US law requires the president of the United States to be paid a salary while in office. According to Title 3 of the US code, a president earns a $400,000 salary and is still on government payroll after leaving office. The president is also granted a $50,000 annual expense account, $100,000 nontaxable travel account, and $19,000 for entertainment. While a presidential salary is taxable, the other bonus benefits are not, according to
the US tax code.
Presidential perks last beyond four (or eight) years. The General Services Administration is required to provide a former president enough money to cover travel and business expenses. Congress presented Obama with legislation that would cap that spending at $200,000 per year, but Obama vetoed the bill in 2016, according to the
White House.
If a president serves five or more years of federal service, they receive priority health benefits and use of veterans hospitals. If eligible and interested in partaking, 75% of presidential health care is covered by taxpayers and purchased through the Washington, DC, Obamacare exchange, according to the
LA Times.
The Former President Act determines how much compensation a president will receive after leaving the White House. In 2016, Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton received annual pensions of $205,700. In 2017, Obama received $207,800, according to
GoBankingRates.
While presidential pensions are fixed rates, presidents can ask for additional funds from Congress to cover things like staff salaries and office space, according to MONEY. For example, George W. Bush received $1,098,000 for office space in 2015, the most of any former president that year.
