Opens in a new tab

Net worth of all U.S. presidents

August 14, 2010

A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about the 10 richest U.S. presidents.

That list was interesting, primarily for who wasn't as comparatively wealthy as many of us (including me) thought.

Well, just so we know the full story, The Atlantic ran the numbers and gives us the net worth of all our leaders, from the first George to Obama.

Dollar Bill

"Because a number of presidents, particularly in the early nineteenth century, made and lost huge fortunes in a matter of a few years, the number for each man is based on his net worth at its peak," note the researchers.

As you might expect, the various time frames
posed problems in coming up with a standard upon which to judge each
man's worth, which the magazine calculated in 2010 dollars. Each
president's fortune, or lack thereof, was/is tied to the economy in the
eras in which the men lived.

So they took into account assets such as land, estimated lifetime savings based on work history, inheritance, homes, and money paid for the diverse services our national leaders performed before, after or sometimes while they were in the Oval Office.

It's no surprise that the net worth of America's presidents varies widely. George Washington was worth more than half a billion in today's dollars. Several presidents went bankrupt.

The net worths are listed chronologically based on when the presidents were in office. Enjoy the fiscal history lesson.

Related posts:

Want to tell your friends about this
blog post? Click the Tweet
This
or Digg This buttons below or use the
Share
This
icon to spread the word via e-mail,
Facebook and other popular applications. Thanks!

Share:

The More Tax Posts tab at the top of this page will take you to, well, more tax posts. You also can search below for a tax topic. 

Latest Posts
Getting ready for the year-end tax countdown

October 17, 2026

Just 2½ months left in 2026. Time to start making tax plans and moves to…

Read More
TAX-SAVVY WAYS 
TO WRAP UP 2026

It’s over! With October’s extended filing deadline behind us, it is now time to focus on year-end moves to reduce your 2026 tax bill. 

You’ll find ways to do just that on the Tax Tips page (see the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of the blog), as well as the separate tax tip pages for each month, notably October through December. If you’re on the Tax Tips page, you’ll find a monthly list at the end of this column. If you’re on another blog page, you can head straight to the October tips; at the bottom of that tips page you’ll find links to all the other 11 months’ collections of tax advice.

Not to spoil what you’ll find in that tax advice, but it does cover such things as tax deductions for charitable donations, investment moves that could reduce tax due, and ways to max out your tax-favored retirement savings. 

Finally, as the year winds down, things get hectic. There are lots of other things to occupy our time, like the much more fun upcoming holidays. But don’t lose sight of taxes, since timing is key. To be of use, most tax moves must be made by the end of the tax year. That’s Thursday, Dec. 31, which also is the last business day of the year. 

So that you don’t miss that final tax year deadline, also keep an eye on the countdown clock below. It will keep you on top of just how much time is left to make important, tax-saving moves. (Note: I’m in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.)

Comments
Leave the first comment