The National Taxpayer Union Foundation estimates Joe Biden could be eligible for up to $417,000 a year in combined retirement benefits due to his long federal career. The figure combines a pension under the Former Presidents Act (tied to Cabinet secretary pay of $250,600) with Civil Service Retirement System benefits (up to $166,374). It is uncertain whether Biden would claim all eligible benefits; his office did not immediately comment. Lawmakers have proposed capping presidential pensions, but past attempts have failed.
Report: Biden Could Qualify For A 'Historically Unusual' $417,000 Taxpayer-Funded Pension
Then-Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Joe Biden in 1991, while chairing the Clarence Thomas Supreme Court confirmation hearings.
A new analysis from the National Taxpayer Union Foundation (NTUF) suggests former President Joe Biden could be eligible for an unusually large, taxpayer-funded retirement package because of his decades of federal service.
NTUF's estimate places Biden's combined potential benefits at about $417,000 a year. That total would exceed the presidential salary of $400,000 and surpass amounts received by prior presidents, according to the group.
How the estimate is calculated:
President Barack Obama smiles alongside Vice President Joe Biden before signing healthcare insurance reform legislation at the White House on March 23, 2010.
- Former Presidents Act (1958) — Pension equal to the current pay rate for Cabinet secretaries, which NTUF cites as $250,600.
- Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) — Benefits for long federal service, including Biden's time as a U.S. senator and as vice president, estimated up to $166,374.
NTUF President Demian Brady told the New York Post, "It’s pretty unusual, historically unusual, to have such a large pension amount." The group’s figure combines both potential streams to arrive at the roughly $417,000 estimate.
Uncertainty remains: The estimate is hypothetical — it is not yet clear which benefits Biden would actually claim. A spokesperson for Biden did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and NTUF did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital when contacted.
Biden began his Senate career in 1972, served eight years as Vice President under President Barack Obama (2009–2017), and served one term as president with an annual salary of $400,000.
Policy response: Lawmakers have proposed changes to presidential pension rules. In 2025, Sen. Joni Ernst (R‑Iowa) reintroduced the Presidential Allowance Modernization Act to cap presidential pensions at $200,000; the bill was referred to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Previous efforts to curb presidential pensions have failed — notably, a 2016 bill that Congress approved was vetoed by President Obama.
Bottom line: The NTUF projection highlights how overlapping federal retirement programs can produce a sizable combined benefit, but whether the full amount would be paid out depends on eligibility rules and choices the individual makes.
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