# What does the President's paycheck look like? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 18, 2004, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785 "2004-10-18T05:00:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/21 "2004-10-18T16:53:26Z")
sorry, **Walloon**. :o ---
**Author:** ![brianmelendez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/65b543/32.png) [@brianmelendez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianmelendez)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/22 "2004-10-18T19:37:12Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > Anyone know? I’m curious about withholdings and whatnot. Is he paid biweekly? Once a month? Does he have automatic deposit? > > Do any of our former U.S. presidents have old pay stubs on display somewhere? > > Any articles, website and/or books on the subject would interest me. I don’t know what the modern practice is, but there is at least one recorded instance of a president’s paycheck being delivered by “a messenger from the Treasury Department” in the first quarter of the 20th century: > [@](#): > > [**PAYDAY**](http://www.calvincoolidge.us/pages/3/) > > Soon after Coolidge took office, he received his first paycheck which was “delivered with a flurry” by a messenger from the Treasury Department. Coolidge told him solemnly “Call again.” (Coolidge’s salary as President was $75,000 per year.) Whether the checks continued to arrive by messenger after that first check, I have never heard. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/23 "2004-10-18T19:38:16Z")
> [@Jinx](#): > > You mean, he’s paid on strictly a commission basis based on the quality of his performance? 😃 - Jinx So can it go negative? ---
**Author:** ![brianmelendez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/65b543/32.png) [@brianmelendez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianmelendez)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/24 "2004-10-18T19:41:18Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > Is he paid biweekly? Once a month? Monthly, it turns out: > [@](#): > > § 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, for which expense allowance no accounting, other than for income tax purposes, shall be made by him. He shall be entitled also to the use of the furniture and other effects belonging to the United States and kept in the Executive Residence at the White House. [3 U.S.C. § 102](http://assembler.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode03/usc_sec_03_00000102----000-.html). ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/25 "2004-10-18T19:45:43Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > It’s very unlikely that he would not be getting Direct Deposit. But, if he did have check cut, it would look like all the other Federal Government checks. It would be brownish in color, and resemble your Tax Return check (if you get one), or your Bush Rebate Check (if you got one of those). The military hates to write checks. They strongly encourage direct deposit. In fact, they pretty much FORCE you to get a bank account at Basic if you don’t already have one. But there are people, for whatever reasons, don’t have their direct deposit set up, and they are issued a check. The check looks just like every check I’ve ever seen from the Federal Government. So deductive reasoning tells me that the President’s check would look the same. Though he most likely never sees a check. Okay. That gives me a general description to work with… now, then… Is he paid 52 times a year, 26 times a year, 12 times a year or what? Any educated guesses as to his deductions: Social Security, state & federal taxes, etc.? What kinds of deductions does he get? I assume that tax rebate for the richest Americans would be reflected on his own paycheck… Finally: has ANYONE heard of any resource, cite or photograph of any president’s checks and/or stubs for the last 30 years or so? Kennedy’s? Johnson’s? Nixon’s? Ford’s? Carter’s? Reagan’s? Elder Bush’s? Clinton’s ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/26 "2004-10-18T19:47:26Z")
Oh, thanks, **brianmelendez.** 12 times a year. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/27 "2004-10-18T20:10:31Z")
So the actual official name of the White House is the “Executive Residence”? I always thought it was the Presidential Mansion. ---
**Author:** ![brianmelendez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/65b543/32.png) [@brianmelendez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianmelendez)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/28 "2004-10-18T20:17:44Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > So the actual official name of the White House is the “Executive Residence”? > > I always thought it was the Presidential Mansion. The official name of the White House is “The White House.” The First Family’s quarters are the “Executive Residence.” Hence the statute’s reference to “the Executive Residence _in the White House_.” ---
**Author:** ![brianmelendez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/65b543/32.png) [@brianmelendez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianmelendez)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/29 "2004-10-18T20:19:09Z")
> [@brianmelendez](#): > > The official name of the White House is “The White House.” The First Family’s quarters are the “Executive Residence.” Hence the statute’s reference to “the Executive Residence _in the White House_.” Sorry, “_at_ the White House.” ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/30 "2004-10-18T21:46:31Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > And if this were Great Debates, you’re political opinion would be welcome. But this is not Great Debates. It is General Questions. True. Equally true is the fact that it neither says **Administrator** nor **Moderator** under your Member Name and posing as such is one of the biggest No-No’s on the Straight Dope. 5,000 posts and you haven’t got that down? Let’s leave the whip-cracking to the cowgirls and cowboys, m’kay? 🙂 The OP isn’t exactly asking a National Security Breach type of query here. I just called The White House. ( A phone number I won’t post here but is surely a matter of public record) They passed me on to [Firstgov.gov](http://Firstgov.gov), a website run by a US Gov’t agency. I submitted the query and will post it here when I recieve it by email. Give it a day or two, so they say. To me, that means a week to 10 days. Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/31 "2004-10-18T23:28:34Z")
Way to go above and beyond the call of duty, Cartooniverse. Please resurrect this thread when (if?) it drifts to the back pages and post [Firstgov.gov](http://Firstgov.gov)’s reply. Now we need some OTHER reputable source to substantiate and/or refute [firstgov.gov](http://firstgov.gov)’s claims in case somebody’s pulling shenanigans. Meantime, thanks to all who’ve participated in this thread thus far. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/32 "2004-10-18T23:34:07Z")
That’s more than enough political snipes in this thread. CUT IT OUT, NOW! **DrMatrix** - GQ Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2004, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/33 "2004-10-18T23:58:52Z")
Folks! PLEASE! I already apologized. I was in the wrong Forum, but it was an honest mistake. Again, I’m sorry. This was **not** deliberate. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2004, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/34 "2004-10-19T01:49:30Z")
Hmm, okay, **brianmelendez**. That way that’s worded, it might mean that ‘The White House’ is the name for the entire compound, and the Executive Residence is the famous building inside it, that gets on the news. I stand corrected. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2004, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/35 "2004-10-19T02:26:02Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > Folks! > PLEASE! > > I already apologized. > I was in the wrong Forum, but it was an honest mistake. > > Again, I’m sorry. This was **not** deliberate. You were hardly alone, so don’t assume that it was aimed solely at you. And you were the only one to apologize, which was appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2004, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/36 "2004-10-19T03:41:34Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#): > > posing as such is one of the biggest No-No’s on the Straight Dope. Please do not accuse me of “posing” as a moderator. _I made no such claim._ ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2004, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/37 "2004-10-19T04:14:50Z")
Back to the OP, I see no statutory reason why the President would be exempt from paying into Social Security. Federal employees aren’t exempt. Most state and municipal employees are exempt to a point. Most of those at least pay into Medicare. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2004, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/38 "2004-10-19T08:36:25Z")
> [@mks57](#): > > When I was in basic training, they paid us in cash, just like the old days. You stood in line and reported to a pay officer, who gave you the cash. Then our drill instructors made us buy money orders with the cash we had just received. My 1st Lt. brother was just telling me last week that the Army has decided soldiers WILL be paid by direct deposit. You WILL get a bank account in which to get paid. You WILL cut your hair exactly thus… and so on… ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/39 "2004-10-20T11:30:52Z")
I got an email reply back from [Firstgov.gov](http://Firstgov.gov). They said that due to the nature of my inquiry, the best approach would be to call The White House on the telephone and ask them directly. That’s how I started out with this thing. In fact to be blunt, I made 3 calls in 15 minutes because the first call was routed directly to the White House Comments Line. ( not appropriate ). The second call, ditto. The third operator allowed me to ask my darned question first, before routing my call. And now this? I smell the dank scent of The Illuminati at work here. Frankly, I won’t be calling The White House again any time soon. Too many calls from the same private number. These folks give me the willies. Sorry, but I’m out- unless I can figure out a way to verify this without calling Da Big Guy’s house. My congressman? Hmmmmmmmmmmm. Okay, I’m back in. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![FlippyFly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e95f7d/32.png) [@FlippyFly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlippyFly)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785/40 "2004-10-20T14:29:42Z")
More importantly, who SIGNS the presidents paycheck? Wouldn’t that be cool… I may just be the head of the treasury, but I PAY the president, he works for me! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-the-presidents-paycheck-look-like/269785.md?page=3)