Bidens paid 25.9% rate and earned $607,336, tax returns show

President Joe Biden has said the wealthy should pay more in taxes — and 25.9% of the first couple's income went to the federal government in 2020

WASHINGTON -- President Joe Biden has said the wealthy should pay more in taxes — and 25.9% of the first couple's income went to the federal government in 2020. Biden on Monday revived the long-standing presidential tradition of releasing his tax filings, in yet another contrast to his predecessor, former President Donald Trump. Biden and his wife, Jill, earned $607,336 last year while he was running for president. That is down from $985,223 in 2019, when they primarily earned money from book sales, speeches and positions at the University of Pennsylvania and Northern Virginia Community College. The most recent IRS data indicates that the average federal income tax rate is just over 14%.