Springfield, Illinois – Gov. JB Pritzker and First Lady MK Pritzker released their 2025 tax summary Thursday, showing an adjusted gross income of $9.4 million. The couple paid $2.1 million in federal taxes and $5.1 million in state taxes, resulting in a $2.8 million refund that will be applied to their 2026 tax obligations.
Sources of Income
The filing, prepared by Deloitte Tax LLP, indicates that the bulk of the income came from capital gains, interest, and dividends, as the governor does not draw a salary from the state. Specifically, $4 million was reported as capital‑gain income, $1.8 million from interest, and $3.6 million from dividends. Additional earnings included $28,090 from farm operations and $33,812 from real‑estate, royalties, partnerships, S‑corporations, and trusts.
Tax Deductions and Refunds
Pritzker claimed a $1.9 million standard deduction on his state return, reducing the taxable base to $7.6 million. After accounting for the $2.8 million refund, the net tax paid for 2025 stands at $7.1 million across federal and state obligations.
Charitable Giving and Historical Comparison
The couple contributed $1.9 million to charitable causes in 2025. Their reported income was lower than the $10.7 million disclosed for 2024, a year that benefited from $1.4 million in gambling winnings. The governor’s highest reported earnings as a public official were in 2021, when he reported $18.5 million.
Blind Trust and Broader Wealth
While the tax summary focuses on the $9.4 million figure, the Pritzker campaign noted that the governor’s blind trust generated $8.8 million in state taxes and $50.4 million in federal taxes last year, suggesting additional income in the hundreds of millions. Forbes estimates the governor’s net worth at $4.2 billion, up from $3.7 billion the previous October, placing him among the nation’s wealthiest elected officials.
Political Funding
Gov. Pritzker has self‑funded all three of his gubernatorial campaigns, contributing more than $430 million in total, including $90.5 million for the current election cycle. He also supports national Republican and Democratic races through political action committees, such as the newly launched Ready for the Fight PAC.
Opposition and Transparency
Republican challenger Darren Bailey has not yet released his tax returns. A spokesperson for Bailey declined to comment on future plans for disclosure. In contrast, Pritzker’s running mate, Christian Mitchell, filed his 2025 returns, reporting $481,548 in income, primarily from wages and business activities, and paying modest federal and state tax liabilities.
Context for Illinois Voters
The release of the Pritzker tax summary continues a tradition of transparency that began when the governor first entered the race in 2017. While the figures illustrate substantial personal wealth, they also underscore the governor’s commitment to paying a significant share of taxes and contributing to charitable causes, aligning with the values of fiscal responsibility and community support that many Illinois families hold dear.
Capitol News Illinois, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service, provided the original reporting.
Original reporting: Capitol City Now (WTAX 1240 Springfield) — read the source article.
