More

HuffPost Social Reading

Presidents Day: A Look At Presidents' Tax Returns (PHOTOS)

The Huffington Post  |  By Posted: 02/17/12 12:20 PM ET  |  Updated: 02/17/12 12:39 PM ET

The Republican presidential candidates -- particularly Mitt Romney -- have been under pressure to release their tax returns. The topic has gotten plenty of play in the GOP debates this year. It's not the first time the issue has come up in a presidential campaign, however. Although tax returns are private, most presidents since the 1970s have chosen to release them.

In honor of Presidents Day, here's a look back at how much some past presidents made, and how they earned it. All numbers come from tax returns courtesy of the Tax History Project.

Barack Obama
1  of  9
PLAY
FULLSCREEN
ZOOM
SHARE THIS SLIDE 
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.
MORE SLIDESHOWS NEXT >   |   < PREV

Earlier on HuffPost:

Contribute to this Story:
FOLLOW POLITICS
Subscribe to the HuffPost Hill newsletter!
The Republican presidential candidates -- particularly Mitt Romney -- have been under pressure to release their tax returns. The topic has gotten plenty of play in the G...
The Republican presidential candidates -- particularly Mitt Romney -- have been under pressure to release their tax returns. The topic has gotten plenty of play in the G...
Related News On Huffington Post:
 

More in Politics...


 
 
  • Comments
  • 736
  • Pending Comments
  • 0
  • View FAQ
Post Comment Preview Comment
To reply to a Comment: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to.
View All
Favorites
Highlights
Recency  | 
Popularity
Page: 1 2 3 4 5  Next ›  Last »  (9 total)
seaborne42vacag
4 Fans
11:46 AM on 02/20/2012
As a retired school teacher I cringe at some of the "grammatically atrocious" comments herein. So, I'm gonna learn younze how to talk one word at a time.

Your - something that belongs to you.

You're - a contraction for "you are."
Permalink  |
photo
bvaughn385
62 Fans
04:40 PM on 02/24/2012
You sanctimonious piece of cr-p.............who cares what you think. Keep your grammatically correct thoughts to youself you liberal bit-h
Permalink  |
photo
adabar
The future is bright...
22 Fans
08:11 AM on 03/30/2012
Clearly this person is elderly. Can we respect our elderly please? From your comment (...Liberal), you are a supposedly "Conservative Christian", please go back to your bible, it clearly says "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father" 1 Timothy 5:1. Your comment really is really in poor taste, even if you were a heathen, plus this person is correct. May God forgive you.
Permalink  |
photo
adabar
The future is bright...
22 Fans
08:12 AM on 03/30/2012
Apologies on behalf on this person that has insulted you below Sir/Madam on behalf of people of the younger generation. I have replied his comment as well. You are correct in your statement. Bless you.
Permalink  |
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
wordshll
15 Fans
08:48 AM on 02/20/2012
Have you noticed that they are now promoting Santorum on every station? Gingrich only gets about ten percent coverage. Paul about five percent. Romney gets only about one percent.....and that is all bad. When he loses Michigan they intend to throw a big victory party. Romney will be finished. Then they can quickly tear Santorum apart protraying him as a radical right wing religious zealot ,and the public will buy it. So get use to seeing that lop eared grin of Obama's because he is going to be around for a long, long time.

I intend to buy me a pair of shades to reduce the glare from his shiny white teeth!
Permalink  |
Nancy Q
379 Fans
03:34 PM on 02/22/2012
How come no-one is portraying Obama as the Socialist/Commie Pinko that he is???
Permalink  |
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
wordshll
15 Fans
08:41 AM on 02/20/2012
Michelle Obama has more aids than the last twenty some Firsts Ladies. Obama is making more money than any former president, but doing the worst job.

The Liberals control the Democrat Party, the Democratic Party controls the News media.
Do you really think the GOP has a chance to win back the Presidency and both houses? They have been bought and paid for.....with our tax money! At least they could send us a thank you note, don't you think?
Permalink  |
photo
adamantthe1st21
157 Fans
02:18 AM on 02/20/2012
Your typical left winger family.. Living like an Emperor , Husein .O promotes socialism and his wife visits homeless shelters sporting US $900.00 shoes.....
Permalink  |
mrbradw1961
83 Fans
12:42 AM on 02/20/2012
Wow. Looks like FDR only paid $9.90 of tax on $14K. those look like some pretty decent deductions he was able to take. :)
Permalink  |
Clevelandinwi
Progressive is good; regressive, not so much.
1210 Fans
12:34 AM on 02/20/2012
Note to sane people: Please stop responding to the nuts.
Permalink  |
Nancy Q
379 Fans
03:39 PM on 02/22/2012
O.K. We'll leave you alone.
Permalink  |
G Carey
25 Fans
12:16 AM on 02/20/2012
OOPS typo. Touble = trouble.
Permalink  |
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Steve Cardi
102 Fans
11:38 PM on 02/19/2012
And to think that Thomas Jefferson died broke.
How times change.........................................................
Permalink  |
Clevelandinwi
Progressive is good; regressive, not so much.
1210 Fans
12:32 AM on 02/20/2012
hUh?
Permalink  |
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Mark Helfgott
198 Fans
11:34 PM on 02/19/2012
Obama made the most money of them all. There's a real left winger for ya. I hear he's also a good tipper.
Permalink  |
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
shershomenow
411 Fans
11:38 PM on 02/19/2012
Most of his income was from the sales of his books. He also paid 100% of his Social Security and Medicare taxes on that income.
Permalink  |
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
omgomghaxx
37 Fans
12:15 AM on 02/20/2012
why does he need to pay social security and medicare? He gets free medicare and retirement for life after he leaves office.
Permalink  |
Joe J Jackson
2 Fans
12:42 AM on 02/20/2012
Who cares how he got it, he needs to be paying about 95% tax on everything he makes, lead the way Marxist. Oh that's right, he's not a leader unless it's giving our money to the welfarians.
Permalink  |
This comment has been removed due to violations of our [Guidelines]
Permalink  |Show replies(2)
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Rocketmanonline
42 Fans
10:47 PM on 02/19/2012
Just think if they paid the President $ 1.00 a year and no money from Lobbist allowed - Then just maybe someone who cares about you and I might run for Office. Sorry just Day Dreaming out loud, deep down I know we are screwed and tattoed. Rocketman St. Louie, Mo.
Permalink  |
photo
joannevlavender
372 Fans
10:32 PM on 02/19/2012
FDR wasn't president in 1913. I'd be more interested in his salary during the Great Depression and WWII.
Permalink  |
bryanw593
12 Fans
10:31 PM on 02/19/2012
None of the Presidents are part of the 99% that's for sure!
Permalink  |
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
TBV
47 Fans
10:23 PM on 02/19/2012
It doesn't appear as though President !% is paying his fair share. I guess he wouldn't be making quite so much if he had to pay some of his expenses, that 747 he's flying around to his fund raising events is cost us tax payers big bucks.
Permalink  |
wbearl
Retired Manager Mechanical Operations
280 Fans
11:20 PM on 02/19/2012
The last I heard it has cost the tax payer over 100 million since Obama has been in office. The number of flight crews they have used for past Presidents isn't enough, they are having to train more because the crews are maxing their flight hours.
Permalink  |
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
shershomenow
411 Fans
11:30 PM on 02/19/2012
Actually, 2010 was the first year of (available tax forms) that President Obama paid less than 32% in taxes. It seems he had a capital gains loss that reduced his taxes. Even though the president has taken a 4 million per year pay cut, for 2010, he still gave 14% of his income to charities which is more than Romney paid in taxes. What percentage have you contributed.
Permalink  |
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
omgomghaxx
37 Fans
12:22 AM on 02/20/2012
when you have 4 million, you can afford to give 14% of your income. When you make 14k a year, and living paycheck to pay check, you are lucky enough to give your charity to your kids for Christmas.
Permalink  |
photo
adamantthe1st21
157 Fans
02:09 AM on 02/20/2012
For being so mediocre and a pathological liar he should give at least 25 % to charities....
Permalink  |
esq1128
168 Fans
10:18 PM on 02/19/2012
They ought to release the saleries of our congress people's humungous staff''s.
Permalink  |
 
Page: 1 2 3 4 5  Next ›  Last »  (9 total)