Joe Biden's Life Of Luxury: Here Are All Financial Perks US Presidents Enjoy

KEY POINTS

A sitting president is entitled to not only a salary but also free accommodation and transportation
They remain on government payroll after their term as they are granted a pension
Joe Biden and his family have access to a top-tier kitchen staff that includes talented chefs and bakers

Being the president of the United States is a dream for many children. Forty-six Americans did grow up and live that dream. Here are the perks that come with the highest office in the country.

The president works 24/7. Nancy Reagan famously said, “Presidents don’t get vacations — they just get a change of scenery.” However, to compensate for not being able to lounge around and watch Netflix, the presidency comes with a competitive salary.

A sitting president is on government payroll receiving $400,000 in salary, per CNBC. He, or she in the future, remains on payroll long after stepping down from office, receiving an annual pension of about $200,000, health care, paid official travel and an office.

While their salary is not on the same level as that of the highest-paid CEO in the country, the president is afforded allowances. They get a $50,000 annual expense account, a $100,000 non-taxable travel account and a $19,000 entertainment budget.

Presidents are rewarded for their service not only with money but also free accommodation and transportation. Every president since 1792 has lived in the White House during their time in office.

The estate's six-story Executive Residence building has 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, 28 fireplaces and eight staircases, according to the official website of the White House. It also boasts three elevators.

The perks of living at the White House do not stop there. The president and his family have access to a top-tier kitchen staff that includes talented chefs and bakers like Cristeta Comerford and Susan Morrison, per Share America. The first family also benefits from the vegetable garden started by Michelle Obama and continued by Melania Trump, CNN reported.

The occupants of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue are served by a staff of about 100 that includes maids, cooks, florists and a head housekeeper, Vanity Fair reported. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government also spent $500,000 on a deep clean of the White House before Joe Biden and his family officially moved in, CNN reported.

Biden, 78, became the latest occupant of the Oval Office and the oldest person to assume the presidency on Jan. 20. He and his wife Dr. Jill Biden will spend the next four years at the executive residence together with their dogs Major and Champ.