London: The credit crunch did not really touch the Obamas, as the US President and wife Michelle earned USD 5.5 million in 2009, which is more than twice their income in 2008.
The White House released Barack Obama’s tax return on Thursday — the day all Americans have to file their tax returns.
And it showed that the Obamas earned USD 5.5 million last year and paid nearly USD 1.8 million in federal income tax, reports The Telegraph.
In 2008, the Obamas made just under USD 2.5 million.
The White House said that the increase was due to increased sales of Obama's books.
Obama's books - ‘Dreams From My Father’ and ‘The Audacity of Hope’ - were on sale in 2008, but after he became the President sales have skyrocketed.
Obama’s "principal business or profession" was listed in his tax return as "author" and the First Lady gave USD 329,000 to charities. That included USD 50,000 each to CARE and the United Negro College Fund.
The President also donated his USD 1.4 million Nobel Peace Prize award to 10 different charities.
The President's official annual salary is USD 400,000, which was raised from half that amount in 2001.
ANI
First Published: Friday, April 16, 2010, 12:33