Kamala Harris, the 49th Vice President of the United States, has a net worth estimated at $8 million. This wealth largely stems from her husband’s successful legal career, specifically during his tenure at DLA Piper, where he earned over $1 million annually.
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Kamala Harris Net Worth
Kamala Harris, an American politician and attorney, has a net worth of approximately $8 million, primarily attributed to the income of her husband, Doug Emhoff, who earned over $1 million annually as a partner at DLA Piper law firm before stepping down in 2020. Kamala herself has earned around $750,000 from book royalties. Since their marriage in 2012, the couple has built significant wealth through smart financial decisions and diverse income streams.
Kamala Harris’ Salary
As Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris earns an annual salary of $235,100. Prior to this role, she served as a U.S. Senator from California (2017-2021) and as the Attorney General of California (2011-2017).
Early life and education
Kamala Harris was born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, to Shyamala Gopalan, a pioneering biologist from India, and Donald J. Harris, a Jamaican development economist. The family moved to various college towns in the Midwest before settling back in California following her parents’ divorce in 1972.
Kamala completed her high school education at Westmount High School in Montreal in 1981, attended Vanier College briefly, and then graduated from Howard University with a degree in political science and economics in 1986. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1989, where she was president of the Black Law Students Association.
Career
Kamala Harris began her career in 1990 as a deputy district attorney in Alameda County, gaining early recognition for her legal acumen. By 1998, she was leading the Career Criminal Division in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office and went on to serve as San Francisco’s District Attorney from 2002, pioneering reforms in crime and justice. In 2011, Harris became California’s Attorney General, achieving historic firsts and making significant strides in civil rights, environmental protection, and criminal justice reform.
Her tenure in this role set the stage for her election as a U.S. Senator in 2016, where she continued to champion justice on a national scale. In 2019, she ran for the Democratic presidential nomination and later became Joe Biden’s vice-presidential running mate in 2020, making history as the first female, African-American, and Asian-American Vice President of the United States.
Tax Returns
Kamala Harris has consistently demonstrated a commitment to tax transparency by releasing 20 years of personal tax returns, revealing her financial journey from modest beginnings to substantial income. Her returns show a progressive increase in earnings, especially after marrying Doug Emhoff in 2014, with their combined income peaking at $3.1 million in 2019.
Harris’s effective tax rate has varied between 19.7% and 38.3% over the years, reflecting both her and Emhoff’s diverse income sources. Despite a significant income drop following Emhoff’s transition to a teaching role in 2020, Harris has maintained a transparent financial record, supporting her stance on public financial disclosure.
- 2004: $142,462
- 2005: $145,952
- 2006: $154,052
- 2007: $182,297
- 2008: $204,864
- 2009: $206,439
- 2010: $262,877
- 2011: $159,294
- 2012: $130,568
- 2013: $128,668
- 2014: $1,232,613
- 2015: $1,255,713
- 2016: $1,252,635
- 2017: $1,546,887
- 2018: $1,884,319
- 2019: $3,095,590
- 2020: $1,629,584
- 2021: $1,598,257
- 2022: $397,668
Personal life
Kamala Harris’s personal life reflects a blend of high-profile relationships and family connections. In the 1990s, she dated then-Speaker of the California Assembly Willie Brown and briefly had a relationship with talk show host Montel Williams in 2001. Harris met her future husband, attorney Doug Emhoff, in 2013 through a mutual friend, and they married on August 22, 2014, in Santa Barbara.
Emhoff, an entertainment lawyer from a Jewish family, has two children from his previous marriage, whom Harris warmly embraced as a stepmother. Harris is a Baptist, affiliated with the Third Baptist Church of San Francisco, and a member of The Links, a prominent Black women’s organization.
Her family includes her sister Maya Harris, a lawyer and MSNBC analyst; her brother-in-law Tony West, Uber’s general counsel; and her niece Meena Harris, founder of the Phenomenal Women Action Campaign.
Real Estate
Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff own several properties valued at an estimated $8-10 million before mortgage liabilities. Doug purchased a Brentwood, Los Angeles home in 2012 for $2.7 million, which is now worth around $5 million.
Kamala bought an apartment in San Francisco in 2004 for $490,000, selling it in 2021 for $860,000. In 2017, the couple purchased a condo in Washington D.C. for $1.775 million and sold it in 2021 for $1.85 million. Their real estate portfolio reflects smart investments in key U.S. cities over the years.
Kamala Harris’s Groundbreaking 2024 Presidential Bid
In July 2024, President Joe Biden suspended his reelection campaign and endorsed Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee for president. Harris’s campaign quickly gained momentum, raising a record-breaking $81 million in small-dollar donations within 24 hours.
Endorsed by prominent figures like Jimmy Carter, the Obamas, and the Clintons, Harris became the first female, Asian-American, and second African-American presidential nominee. By early August, she secured the nomination and selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate, officially accepting the nomination at the Democratic National Convention on August 22.
Conclusion
Despite Harris’s notable political career, including her roles as a U.S. Senator and California Attorney General, the majority of her net worth is attributed to her husband Doug Emhoff’s earnings and her own income from book royalties. Her financial transparency and significant public roles continue to be points of interest for many.
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FAQs about Kamala Harris Net Worth: A Political Financial Portrait
- How has Kamala Harris built her net worth?
- Through her career as an attorney, her public service roles, her husband’s income, book sales, and real estate investments.
- What role does her husband’s income play in her net worth?
- A significant portion, as Douglas Emhoff is a successful attorney, and his earnings have substantially contributed to their joint wealth.
- How much did Kamala Harris make from her book?
- She made roughly $320,000 from her book “The Truths We Hold.”
- What are Kamala Harris’s primary sources of income?
- Her income is primarily derived from her public service salaries, her husband’s law firm salary, and income from book sales.
- Does Kamala Harris have any children that impact her net worth?
- Harris is a stepmother to her husband’s children, and while she is responsible in a familial sense, they do not directly impact her net worth.