Joe Biden’s net worth is estimated at $10 million as of 2026, making him one of the lower-wealth modern U.S. presidents. The 46th President of the United States built his fortune through a 36-year Senate salary (1973-2009), eight years as Vice President (2009-2017), an $8 million Penguin Random House book deal in 2017, paid speaking engagements between his vice presidency and presidency, and a $540,000-per-year salary at the Penn Biden Center from 2017 to 2019.
| Full Name | Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | November 20, 1942 |
| Age | 83 years old (2026) |
| Birthplace | Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | 46th U.S. President, Former U.S. Senator |
| Net Worth | $10 Million (2026) |
| Spouse | Jill Tracy Jacobs (m. 1977); Neilia Hunter (m. 1966, d. 1972) |
| Children | Beau (d. 2015), Hunter, Naomi (d. 1972), Ashley |
| Known For | 46th U.S. President (2021-2025), 47th Vice President under Obama |
Walk Through the Article
How Does Joe Biden Make Money?
| Income Source | Estimated Amount | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penguin Random House book deal (2017) | $8M | One-time (gross) | Three-book deal signed in 2017 covering Promise Me, Dad, his political memoir Promises to Keep, and a children’s book; paid in installments tied to manuscript delivery |
| Paid speaking engagements 2017-2019 | $15-200K/speech | One-time (personal) | Reported ~50+ paid speeches between his vice presidency and presidency; income totaled ~$4M over two years |
| Penn Biden Center salary 2017-2019 | $540K/year | Annual (personal) | Honorary professorship at University of Pennsylvania; led the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement in Washington DC |
| Presidential salary 2021-2025 | $400K/year | Annual (personal) | The U.S. presidential salary, paid across his one term as 46th President |
| Presidential pension (post-2025) | $240K/year | Annual (personal) | Set at the level of a U.S. Cabinet Secretary under the Former Presidents Act of 1958 |
| Real estate (Wilmington + Rehoboth Beach) | $4M+ | Cumulative | Main home in Greenville Delaware ($2.7M assessed); $2.7M vacation home in Rehoboth Beach Delaware purchased June 2017 |
| Estimated Total Net Worth | $10 Million (2026, joint with Jill Biden) | ||
Early Life and Education
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. was born on November 20, 1942, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the first of four children of Catherine Eugenia “Jean” Finnegan and Joseph Robinette Biden Sr. The family was Irish Catholic and modestly middle-class. When Joe was 10, his father moved the family to Claymont, Delaware, in search of work as a used-car salesman. The family later settled in Wilmington.
Biden attended Archmere Academy, a Catholic prep school in Claymont, where he was a star football player despite his small stature. He overcame a serious childhood stutter through poetry recitation. He enrolled at the University of Delaware, graduating in 1965 with a Bachelor of Arts in history and political science. He then earned his Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law in 1968, ranking 76th in a class of 85.
Career Timeline
U.S. Senator from Delaware (1973-2009)
Biden was elected to the U.S. Senate from Delaware in November 1972 at age 29, becoming one of the youngest people ever elected to the chamber. He was sworn in at 30, one month after his 30th birthday. He served six terms (36 years) before resigning in January 2009 to become Vice President. During his Senate tenure he chaired the Judiciary Committee (overseeing the controversial Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings) and the Foreign Relations Committee.
Vice President under Obama (2009-2017)
Biden served as the 47th Vice President under Barack Obama for two terms. His vice-presidential salary was approximately $230,000 per year. Major Biden initiatives during the Obama administration included overseeing the implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ($831 billion stimulus), the Cancer Moonshot, and acting as Obama’s chief liaison to a divided Congress on multiple major bills.
Penn Biden Center & Speaking Years (2017-2019)
After the Obama presidency, Biden joined the University of Pennsylvania as the Benjamin Franklin Presidential Practice Professor (annual salary $540,000) and chaired the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement in Washington, D.C. He signed an $8 million three-book deal with Penguin Random House. Promise Me, Dad — a memoir of his son Beau’s death — became a New York Times bestseller in November 2017. He also delivered roughly 50 paid speeches, earning a reported $4 million in speaking fees over those two years.
46th President of the United States (2021-2025)
Biden was inaugurated as the 46th U.S. President on January 20, 2021, becoming the oldest person ever elected President (78 years old at inauguration). Major bills signed during his term included the American Rescue Plan (2021), the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021), the CHIPS and Science Act (2022), the Inflation Reduction Act (2022), and the PACT Act for veterans. He withdrew from the 2024 presidential race in July 2024, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris.
Net Worth Over Time
Biden was known throughout his Senate career as one of the least-wealthy members of Congress — frequently appearing on lists of Senators with net worth under $1 million. As a Senator earning $174,000 per year and supporting two children plus medical bills from his first wife Neilia’s 1972 death, his finances were tight. His net worth at the start of his vice presidency in 2009 was estimated under $500,000.
The 2017 Penn deal and book contract dramatically changed his trajectory. By 2019, his estimated net worth had grown to ~$9 million. His four years as President added another $1.6 million in salary plus accumulated assets, with the 2026 estimate landing at $10 million joint with Jill Biden.
Personal Life
Biden married Neilia Hunter in August 1966. They had three children: Joseph “Beau” III (b. 1969), Robert Hunter (b. 1970), and Naomi (b. 1971). On December 18, 1972, just weeks after Biden’s first Senate election, Neilia and 13-month-old Naomi were killed in a car accident in Hockessin, Delaware. Beau and Hunter survived. Biden was sworn in as Senator at his sons’ hospital bedside in January 1973.
Biden met Jill Tracy Jacobs in March 1975 on a blind date arranged by his brother. They married in June 1977 in the Chapel at the United Nations in New York. They have one daughter, Ashley Blazer Biden, born in 1981. Jill Biden earned her doctorate in education from the University of Delaware in 2007 and was the first First Lady to hold a paying job (community college professor) while in the White House.
Little-Known Facts
- Biden’s son Beau Biden, Delaware’s Attorney General and an Iraq War veteran, died of brain cancer at age 46 in May 2015. Biden has said this loss was the deciding reason he did not run for President in 2016.
- Biden has a stutter that he has spoken about publicly and worked to overcome through poetry recitation as a teenager.
- He withdrew from his first presidential campaign in 1987 after a plagiarism scandal involving a speech borrowed from British Labour leader Neil Kinnock.
- Biden was the first Catholic Vice President and the second Catholic President (after John F. Kennedy).
- The Biden family owns two Delaware homes: the main residence in Greenville (assessed at $2.7M) and a beach house in Rehoboth Beach purchased in June 2017 for $2.7M.
Frequently Asked Questions About Joe Biden’s Net Worth
What is Joe Biden’s net worth in 2026?
Joe Biden’s net worth in 2026 is estimated at approximately $10 million, joint with his wife Jill Biden. This is modest compared to most modern post-presidents but represents a major increase from his pre-2017 net worth, which was under $500,000 after 36 years in the U.S. Senate.
How did Joe Biden make his money?
Most of Biden’s wealth was built between 2017 and 2019, after leaving the vice presidency. The key sources are: an $8 million Penguin Random House three-book deal signed in 2017; approximately $4 million in paid speaking engagements over two years; his $540,000-per-year salary at the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Biden Center; and his four years of presidential salary at $400,000 per year.
How much was Joe Biden’s book deal?
Biden signed a three-book deal with Penguin Random House in 2017 worth a reported $8 million. The deal covered Promise Me, Dad (his memoir about his son Beau’s death from cancer), the political memoir Promises to Keep, and a children’s book by Jill Biden. Promise Me, Dad was published in November 2017 and became a New York Times bestseller.
How much does Joe Biden earn in retirement?
As a former U.S. President, Biden receives a presidential pension under the Former Presidents Act of 1958, set at the same level as the salary of a Cabinet Secretary (~$240,000 in 2026). He also receives lifetime Secret Service protection, free office space, and a transition stipend that ends after seven months. He is also entitled to a separate U.S. Senate pension based on his 36 years of Senate service.
Where does Joe Biden live?
Biden has two main residences in Delaware: a 6,800-square-foot lakeside home in Greenville (suburb of Wilmington) assessed at $2.7 million, and a beach house in Rehoboth Beach Delaware purchased in June 2017 for $2.7 million. The Bidens are now retired from the White House and split time between the two properties.
How old is Joe Biden?
Joe Biden was born on November 20, 1942, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He turned 83 years old in November 2025, making him the oldest person to have served as U.S. President.
Who is Joe Biden married to?
Biden is married to Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden, whom he wed in June 1977. Jill Biden, an educator with a doctorate in education from the University of Delaware, was the first First Lady to hold a paying job (community-college professor) during her White House years. Biden’s first wife, Neilia Hunter, died in a car accident in 1972 along with their daughter Naomi.
How many children does Joe Biden have?
Biden has had four children: Joseph “Beau” III (1969-2015, died of brain cancer), Robert Hunter (b. 1970), Naomi (1971-1972, died in a car accident), and Ashley Blazer (b. 1981, his only daughter with Jill Biden). Two of his children predeceased him, profoundly shaping his political identity.
What is the Penn Biden Center?
The Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement is a Washington D.C. think tank affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania. Biden chaired it from 2017 to 2019 between his vice presidency and presidency. The Center hosted policy discussions and trained graduate students in foreign policy.
Does Joe Biden still earn money from his book deals?
Yes, Biden continues to earn royalties from Promise Me, Dad and his other published works, though the bulk of the $8 million advance was paid out in 2017-2019. Royalty income is variable and depends on continued book sales — these have moderated significantly after the 2017-2018 peak.
Also Read:
- Barack Obama Net Worth 2026 — Biden’s two-term running mate worth $70M
- Donald Trump Net Worth 2026 — Biden’s 2020 and 2024 election opponent
- Bill Gates Net Worth 2026 — Microsoft co-founder worth $115B
