Perks and Benefits for the President's Spouse

This page will be updated periodically.

While the role of the First Spouse is an unpaid “office of honor,” it comes with several perks and privileges, including residence in the White House, personal security details, and logistical support. Over time, the position has evolved from a largely domestic role within the White House to one of significant public visibility and influence, accompanied by an increase in support staff and taxpayer dollars.

The Evolution of the First Lady’s Role and Budget

Historically, the role of the First Lady was primarily focused on organizing social events and managing the White House’s internal affairs. However, as societal norms evolved, so did the responsibilities and expectations associated with the position. In recent decades, In addition to representing the president in official events, First Ladies have often used their platform to champion social causes, engage in diplomatic efforts, and take on a variety of public service initiatives.

The growth of the First Lady’s role has been paralleled by increases in allocated resources. Edith Roosevelt, wife of President Theodore Roosevelt, was the first to have a federally-employed social secretary. Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, expanded the office by adding a personal secretary along with social and administrative secretaries. Jacqueline Kennedy further professionalized the office by hiring a press secretary, appointment secretaries, and speechwriters. By the time of President Jimmy Carter’s administration, Rosalynn Carter added a chief of staff to help support the expanded team.

Congress formally recognized this evolution with Public Law 95-570, signed by President Jimmy Carter on November 2, 1978. This law codified and clarified the authority for hiring staff for the White House Office and the Executive Residence. It also formally authorized assistance and services to the spouse of the President “in connection with assistance provided by such spouse to the President in the discharge of the President’s duties and responsibilities.” If the President has no spouse, the law permits the President to designate another family member to receive the assistance and services.

Current Budget and Staffing

The Independent Counsel Reauthorization Act of 1994 requires the President to submit an annual report to Congress each July 1 detailing the names, titles, and salaries of each individual employed in the White House Office. Using these reports, NTUF identified personnel assigned to the Office of the First Lady and distinguished between staff whose positions are dedicated exclusively to the office and those who also hold dual roles directly serving the President. The table below summarizes the number of dedicated and dual-role personnel, along with their combined salary costs, for each year that data are available.

NTUF was unable to locate public online copies of the 1997 and 2002 Annual Reports to Congress on White House Staff. Available records from the National Archives and Records Administration indicate that related materials were processed under prior Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests without restrictions, so the reason for their absence is unclear. For example, the Clinton-era reports were released pursuant to a FOIA request by Executive Director of the American Governance Institute Daniel Schuman, but the 1997 report appears to have been excluded for unknown reasons.

Travel

Because the President’s spouse is under Secret Service protection, official travel is generally conducted aboard military aircraft capable of meeting security and communications requirements. 

For longer trips, a Boeing C-32, a military version of the 757, is often used. For fiscal year 2026, the reimbursable rate for using the C-32 is set at $19,354 per hour. 

First Ladies have also used a C-40 Clipper, a military version of the Boeing 737. For fiscal year 2026, the hourly reimbursable rate for using the C-40C Clipper is $11,668 and $11,733 for the C-40B.

Other options include the C-37A or C-37B, the military versions of the Gulfstream V and Gulfstream 550. For fiscal year 2026, the reimbursement rate for using the C-37A or C-37B aircraft is $9,435 per hour. 

When First Ladies use a military aircraft for unofficial trips such as campaign events, a portion of the costs of the use of the aircraft are reimbursed to the government, usually by a political party or an official campaign organization. The expenses will be reported in filings to the Federal Election Commission.

Post-White House Security

After a 1994 law limited Secret Service protection for former Presidents and their spouses to ten years, the Former Presidents Protection Act of 2012 reinstated lifetime protection. According to the Congressional Research Service, former First Spouses will lose this protection if they divorce from the former president and widows can continue to receive lifetime protection unless they remarry. Protection costs for former Presidents and their spouses or widows are not publicly disclosed for security reasons.

The Former Presidents Act authorizes the General Services Administration to provide up to $500,000 to each former First Spouse for travel and security if they are not receiving protection from the United States Secret Service.

Widow Benefits

The widow of a former President is eligible for an annual pension of $20,000, but this is optional. For example, Betty Ford and Nancy Reagan waived this benefit. They are also entitled to postal franking privileges that allow for free postage for official correspondence. According to budget data from 2000 through 2015 published by the Congressional Research Service, the franked mail benefit was worth an annual average of $7,000 for each of the surviving widows.