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Kamala Harris Net Worth Revealed: From Attorney to Vice President (2025 Update)

Kamala Harris's net worth has reached $8 million in 2024, climbing from $6 million in 2019. Let's get into the details of her wealth growth through smart real estate investments and her Vice President's salary of $235,000. Her book royalties are a big deal as it means that they bring in more than $450,000. The story of her financial success before becoming VP shows some fascinating trends.


Kamala Harris' Net Worth in 2025: The Big Picture


Forbes reports that Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff have built a combined net worth of about $8 million in 2024. This number shows their financial success and helps us learn about the wealth of one of America's most prominent political figures.


Latest estimate from Forbes and public disclosures


Forbes provides the most detailed analysis of Harris' finances. Their $8 million estimate comes from wealth disclosures, tax filings, and public records. Harris' latest public disclosure report from May 2023 shows she takes a conservative approach with millions in passively managed index funds.


Barron's looked at the couple's holdings and found their financial portfolio ranges between $2.9 million and $6.6 million. The couple also has cash holdings that could total $850,000 or more based on official documents.


How much is Kamala Harris worth today?


The Vice President's wealth breaks down into several parts:

  1. Real Estate: Harris and Emhoff's wealth mostly comes from their Los Angeles property. Forbes values it at $4.4 million, while Zillow suggests it's closer to $5 million.

  2. Investment Portfolio: Harris keeps her investments simple with passively managed index funds.

  3. Income Sources: She earns $235,000 yearly as Vice President. This salary tops her previous earnings of $174,000 as U.S. Senator and $159,000 as California's Attorney General.

  4. Book Royalties: Her books "The Truths We Hold" and "Superheroes Are Everywhere" have earned over $500,000 in royalties.


Harris' wealth stands nowhere near the average American's in her age group. She has about 20 times the median net worth of Americans her age.


Comparison to previous years


Harris' net worth has grown steadily. She and Emhoff had about $6 million when she ran for president in 2019. Their three properties in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. made up $5.8 million of their assets.


Forbes estimated their worth at $7 million when Harris became Vice President in January 2021. Emhoff's entertainment law career helped, bringing in over $1 million yearly.


Their Los Angeles property gained about $1 million between 2021 and 2024, pushing their worth to $8 million. Their investments haven't grown much despite the strong stock market.


Harris' financial future looks secure. She turns 59 this year and can soon claim her California pensions, which will pay about $8,200 monthly. Her federal pension starts in 2026, adding more security whatever her political future holds.


Real Estate and Property Holdings


Real estate investments are the foundations of Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff's wealth. Their property portfolio makes up much of their combined $8 million net worth. These investments have grown in value over the last several years.


Los Angeles home value and appreciation


Their biggest asset sits in Brentwood, Los Angeles. Emhoff bought this property for $2.7 million in 2012 before meeting Harris. The 3,500-square-foot home features four bedrooms, four-and-a-half bathrooms, and a swimming pool. The upscale neighborhood houses celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and LeBron James. The Getty Center is just ten minutes away.


The Brentwood home's value has grown impressively since purchase. Zillow estimates it at $5.4 million, while Forbes puts it closer to $5.2 million. Whatever the exact number, the value has nearly doubled in 13 years.


This property plays a huge role in Harris's wealth growth. Financial publications note that the $1 million increase in their wealth from 2021 to 2024 came "almost entirely" from this Los Angeles home's appreciation.


Former properties in San Francisco and D.C.


Harris owned homes in San Francisco and Washington D.C. before becoming Vice President. She bought her San Francisco condo for $489,000 in 2004 as the city's first Black attorney general. She sold it in 2021 for $860,000, doubling her investment. A software engineer now owns the unit and rents it out for $6,000 monthly.


Harris bought a luxury condo in D.C.'s West End neighborhood for $1.77 million when she joined the Senate in 2017. She sold this property for $1.85 million in 2021 after becoming Vice President.


On top of that, Harris's first property was a one-bedroom condo overlooking Lake Merritt in Oakland. She bought it for $116,000 and sold it in 1998 when she started working at the San Francisco district attorney's office.


Joint ownership and family trust


Emhoff moved the Brentwood home to a joint trust after their 2014 marriage. They use the "KDH/DCE family trust" to own their real estate. This trust held all three properties at different times.


Moving properties into this trust makes sense if you have significant assets. It helps with taxes and makes transferring property easier. D.C. property records show they used this trust to buy their Georgetown-area condo in 2017.


Their family trust's real estate holdings peaked at $7.2 million. Now, with just the Brentwood property left, real estate makes up about two-thirds of their total worth.


Income from Public Service Roles


Kamala Harris built her wealth through public service. Her income changed as she moved up the political ladder and took on different government roles.


Kamala Harris salary as Vice President


The Vice Presidency pays well as the second-highest office in the executive branch. Harris currently earns $235,100 annually as Vice President of the United States. This stands as her highest government salary yet.


The Vice President's pay isn't actually the second-highest in government. The President makes $400,000, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court gets $300,000 - both earn more than the VP. Supreme Court Associate Justices also take home more at $298,500.


An executive order set the Vice President's 2024 salary at $284,600. However, a pay freeze since 2019 keeps the actual amount at $235,100. Should Harris become President, her salary would jump by $165,000 annually.


Previous earnings as Senator and Attorney General


Here's how Harris's income grew with her career:

  • U.S. Senator (2016-2020): $174,000 annually

  • California Attorney General (2010-2016): $159,000 annually

  • San Francisco District Attorney (2003-2010): Started at $140,000 and reached $200,000 by her last year


Her earnings tell an interesting story. Harris took a big pay cut - about $43,000 - when she left her San Francisco DA role to become California's Attorney General. CNN noted that "The state AG salary also dropped year after year, due to state-mandated pay cuts for state salaries in the wake of the financial crisis".


Harris's adjusted gross income saw big swings early in her career. It peaked at $262,877 in 2010 before falling to $128,668 in 2013. Her effective tax rate ranged between 16.6% and 24.3% during this time.


Everything changed financially after she married Doug Emhoff in 2014. Her individual income of $128,668 in 2013 jumped to a joint income of $1,232,613 in 2014, thanks to Emhoff's successful law practice.


Pensions from California state roles


Harris's public service career comes with valuable pension benefits. Her time in California's local and state offices earned her two pensions worth just under $1 million combined according to Forbes.


She built these pension plans during her California years. Her financial records show eight different funds as part of two deferred compensation plans from her state employment.


Harris turns 59 this year and can soon claim these California pensions. Estimates show she could receive monthly payments around $8,200 starting this year. Her federal pension should kick in by 2026, adding more financial security to her future.


The Vice President role brings extra perks beyond salary and pensions. These include Secret Service protection and private air travel. Former VPs can also make good money through speaking events and book deals after leaving office.


Royalties and Book Deals


Book royalties add a big chunk to Kamala Harris' net worth beyond her government paycheck. Her books bring in more money than most other administration officials' literary works.


Earnings from 'The Truths We Hold'


"The Truths We Hold: An American Journey" brought Harris an advance of more than $300,000 in 2019. This memoir about life lessons became her biggest money-maker. The book earned her $325,000 in royalties during her first year as Vice President in 2021. The next year's earnings dropped to $41,104, but still added to her income.


The memoir hit shelves in January 2019 and keeps bringing in steady money, as her financial records show. This book serves as the life-blood of her publishing success and plays a big role in what Forbes thinks her net worth in 2024 will be.


Children's book and other publications


Harris also launched a children's book "Superheroes Are Everywhere" in 2019. The book shows Harris as a cartoon character on its cover and helps kids spot everyday heroes around them. She earned $130,000 from this book in 2021, though earnings dropped to $40,209 in 2022.


Her book collection also has "Smart on Crime," but recent financial papers don't show how much she made from this earlier book.


Total royalty income since 2018


Her earnings from books have gone up and down over time:

  • 2021: Books brought in $450,000 total

  • 2022: Royalties added up to $81,313


Of course, these numbers show how well her books did compared to others in the administration. Her royalty checks are nowhere near what President Biden makes from his books. To name just one example, see 2022: Harris made over $81,000 while Biden got between $2,501 and $5,000 from "Promise Me, Dad" and less than $201 from "Promises to Keep".


Harris's total book earnings have passed $500,000 throughout her writing career. This extra income, plus her vice-presidential salary, has helped boost what's Kamala Harris' net worth by a lot.


The money from her books shows how her public role pays off, even though earnings have dropped since her first year in office. Notwithstanding that, these books keep adding to her bank account along with her government pay and property investments.


Doug Emhoff’s Financial Contribution


Doug Emhoff's legal career has added a lot to what's kamala harris net worth today. His financial success has changed their wealth picture since they got married in 2014.


Career as an entertainment lawyer


Emhoff built a successful legal practice in entertainment law before joining Harris in politics. He earned over $1 million annually as a partner at DLA Piper, one of America's biggest law firms. His clients included major companies like Walmart and Merck, plus big names from the entertainment world.


His legal skills brought great results. He won a $10 million settlement for an advertising agency when they had a copyright dispute about the Taco Bell Chihuahua. He worked his way up through prestigious firms, serving as managing director at Venable LLP and partner at other top firms.


Joint income after marriage


Their marriage changed their finances right away. Harris earned $128,668 by herself in

2013. After marrying Emhoff in 2014, their combined income jumped to $1,232,613 - almost ten times more. They kept earning well together, making between $1.5 million and $2 million yearly before Harris became Vice President.


Emhoff's earnings were much higher than Harris' government pay. Their tax returns showed his legal work made up about 80-90% of their household income before Harris' vice presidency.


Current role and income at Georgetown


Emhoff left his law practice when Harris became Vice President. He now works as a Distinguished Visitor from Practice at Georgetown University Law Center. This teaching job pays less than his previous work, with estimates around $400,000 per year.

Even with lower pay, Emhoff's Georgetown salary is more than Harris' vice presidential pay of $235,100. He continues to contribute heavily to kamala harris net worth in 2024.


Conclusion


Kamala Harris's net worth has grown steadily to reach $8 million. Her wealth comes from smart real estate investments, government salaries, book royalties, and her husband's successful legal career. Without doubt, her diverse portfolio and pension benefits will ensure financial stability whatever her political path ahead looks like.


FAQs


Q1. What is Kamala Harris' current net worth?

As of 2024, Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff have a combined net worth of approximately $8 million, according to recent estimates.


Q2. How has Kamala Harris' net worth changed over time?

Harris' net worth has grown steadily, increasing from about $6 million in 2019 to $8 million in 2024, largely due to real estate appreciation and her vice presidential salary.


Q3. What are the main sources of Kamala Harris' wealth?

The primary sources of Harris' wealth include real estate investments, her vice presidential salary of $235,000 annually, book royalties exceeding $500,000, and her husband's income as a lawyer and now academic.


Q4. Does Kamala Harris own any significant real estate?

Yes, Harris and her husband own a home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, valued at approximately $5.2-5.4 million, which represents a significant portion of their net worth.


Q5. How much has Kamala Harris earned from her books?

Harris has earned over $500,000 in book royalties throughout her publishing career, with her memoir "The Truths We Hold" being particularly lucrative, generating $325,000 in royalties in 2021 alone.


 
 
 

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