Myth Debunk

Debunking Political and Historical Myths

President and Congress Full Salaries for Life?

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salary

Does Congress and the President get full Salary for Life? Is the Average Soldier Salary and Social Security Income that low?

This one is a combination of facts and false. Lets look at the numbers

Salary of Retired US Presidents

First is Salary of Retired US Presidents. The number listed isn’t even the salary of the current sitting president ($400,000) and I’m assuming it as intended to include the  $50,000 annual expense account the President receives. Regardless, then number is wrong about retirement as well, the current retirement for a President is $191,300. [1][2]

Congressional Salary

The congress number are correct for currently elected congressman, but not for retired congress. [3]

The pension amount is determined by a formula that takes into account the years served and the average pay for the top three years in terms of payment. For example, a member of Congress who worked for 22 years and had a top three-year average salary of $153,900 would be eligible for a pension payment of $84,645 per year. The pension is also hard capped at 80% of salary (currently $139,200) A pension is available to Members 62 years of age with 5 years of service; 50 years or older with 20 years of service; or 25 years of service at any age. [4]

Deployed Soldier Salary

Deployed Salary Soldier is a difficult one to calculate since it can vary widely depending on rank, length of service, and whether or not you have dependents. For this part I am going to use enlisted service and not officer status only. Also for the BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) I used Concord, NH since it’s close to where I live, and I don’t know if deployed soldiers without benefits receive the BAH so I’ve included calculations with both, if you know the answer to this, leave it in the comments.  Since the picture says the average salary of a deployed soldier, the average salary if BAH is not given to soldiers without dependents is $47,389 and if they do receive BAH it’s $54,507, both of these are larger than the given $38,000. Another thing to consider is that a deployed soldier pays no Federal Income Tax (or State depending on the state) when deployed.  [5][6]

E1 New E1 New w/BAH E6 6 years w/ Dep
Salary $18,378 $18,378 $35,578.80
BAH 0 $1,203 $1,605
BAS $357.55 $357.55 $357.55
FSA 0 0 $250
HDP $150 $150 $215
HFP/IDP $225 $225 $225
Monthly 732.55 1935.55 $2,653
X12 8790.6 23226.6 $31,830.60
Total $27,169 $41,605 $67,409.40

Social Security Income

The social security numbers are the closest to correct, with 2014 averages being about $15,528.  [7]

References:

[1] 3 U.S. Code § 102 – Compensation of the President
[2] Former Presidents Act of 1958
[3] Congressional Salaries and Allowances
[4] Retirement Benefits for Members of Congress
[5] Army Base Pay and Basic Pay Chart
[6] Military Allowances: Army Pay and Allowances
[7] Monthly Statistical Snapshot 

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  • Kurt Panzer

    your way off on the military totals. Your first line “Salary” what the hell is that? We don’t get a Salary in the military. And if we did it would surely very from E1 to E6. Also BAS is not payed unless meals are not provided witch they are in a deployment. Plus you only qualify for Hazard Duty Pay or HDP when you are in a combat zone, and all of the country of Afghanistan is not so if you don’t go out on mission for x many hours you don’t get HDP. HFP/IDP only apply to special troops not everyone over there. Is the rest of your info this skewed?

    • BJA

      Salary is defined as a fixed income, you don’t get an hourly rate right? then you get salary. I included 3 different scenarios to show how much the pay can vary. Also according to the IRS and the Military Times website, Afghanistan has been a combat one since 2001, unless that has changes since March 2015 (and this article was written 3 years ago)

      The info is only as skewed as the sources, which are listed above. Thanks for more info though, I’ve been wrong before, and will be again, but if you have some better sources I can fix and update as I go.

      Also, according to the army website, which cash and benefits, typical soldiers make a lot more than listed here.

      http://www.goarmy.com/benefits/total-compensation.html
      http://www.militaryspot.com/finance/hardship-duty-pay-enlisted
      https://www.irs.gov/uac/Combat-Zones

      • Kurt Panzer

        I know what a salary is but it does not apply because you already list base pay which is the “salary” per say. As far as Combat zones you’re not getting the lingo. Yes Afghanistan is at war but the entire country is not one hugh zone of conflict. You’re being mislead. After Vietnam rules have changed. Being in country does not mean in combat any more. You have to be in a zone. Take my son he was in Iraq for a tour or two and while he was there he only received HDP when he left the safety of the camp and went on patrol in his Striker. Even though his camp got hit a couple of times with motor fire. It sucks but that’s the way it is. Talk to a vet and get the real shit, Check with a pay master. Anyone else is blowing smoke. And check on the number of troops below E4 with a family that were on food stamps, They don’t just let you get them in the military without proof of income. He was an E3 the whole time he was there I supported his wife and my grandson and knew what he made and being a vet I knew why he made what he made. BUT MOST OF ALL YOU DON’T GET A SALARY IN THE MILITARY YOU GET BASE PAY. It’s based on your rank, and years in service. They then add in extras if you deserve them. If you live outside military camp, base, post or ship then you get BAH Basic allowance for housing, If they can not provide you food you get basic allowance for subsistence or BAS if you are carrying live ammo and under fire from enemy forces the you get hazardous duty pay or HDP if you in some special unit or have some special type training then you receive special pay like; jump pay, hazardous flight pay (HFP) infantry combat duty (IDP) or say if your EOD you get EOD pay and so on, But unless your doing these things you don’t get the pay such as a tanker in a Striker on patrol he only get hazardous duty pay and only when performing said duty. THE BASE PAY IS PAID ONCE OF MONTH. IT IS YOUR MONTHLY PAY. IT IS IN YOUR LINGO YOUR SALARY. TAKE A LOOK AT A LES OR LEAVE AND EARNING STATEMENT. AND AS FAR AS MAKING MORE THAN YOU ESTIMATED SOMEONE IS BLOWING SUNSHINE UP YOUR NETHER PARTS. most likely it’s political I don’t know, As far as I can tell you spot on the congress stuff but then I’m an outsider and don’t know the inside of that place nor do you. I’m sure there are kickbacks and other benefits that far out way the retirement package the US gives them. And yea in the long run we do pay for that as well dearly.

        • Dexter Brown

          salary is a fixed regular payment, base pay is a a fixed regular payment, therefore salary = base pay

          • Kurt Panzer

            Right. So why is it listed twice once as Salary and once as Base pay?

          • BJA

            I don’t see it listed twice?

          • Kurt Panzer

            once as salary and once as monthly. Also why are you adding the E6 and E1. And how in the world did you get $8,000 plus as a over all monthly pay for an E1 that’s just bull. Please ask someone within the military like me. You are dreaming up these numbers. It would be awesome if E1’s made that they deserve it for sure. But an E3 with a wife and child can not live off base without food stamps and other support. To suggest that these brave men and women are making more then they do and any where near what a fat lazy congressman or president makes after ten or twenty years of service is shameful. I’m sorry but the average E1 during that time in country only made about 14,000 a year if he or she had dependents. If he was infantry he made more, 15,000 – if he was on Hazardous duty he may then as a E5 made close to or more than the amount you’re proposing. Use some logic how many 18 or even 20 year olds would have that kind of cash and not come out of the service set up for life. I made E5 in two years so if I joined at 18 by 20 I would be making 38,000 plus? I don’t know where you live but there are no jobs here that pay that much without years of experience or major super wierd luck. Not since a couple of years or so after this POS POTUS anyway.

          • Andy

            The columns aren’t being added together, as you can tell, since the numbers don’t add up. Apparently, you aren’t good at math. The column headings are shifted, as they should all be one column to the right, making each column the pay for a different grade. The bottom number is the total for that column which includes all compensation from each row. These are numbers right from the US Army’s web site, so I would think that they are accurate. Where did you get the $8,000 monthly figure from? None of the monthly numbers are anywhere near that high.

          • Jayman412

            Kurt that is $8790.60 per year, that is $732.55 per month for an E-1 slick sleever!

          • KZO

            I hope you don’t do any work that involves math, columns, or logic.

  • Kurt Panzer

    Retired presidents pay is set annually by Congress and is currently (in 2014) $$201,700 per year. For the first 7 months, beginning one month before the January 20 inauguration, former presidents get transition funding the help them transition back into private life. Granted under the Presidential Transition Act, the funds can be used for office space, staff compensation, communications services, and printing and postage associated with the transition. The amount provided is determined by Congress. Six months after a president leaves office, he or she gets funds for an office staff. During the first 30 months after the leaving office, the former president gets a maximum of $150,000 per year for this purpose. Under a law enacted in 1968, the GSA makes funds available to former presidents and no more than two of his or her staff members for travel and related expenses. With the enactment of the Former Presidents Protection Act of 2012 (H.R. 6620), on Jan. 10, 2013, former presidents and their spouses receive Secret Service protection for their lifetimes. Under the Act, protection for the spouses of former presidents terminates in the event of remarriage. Children of former presidents receive protection until they reach age 16. Former Presidents and their spouses, widows, and minor children are entitled to treatment in military hospitals. Former presidents and their dependants also have the option of enrolling in private health insurance plans at their own expense

    • BJA

      The yearly retirement salary changed from what is listed above in 2014, the article is written in 2013. Also the rest of those things aren’t salary. Sure they cost money towards retired presidents, but the meme says salary, and the article also doesn’t include all of the medical, post-retirement special benefits, etc for the other two example either.

  • toddschul

    What is the point of adding the two columns? If you were looking for the avg. you need to divide that column by 2…

    • BJA

      I was trying to understand what you were talking about about adding, since nothing is added together in the way you think, then I realized the problem, likely all along, has been the table is screwed up. I don’t know if it happened when the site theme changed, but it looks like this article needs to be fixed.

    • Andy

      The columns aren’t being added together, as you can tell, since the numbers don’t add up. Apparently, you aren’t good at math. The column headings are shifted, as they should all be one column to the right, making each column the pay for a different grade. The bottom number is the total for that column which includes all compensation from each row.

  • WayneEDay

    From the quoted source:

    3 U.S. Code § 102 – Compensation of the President
    The President shall receive in full for his services during the term for
    which he shall have been elected compensation in the aggregate amount
    of $400,000 a year, to be paid monthly, and in addition an expense
    allowance of $50,000 to assist in defraying expenses relating to or
    resulting from the discharge of his official duties.

    • Andy

      That’s what he said. So, what’s your point?

    • Dave B.

      “…during the term for which he shall have been elected”
      Click on the “Notes” tab, and read the section under
      Former Presidents; Allowance; Selection, Compensation, and Status of Office Staff; Office Space; Widow’s Allowance, Termination; “Former President” Defined.

  • Bambi Dersosiers

    Excellent suggestions , Speaking of which if others are interested in a IRS 673 , my company saw a fillable version here http://goo.gl/LMTo86

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