Tax Basics Spotlight: The Pay and Perks of the Vice President

A popular feature of NTUF’s website is our Tax Basics section, which includes analyses and information on topics such as Who Pays Taxes, tax complexity, and pay and perks for members of Congress and former Presidents. We have recently added a review of the pay and perks for Vice Presidents to shed light on the taxpayer-supported benefits afforded to the second-highest member of the Executive Branch. Line-items in the budget for salary, allowances, offices, and support funding amount to over $9.5 million in 2024, excluding additional unknown costs for security and travel on military aircraft.

Vice Presidents serve a unique constitutional role as the principal advisor to the President and as first in line for succession to that office if needed. The Vice President also serves as President of the Senate, standing by to cast the deciding vote if Senators are deadlocked in a tie.

One perk of the office is the salary. The Vice President is paid $235,100 in 2024. There can be confusion regarding the actual pay of the Vice President. The salary has been frozen by Congress since 2014 except for one increase in 2019. The amount reported each year by the Office Personnel Management is higher because that figure is used as a ceiling on the salary of other senior-level federal employees. The new Tax Basics page includes a list of all the appropriations laws that have impacted the Vice President’s salary since the cap was set. The cap was likely instituted because the House and Senate have voted to decline otherwise automatic pay hikes for Representatives and Senators since 2009.

In addition to the salary, the Vice President receives a $20,000 per year expense allowance, which is taxable, from the Senate’s budget.

Since 1974, the Vice President’s official residence has been located at the United States Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. Previously, Vice Presidents lived in their own homes, but the demands of the office and the need for security upgrades made a dedicated residence necessary. The Executive Branch budget provides $321,000 for the Vice President’s residence, including personnel, entertainment, and other expenses.

Another significant perk for the Vice President is funding for dual offices and support staff in the Executive Office of the White House and in the Senate. In 2024, the Vice President has a staff of 26 in the Executive Branch and another 50 in the Senate. The White House provides $6 million for staff and related expenses and the Senate provides $3 million.

Legislation in the House would limit the Senate’s funding. Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) introduced H.R. 1846, which would have capped the amounts available in FY 2024 to support the Senate’s Office of the President at $2,484,248.

For security reasons, senior government officials travel on military aircraft. The Vice President often travels on a modified Boeing 757, known as the C-32, although smaller aircraft are sometimes used.

Vice Presidents also receive security protection from the United States Secret Service. Former Vice Presidents and their family can elect to continue to receive protection for up to 6 months after leaving office.

One of the longer-lasting perks is the pension benefit, available only to Vice Presidents who have accrued at least five years of employment with the federal government. The value of the starting pension payment is based on a calculation that includes the length of federal employment and the average of the highest three years of federal salary. Service as Vice President enhances the starting pension values because of the higher salary. For instance, Joe Biden’s projected pension will be notably high due to his extensive service, with a starting amount of $166,374, partly due to his salary as Vice President. The table below lists the recent Vice Presidents who were also in Congress and their starting pension benefit amount.