Yes, the Vice President receives a pension after leaving office

A former Vice President is may have access to to a federal pension under the Former Presidents Act, passed in 1958. The pension is not automatic — the Vice President must have served at least two years in office to receive it. The amount is set by law and tied to the salary of a Cabinet member, which changes each year with cost-of-living adjustments.

The pension begins the day the Vice President leaves office, with no waiting period. A Vice President who completes a full eight-year term receives a larger pension than one who serves a single four-year term or leaves office early due to death or resignation of the President.

Key Takeaways

  • Former Vice Presidents receive a pension equal to a Cabinet member's salary, which was approximately $235,000 annually as of 2024, though this amount adjusts yearly.
  • The Vice President must have served at least two years in office to receive any pension benefit.
  • The pension begins immediately upon leaving office and continues for life, with survivor benefits available to the spouse and children.
  • A Vice President who leaves office before two years of service receives no pension, though they may be may have access to to other federal employee benefits if they had prior government service.
  • The pension is separate from Social Security and other retirement accounts the Vice President may have accumulated.

How the pension amount is calculated

The pension is not based on years of service the way most federal employee pensions work. Instead, it is a flat annual amount set equal to the salary of a Cabinet secretary. This amount is adjusted each January to match the cost-of-living increase, so the pension grows slightly each year even after the Vice President leaves office.

A Vice President who serves a full two-term presidency receives the same pension as one who serves a single term. The length of service does not increase the monthly payment. The only difference is that a Vice President who leaves office before completing two years receives nothing, creating a sharp cutoff at the two-year mark.

When the pension starts and stops

The pension begins on the day the Vice President's term ends. There is no waiting period, no age requirement, and no delay for paperwork. A Vice President who leaves office at age 40 can begin collecting the pension immediately.

The pension continues for the Vice President's lifetime. If the Vice President dies, the surviving spouse receives a reduced pension — typically 50 percent of what the Vice President was receiving. Children may also receive benefits under certain conditions, though these stop when the child reaches age 18 (or 23 if enrolled full-time in college).

Other benefits that come with the pension

The pension is one part of a larger package. Former Vice Presidents also receive Secret Service protection for life (though this was limited to ten years by law in 1997, then restored to lifetime in 2013). They receive office space, staff, and travel allowances funded by Congress. These are separate from the pension itself.

Former Vice Presidents are also may have access to to federal health insurance through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, though they must pay the premiums themselves. This is the same program available to other federal retirees and current federal employees.

What happens if a Vice President resigns or the President dies

If a Vice President resigns before completing two years in office, they receive no pension. This has happened nine times in U.S. history — most recently when Spiro Agnew resigned in 1973 after 46 months in office, which was still short of the two-year threshold at that time. (The law was clarified after this event.)

If the President dies in office, the Vice President becomes President and continues to accrue time toward the two-year pension requirement. A Vice President who assumes the presidency and serves the remainder of the term plus a full elected term will receive the presidential pension instead, which is substantially larger.

How this compares to other federal pensions

The Vice President's pension is unusually generous compared to most federal employee pensions. A typical federal employee must work 20 to 30 years and reach a certain age to receive a pension. The Vice President receives a full pension after just two years of service, with no age requirement.

The amount is also fixed rather than calculated as a percentage of salary. A Vice President who serves two years receives the same annual pension as one who serves eight years. By contrast, a federal judge or military officer's pension grows with each additional year of service.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Vice President collect both a pension and Social Security?

Yes. The Vice President's pension is separate from Social Security benefits. A former Vice President can collect both the federal pension and Social Security simultaneously, though Social Security benefits may be reduced if the Vice President did not pay into the system for at least 40 quarters.

What if a Vice President had another federal job before becoming Vice President?

The Vice President's pension does not combine with other federal pensions. The Vice President receives only the flat Cabinet-level pension. Any prior federal service does not increase the amount, though it may have generated a separate pension that the person can collect independently.

Does a Vice President who dies in office leave a pension to their family?

No. The pension only begins when the Vice President leaves office. If a Vice President dies while still in office, there is no pension to pass on. The family may be may have access to to other federal survivor benefits depending on the Vice President's prior federal service and the circumstances of death.

Can Congress reduce or eliminate the Vice President's pension?

Congress can change the law governing the pension for future Vice Presidents, but it cannot reduce the pension of someone already receiving it. This protection is part of the Constitution's prohibition on reducing the compensation of federal officers during their term of service.