Charles Rettig Net Worth 2026: Charles P. Rettig Estimate

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At-a-Glance: Charles Rettig Net Worth Snapshot

Charles P. Rettig's net worth is estimated at roughly $5 million to $15 million as of July 2026. That range is grounded in the figures he himself disclosed on his Executive Branch Public Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 278e, amended June 1, 2018) as a condition of his nomination to serve as IRS Commissioner, supplemented by federal salary data for the Commissioner role and corroborating reporting from legal trade media. Because OGE disclosures use value bands rather than exact dollar amounts, any single-number estimate requires interpolation, and I've presented a range here to reflect that honest uncertainty.

Quick Facts: Charles P. Rettig

Career Overview: From Tax Attorney to IRS Commissioner

Charles P. Rettig built his financial profile across two distinct phases: a long career as a senior partner in private tax law, followed by a four-year term leading the IRS. Each phase carried meaningfully different compensation structures, and both are relevant to understanding where his reported wealth came from.

Private Tax Practice (Pre-2018)

Rettig spent decades as a tax controversy attorney at Hochman, Salkin, Rettig, Toscher & Perez, P.C., a boutique Beverly Hills firm specializing in federal and state tax controversies, tax litigation, and criminal tax defense. He was a named partner, meaning his equity stake and compensation were directly tied to firm performance. His 2017 OGE filing shows a salary of $1,138,139 from the firm for that calendar year, confirmed in legal trade reporting by Law360 (March 27, 2018). On top of that base salary, the filing reports an anticipated year-end distribution in the range of $1,000,001 to $5,000,000, and a disclosed equity interest in the firm valued in the same $1,000,001 to $5,000,000 band. That single filing year alone suggests total direct firm compensation potentially exceeding $2 million. Given that Rettig had been a senior partner for many years prior to 2017, cumulative earnings from private practice are the single largest contributor to his overall net worth estimate.

IRS Commissioner Tenure (October 1, 2018 – November 12, 2022)

President Trump announced his intent to nominate Rettig on February 8, 2018. The Senate Finance Committee held a confirmation hearing on June 28, 2018 (S. Hrg. 115-734), and the full Senate confirmed him 64–33 on September 12, 2018 (Roll Call Vote No. 206). He was sworn in as the 49th Commissioner of Internal Revenue on October 1, 2018, and served until November 12, 2022. A congressional hearing record notes Commissioner Rettig was sworn in as the 49th Commissioner of Internal Revenue on October 1, 2018 Congress hearing record noting Rettig was sworn in October 1, 2018. As a federal appointee, his compensation dropped dramatically compared to his private-practice income, but the role's public profile added long-term earning potential through speaking, consulting, and publishing opportunities that typically follow senior government service.

IRS Commissioner Salary and Federal Benefits

The Commissioner of Internal Revenue is an Executive Schedule Level III position under 5 U.S.C. §5314. For fiscal year 2018, the EX-III rate was $174,500 annually, per Office of Personnel Management pay tables and Federal Register transmittals. That rate increased modestly in subsequent years as annual adjustments were published. Across his roughly four-year tenure (October 2018 through November 2022), Rettig's cumulative federal salary amounted to an estimated $700,000 to $730,000 in total gross compensation, depending on the exact pay rate in each fiscal year. Federal employees also receive standard benefits including health insurance, retirement contributions to FERS, and life insurance, but these are non-cash or deferred items and do not add meaningfully to a liquid net worth figure. Compared with the $1.1 million-plus salary he disclosed for 2017 alone, government service represented a significant income reduction, which is typical for high-earning professionals who enter public service.

Note: Exact EX-III rates for 2019 through 2022 are published in annual Federal Register pay-table transmittals. The figures above are approximations based on the known 2018 baseline of $174,500 and documented annual adjustments. Rettig's actual take-home pay would have been reduced by federal income tax, FICA, and benefit withholdings.

Private-Practice Earnings and Law Firm Income

Hochman, Salkin, Rettig, Toscher & Perez is a well-regarded boutique tax law firm. Named partners at firms of this type in major metropolitan markets routinely earn compensation in the range Rettig disclosed. His 2017 salary alone of $1,138,139 is consistent with market benchmarks for senior tax controversy partners in Los Angeles. The additional anticipated year-end distribution of $1,000,001 to $5,000,000 reflects typical partner-level profit sharing tied to firm revenue. His equity interest in the firm, also valued in the $1,000,001 to $5,000,000 range on the OGE disclosure, represents a capital asset that he divested or placed in appropriate arrangements upon entering federal service. Law360 reported in March 2018 that Rettig's disclosure named clients and disclosed the $1.1 million figure, corroborating the OGE data. Because Rettig had been at the firm for many years prior to 2017, even a conservative assumption of comparable earnings in preceding years would suggest cumulative private-practice income significantly above $10 million over his career, the foundation of his overall net worth estimate.

Other Income Streams: Consulting, Speaking, Teaching, and Investments

Rental Income from Real Estate

Rettig's OGE disclosure shows active rental income from multiple properties. The Honolulu residential real estate holding (discussed further in the assets section below and flagged at the Senate Finance Committee hearing) generated reported rent or royalties income in the range of $100,001 to $1,000,000. A La Jolla residential property generated rental income in the $15,001 to $50,000 range, and a Los Angeles industrial property produced rental income in the $50,001 to $100,000 range. Together, rental operations contributed materially to his pre-government income picture.

Speaking Engagements and Bar/Tax Conference Appearances

Senior tax attorneys with Rettig's profile regularly speak at tax conferences, American Bar Association Section of Taxation events, and continuing legal education programs. While no specific paid speaking fees are itemized in his OGE disclosure, this income category is common for practitioners at his level and could represent tens of thousands of dollars annually. After his IRS service ended in November 2022, his profile as a former IRS Commissioner significantly increased demand for speaking and consulting appearances, a pattern consistent with other former IRS chiefs who have returned to the private sector.

Marketable Securities and Investment Portfolio

The OGE Form 278e lists a diversified portfolio of individual marketable securities. Named holdings on the disclosure include Adobe, Google Class A, Amazon, Apple, American Tower, and Applied Materials, among others. Individual position values are disclosed in OGE range buckets, typically $1,001 to $50,000 or $15,001 to $50,000 per holding. While no single position appears large on the face of the disclosure, the presence of multiple technology and diversified equity holdings suggests a meaningful investment portfolio consistent with the wealth level of a high-earning partner. Gains or losses on these positions since 2017 are not publicly known.

Trust Structures

The OGE disclosure identifies multiple trust vehicles and trustee roles, including the Rettig Family Trust, the 9150 Trust, and multiple grantor-retained annuity trusts (GRATs). These are standard estate-planning structures for high-net-worth individuals and do not necessarily indicate income, but they do suggest that a portion of Rettig's wealth is structured in vehicles designed to transfer assets across generations, which is consistent with the overall wealth profile the disclosure suggests.

Known Assets: Real Estate, Investments, and Cash

The table below aggregates the asset categories disclosed on Rettig's OGE Form 278e. All values reflect the disclosure's range-bucket format; mid-point approximations are used for the estimated value column and should be treated as approximations, not exact figures. Real estate values reflect 2017–2018 disclosure dates and do not account for market appreciation or changes in ownership since that time.

Liabilities: Known Mortgage Obligations

The OGE disclosure's liabilities section lists mortgage obligations associated with investment and rental properties. Two creditors are identified: Wells Fargo and Advancial. Each mortgage balance is reported in the range of $100,001 to $250,000, suggesting relatively modest remaining balances consistent with properties that are significantly paid down. Using the midpoint of each range, the estimated combined mortgage liability at the time of the 2017–2018 disclosure was approximately $350,000 to $500,000. These liabilities are modest relative to the disclosed asset values, meaning Rettig's disclosed real estate appears to carry substantial equity. No other liabilities (personal loans, tax obligations, or legal judgments) are identified in the public OGE filing.

The Honolulu Property and Senate Ethics Questions

At the Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing on June 28, 2018, committee members raised questions about Rettig's ownership of two rental units at the Waikiki Trump International Hotel and Tower in Honolulu, Hawaii. The property was disclosed in his OGE Form 278e and in his committee questionnaire responses. The concern centered on a potential conflict of interest given that the IRS is responsible for auditing tax returns, including those of the Trump Organization, and that Rettig held a financial interest in a Trump-branded property. Rettig addressed these questions directly in his hearing responses, confirming disclosure of the properties. Ethics officials reviewed the matter and, according to the nomination record, appropriate recusal waivers or conditions were considered as part of the confirmation process. The properties themselves are a factual component of his net worth calculation; their value range is included in the Honolulu real estate line in the assets table above. This disclosure episode does not suggest any financial penalty or reduction in his net worth, but it is a relevant part of the public financial disclosure record.

Financial Milestones Timeline

Public Financial Disclosures and Ethics Notes

Rettig's OGE Form 278e (Executive Branch Public Financial Disclosure Report, filed November 9, 2017; amended June 1, 2018) is the primary and most authoritative public source for his pre-government financial picture. This form is a mandatory disclosure for presidentially nominated federal officials and is publicly available as a PDF through the Office of Government Ethics. It does not require dollar-exact disclosures; instead, assets, income, and liabilities are reported in standardized range bands, which is why all figures in this profile carry ranges rather than single exact figures. Annual financial disclosures (OGE Form 278) filed during his IRS tenure are also public record but focus on continued holdings and divested assets rather than new income from government employment. No public record of fines, legal settlements, or financial penalties affecting Rettig's personal net worth has been identified in the sources reviewed for this profile.

How We Estimate Charles P. Rettig's Net Worth

The headline range of $5 million to $15 million is built from the bottom up using disclosed data, not third-party guesses. Here is how each component contributes, and where the uncertainty lives.

1. Real estate equity: Three disclosed properties (Honolulu, La Jolla, Los Angeles) with combined disclosed value ranges of $2,000,003 to $7,000,000, partially offset by two mortgages estimated at $350,000 to $500,000 combined. Estimated net real estate equity: $1.5 million to $6.5 million.
2. Law firm equity interest: OGE-disclosed at $1,000,001 to $5,000,000. Upon entering federal service this asset was either divested or placed in a qualified trust. The value at time of disclosure contributes to the overall estimate.
3. Marketable securities: An aggregated portfolio of individual stock holdings across named technology and diversified equities. Per-holding ranges suggest an overall portfolio of at least several hundred thousand dollars, likely $500,000 to $1 million or more at the time of the 2018 disclosure. Market changes since 2018 are not tracked in public filings.
4. Cash and liquid accounts: Disclosed at $100,001 to $250,000.
5. Federal salary (cumulative, 2018–2022): Approximately $700,000 to $730,000 gross over the four-year term.
6. Private-practice earnings pre-2017: Not individually disclosed for years prior to 2017, but the structure of partner compensation at boutique tax-controversy firms, combined with the 2017 figures, supports a multi-year cumulative earnings base well above $5 million.
7. Post-government income (2022–present): No public filings available. Former IRS Commissioners typically return to private practice or consulting at senior-level compensation. This component is not included in the conservative end of the estimate but supports the upper range.

The lower bound of $5 million reflects a conservative reading of the OGE asset ranges, applying range minimums and netting out known liabilities. The upper bound of $15 million reflects mid-to-high readings of disclosed ranges, estimated pre-2017 career earnings, and reasonable assumptions about asset appreciation and post-government income. Readers should treat this as an informed research estimate, not a verified net worth figure. Only Rettig himself, or a future public disclosure, could confirm exact numbers.

Related R-Named Profiles on This Site

If you arrived here researching the Rettig name or figures in the tax and legal world, a few other profiles on this site may be of interest. For context on family-held wealth and related assets, see our profile on von Rettig family net worth. Also see our profile of Josh Ritter net worth for an entertainment-industry comparison. Tommy Rettig, the actor and early computing enthusiast, represents a very different kind of public-figure wealth story. Jon Rettinger, the technology media entrepreneur, offers a profile built on digital content and consumer electronics commentary rather than legal or government service. For comparison, see Jon Rettinger net worth for a profile of the technology media entrepreneur and his financials. Herb Ritts, the celebrity photographer, illustrates how creative professionals in Los Angeles built significant wealth through image licensing and commercial work. Charles Rittgers, another attorney in the public eye, provides a useful point of comparison for legal-profession compensation. For a point of comparison, see our profile of Charles Rittgers net worth. Heath Ritenour, the insurance industry executive, rounds out a set of R-named business figures with detailed compensation profiles worth exploring alongside this one. See Heath Ritenour net worth for a detailed compensation and asset profile of the insurance industry executive. For a nearby comparison among tax and legal figures, see the profile on Alexander Rittweger net worth.

Methodology and Sources

This profile draws on the following primary and secondary sources. Where exact dollar figures are unavailable, estimates use the midpoint of disclosed OGE range bands, with the resulting uncertainty reflected in the overall net worth range.

• Rettig, Charles P. — OGE Form 278e (Executive Branch Public Financial Disclosure Report, Nominee Report), filed November 9, 2017; amended June 1, 2018. Primary source for all asset, income, and liability figures.
• Nomination of Charles P. Rettig — Hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance (S. Hrg. 115-734), June 28, 2018. Source for confirmation hearing context and Honolulu property disclosure questions.
• White House Press Release — President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Charles P. Rettig, February 8, 2018 (via American Presidency Project).
• U.S. Senate Roll Call Vote No. 206, 115th Congress — Confirmation of Charles P. Rettig, September 12, 2018.
• 5 U.S.C. §5314 — Positions at Level III of the Executive Schedule (via Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School). Source for Commissioner's statutory pay classification.
• OPM / CHCOC Executive Schedule Pay Tables and Federal Register transmittals — EX-III rate of $174,500 (2018) and subsequent annual rates. Source for Commissioner salary calculations.
• Law360 — 'IRS Nominee Rettig Discloses $1.1M In Salary, Names Clients,' March 27, 2018. Corroborating media coverage of OGE disclosure contents.
• CREW, Washington Monthly, Reuters/Thomson Reuters — contemporaneous reporting on Rettig's Honolulu property disclosures and nomination ethics questions.

All net worth figures on this page are estimates based on publicly available data as of July 29, 2026. OGE disclosures use range bands, not exact values, and post-2022 financial data is not publicly available. This profile will be updated if new public disclosure information becomes available.