1350 and is not being filed as part of the Report or as a separate
disclosure document for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, or otherwise.