President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama made $5.5 million in income in 2009 and paid $1.79 million in federal taxes, according to income tax returns released Thursday.
The majority of the Obamas’ income was from the sale of the president’s best-selling books, the White House said.
Obama and his wife donated about $330,000 of their income to charity, including gifts to the United Negro College Fund and the global anti-poverty organization CARE. The president also donated the prize funds from his 2009 Nobel Peace Prize award – totaling $1.4 million – to 10 different charities.
The Obamas also reported paying about $160,000 in state income taxes in their home state, Illinois.
The tax returns for the president and vice president’s families were posted on the .
Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, reported a total 2009 gross adjusted income of $333,182 and paid $71,147 in federal taxes. They donated about $5,000 to charity.
The salary of the commander-in-chief is fixed at $400,000 annually. The vice president's annual salary was raised in 2008 from $221,100 to $227,300.
