Bush, first lady paid US$207,307 in taxes last year

US President George W Bush and first lady Laura Bush reported total income last year of US$784,219 ($1,100,349) and paid US$207,307 in federal income taxes, according to documents released by the White House today.

The Bushes' income for the 2004 tax year included his salary earned as president - US$397,065 - and investment income from the trusts in which their assets are held, said the tax returns released by the White House.

Their taxable income totaled US$672,788, down from US$727,083 in their 2003 tax returns.

The Bushes contributed US$77,785 to churches and charitable organisations, including the Evergreen Chapel at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland and St John's Church near the White House, according to the documents.

Bush also donated money to the American Red Cross, the Salvation army World Service Office and AmeriCares to respond to last year's devastating tsunami in Asia, the White House said.

Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne Cheney, said in a separate statement they owed federal taxes for 2004 of US$393,518 on a taxable income of US$1,328,678. Their total income was US$1,747,794. The income included Cheney's vice presidential salary of US$203,000.

The documents showed Cheney received US$194,852 in deferred pay last year from Halliburton, the Texas energy company he once headed, which has received billion-dollar government contracts in Iraq.

"The amount of deferred compensation received by the vice president is fixed and is not affected in any way by Halliburton's current economic performance or earnings," Cheney's office said in a statement.

In his 2003 income tax returns, Cheney reported receiving US$178,437 in deferred pay from Halliburton.

The Cheneys donated US$303,354 to charity in 2004, primarily from book royalties earned by Lynne Cheney and the exercise of stock options.

Unlike the Bushes, the vice president's office refused to distribute copies of Cheney's complete tax returns.

- REUTERS