Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Rick Santorum’s Tax Returns Reveal That He’s a Cheapskate on Charitable Giving

Champion of zygotes Rick Santorum released four of his tax returns today because he thought lots of people really cared about them. Maggie Haberman of Politico has the scoop and they reveal that, when compared to Mitt Romney, Rick is in the poor house but compared to the rest of us, he's doing all right for himself:  

Santorum and his wife Karen filed joint returns for all four years. As you'll see from the returns, the Santorums' adjusted gross income went from about $659,000 in 2007, his first year out of the Senate, to $952,000 in 2008, to $1.1 million in 2009 and about $923,000 in 2010. They paid about $167,000 in taxes in 2007, about $262,000 in 2008, $310,000 in 2009, and $263,000 in 2010. There is depreciation on a condo property over the various years. The Santorums' charitable giving was a small percentage of his income each year.
What about those charitable contributions, you ask? Jennifer Rubin from the Washington Post tells us: 
In no year was charitable giving more than 3 percent of his income, and he dipped below 2 percent in one year. He apparently believes in church doctrine about contraception but not about tithing. Compared to the American people as a whole (who give about 2 percent on average), his level of giving is not unusual. But for people in his income bracket, he’s frankly cheap when it comes to charity. Last October the New York Times reported that “the wealthiest Americans — those making over $500,000 annually, which is less than 1 percent of all tax filers — gave away 3.4 percent of their income in 2008. That is significantly higher than Americans at lower income levels.” But not the Santorums. Recall that in the years for which the Romneys released their tax returns or estimates they gave away about 16 percent of their income.
Cafeteria Catholic or is Rick just aware of the questionable oversight
 

 

Latest Accounting Jobs--Apply Now:

Have something to add to this story? Give us a shout by email, Twitter, or text/call the tipline at 202-505-8885. As always, all tips are anonymous.

Comments are closed.

Related articles

angry stress ball

Busy Season Problems: You Deducted What?, Dumbest Conference Idea Ever, Clients Taking Ls

It occurred to me the other day as I was setting up my bullet journal spreads for next month that it is almost April. How’d that happen? As I was casually drawing out colorful little calendar boxes, checklists, and doodles without a care in the world I remembered that there are a good number of […]

The Accountant Shortage is So Bad Anime Waifu Girlfriends Are Taking Up Tax Prep Now

TW: TurboTax bashing Before you get all bent out of shape over an anime dating sim that asks for your Social Security number for the purposes of helping you complete your federal tax return, know two things: Steam yeeted the game you’re about to see off the platform in a mere 24 hours and Tax […]