Santorum's returns show that his federal income taxes rose from 2007, when he paid $167,000, to $310,000 in 2009, then dropped to $263,000 in 2010. As you'll see from the returns, the Santorums' adjusted gross income went from about $659,000 in 2007, his first year out of the Senate, to $952,000 in 2008, to $1.1 million in 2009 and about $923,000 in 2010. However, the Santorums reported far less than either Gingrich or Romney in income - Romney in 2010 reported $21.7 million in income, while Gingrich and his wife had an adjusted gross income of over $3.1 million for the same year. His taxes show that he took mortgage and depreciation deductions on those properties, and also that he sold more than $23,000 worth of stocks in 2010. Santorum and his wife, Karen, took standard deductions each year for their five children, the returns show.
– Rick Santorum has released four years of his tax returns to Politico, and they show that while his income falls a long way short of Mitt Romney's or Newt Gingrich's, his Washington connections have helped him prosper since leaving Congress. His income hit $1.1 million in 2009—up from nearly $660,000 in 2007—much of it coming from media appearances and consulting work on behalf of health care and energy interests, AP reports. It slipped to $923,000 in 2010. Santorum and his wife, Karen, appear to have paid a tax rate close to 30%—nearly double the rate Mitt Romney's tax returns revealed. Santorum—whose disclosure forms last year showed investment and real estate assets of up to $2.5 million—has now released more tax returns than either Romney or Gingrich. Ron Paul has not released his. "I don’t want to be embarrassed because I don’t have a greater income" than the other candidates, Paul quipped during a debate last month.