General Authority salaries

[Indy Coug]

But they make something.

They should just give up a PV of $2M in future income if they want to be considered as altruistic as everyone else pretends they would be in that situation.

[RobinFinderson]

My point is that it's not just the Apostle/Seventy making the sacrifice. We don't hear about Peter's wife and kids because he either didn't have any or no one really cared about what women or children thought. Fortunately, we're a little more sensitive to others' feelings now.

All members families sacrifice as the result of parents/spouses following the commandments. My parents have paid 10% of their income to the church for their entire lives. Take that 10% and apply some modest compound interest and any economist can see how skimming that cream represents a major sacrifice in terms of what good might have otherwise been done for children, grandchildren, etc. Those are the breaks, right? If an eternal companion is unwilling to make sacrifices so that one half of the partnership might serve in the church, maybe that is reason enough why that person might be unable to serve in the church.

Nearly all stake presidents are still working full-time, so they have income and benefits. People called to be 70s can not hold outside employment and they are usually moved away from home.

If I'm 55, making $200K a year with a couple of kids still as dependents and I'm called to be a Seventy and moved to Western Europe and can no longer earn an income, how am I supposed to make ends meet?

The minimum living expense should include food and clothing stipends for immediate dependents. It should not include savings for college, since the church requires tithing from even the poorest members who themselves are unable to save any money for their children's college educations. Church services needs to be a sacrifice, and the difficulty experienced by dependents should be a testament to the family's faith and desire to serve God. Simple as that. GA's should receive zero discretionary dollars above a modest living.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

As of three years ago, each member of the Q12 was given a Toyota Avalon for their local travel.

This is true, Elder Oaks drives a Toyota Avalon (Green!) around. He caught him skipping out on the meetings and meandered into the chappel at the end of the block carrying a Target bag. I figure someone making $600k per year wouldn't be giving Target his business. That report is a bunch of hogwash.

[Indy Coug]

What's the rumor on Mission Presidents? Do they make anything?

I always had the sense that my MP was pretty happy to be in France for 3 years. His wife? Not so much.

Free housing + utilities + mission vehicle + travel expenses + monthly food allowance (I'm not positive about the last item)

[TripletDaddy]

This is true, Elder Oaks drives a Toyota Avalon (Green!) around. He caught him skipping out on the meetings and meandered into the chappel at the end of the block carrying a Target bag. I figure someone making $600k per year wouldn't be giving Target his business. That report is a bunch of hogwash.

What's wrong with Target?

This is a brand new day!

[SeattleUte]

I agree with Robin that Q12 members should not get paid anything. As a practical matter, by the time they are of age to qualify for the Q12, they should have retirement available. Moreover, some jobs just can't be morally discharged for any compensation. I'm thinking, for example, of Kenneth Feinberg, who adjudicated claims for compensation by families of 9/11. He felt he had to work for free to have any integrity.

An apostle's calling demands no compensation.

[ERCougar]

All members families sacrifice as the result of parents/spouses following the commandments. My parents have paid 10% of their income to the church for their entire lives. Take that 10% and apply some modest compound interest and any economist can see how skimming that cream represents a major sacrifice in terms of what good might have otherwise been done for children, grandchildren, etc. Those are the breaks, right? If an eternal companion is unwilling to make sacrifices so that one half of the partnership might serve in the church, maybe that is reason enough why that person might be unable to serve in the church.

The minimum living expense should include food and clothing stipends for immediate dependents. It should not include savings for college, since the church requires tithing from even the poorest members who themselves are unable to save any money for their children's college educations. Church services needs to be a sacrifice, and the difficulty experienced by dependents should be a testament to the family's faith and desire to serve God. Simple as that. GA's should receive zero discretionary dollars above a modest living.

That makes sense. A little overly idealistic in that charming RobinFinderson way, but I can see where you're coming from.

It does bug me a little that these numbers aren't public. Hiding things never seems to lead to good.

[Fiyero]

What's the rumor on Mission Presidents? Do they make anything?

I always had the sense that my MP was pretty happy to be in France for 3 years. His wife? Not so much.

My mission president gave every missionary $5 on his birthday, and bought 140 $50 Liberty Bowl tickets so people could enjoy BYU vs. Louisville, which I did in fact enjoy. Other than that, I don't know of any personal spending. He brought his own car from California and lived in a church-owned home in a nicer suburb of Little Rock.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

What's wrong with Target?

This is a brand new day!

I love Target personally. But if I were making $600k a year I would at least upgrade to some place like the Pottery Barn and Williams & Sonoma for housewares and would buy all my food at Whole Foods. Elder Oaks is slumming it at the Target!

[Indy Coug]

It's not like they buy each incoming mission president a new home. Odds are, the church buys these homes outright and could be legitimately viewed as part of its investment portfolio.

[falafel]

What's the rumor on Mission Presidents? Do they make anything?

I always had the sense that my MP was pretty happy to be in France for 3 years. His wife? Not so much.

My MP was pretty open about his finances. Basically, they paid into the system like missionaries, and were then given a monthly stipend. Beyond that, they're on their own. My MP was burning through his personal cash like crazy, though. Well, that's according to his wife, who was not accustomed to living on any kind of "stipend." And my MP wasn't accustomed to wearing wool-blend suits or non-iron shirts, either.

[falafel]

Am I the only one who thinks its odd that they two guys pounding the "GAs should not make anything" rhetoric are the two guys that are least connected to the Church?

[Indy Coug]

Am I the only one who thinks its odd that they two guys pounding the "GAs should not make anything" rhetoric are the two guys that are least connected to the Church?

I don't know what it is, but it isn't odd.

[Viking]

We have no way of verifying/disputing GA stipends, but would you be okay with Apostles receiving $600K a year? Would you be in favor of the Church publishing its financial records? I don't care too much either way now, but as a missionary there were a few times I told investigators that ours was an unpaid ministry, all the way up to the Prophet.

There's a Tithing section on this site, with a subsection, "How much do the General Authorities get paid?":


(In no way am I claiming that as a good source).

More information about the founder of that website: Sunstone article.

Ensign Peak is far from secret; I know a few of the guys there and they share meetings with us from time to time at conferences, etc.

Here's how I feel: religion is business. If GAs are only taking $600k (at the top) that's peanuts relative to the total income of the Church. When I see BKP flying around in his private jet, I might get concerned, but $600k is really not much relative to the scale of the business they run.

[Fiyero]

My stake paid for $25/month of my mission, and I was in the same stake as Presidents Hinckley and Faust. So it crossed my mind that if for whatever reason they paid a tithe out of various gifts, and if for any reason some went into the stake mission fund, that a fraction of a fraction of my mission was paid for by the prophet.

I have no point here other than bragging rights. This is obviously why everything in my post-mission life has turned to gold as I've been constantly blessed beyond measure. Seriously, seriously so blessed.

I'm glad the brethren rake it in.