A Look At Presidents’ Tax Returns

The current Republican candidates, especially Mitt Romney, have been under a lot a of pressure to disclose their tax returns. Many people wonder exactly how much the President makes. We now have a look at how much Presidents Obama, Georges H.W. & W. Bush, Clinton, Reagan, Nixon, Carter, and FDR made during certain years they were in office. Check out how much after the jump.

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President Obama:

2008 income: $2,656,902
Barack Obama’s yearly earnings, though still high, have taken a considerable dip since he took office. Most of his revenue comes from the sale of his books, Dreams From My Father and The Audacity of Hope, as well as Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters, a children’s book.

George W. Bush:

2000 income: $894,880
Nearly a third of the Bush family’s income comes from interest on investments.

Bill Clinton:

1992 income: $290,697
Bill Clinton’s household income rose dramatically in 1996, to over $1 million. The reason for the jump? Sales of Hillary Clinton’s book It Takes A Village, which netted the couple nearly $750,000 in royalties.

George H.W. Bush:

1989 income: $456,780
During his presidency, George H.W. Bush earned $2,718 in royalties from his book, Looking Forward. But the family’s real breadwinner was Barbara Bush’s dog, Millie, whose book royalties netted $889,176 in a year.
“This is somewhat embarrassing,” Marlin Fitzwater, the White House press secretary, said according to The New York Times, “but the president’s taking it very well.”

Ronald Reagan:

1981 income: $412,730
Later in his presidency, Ronald Reagan’s income would suffer a dip from the falling stock market, but he also got a tax break.
In addition to the president’s salary, the Reagans’ earnings also included his $29,711 pension from serving as California’s governor, $1,526 in TV appearances fees, and $281 in royalties for Nancy Reagan’s autobiography.

Jimmy Carter:

1977 income: $189,160
While president, Jimmy Carter was worth about $1 million, despite taking a big hit from his family’s peanut business, which lost more than $70,000 and plunged into the red.

Richard Nixon:

1969 income: $328,161
Richard Nixon drew some scrutiny for his tax returns. For instance, in 1969, he said he had not used a house for “business purposes,” and at the same time claimed a tax deduction for business use of the house. In later years, the allegations intensified.

FDR:

1913 income: $14,224
Although FDR didn’t release his taxes during his presidency, they’ve since been made public. Here’s his statement from 1913, the first year income tax was collected in the United States.