Running the country pays pretty well — $400,000 per year, these days — but that’s not how most presidents earn their millions.
Some inherit their fortunes, while others build theirs from scratch. Other presidents only reach their peak after they leave office, thanks to their new fame and connections.
Here’s how much each U.S. president was worth at the height of their wealth, according to 24/7 Wall Street1. The site tallied up assets like real estate, estimated life savings and income from work, inheritance, royalties and investments, then converted the figure to today’s dollars.
Just keep in mind, while many of these presidents were great statesmen, they weren’t all great asset managers. Some lost their fortunes and sank into debt later in life.
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