Joe six-pack? Not so much.

WASILLA, Alaska - Sarah Palin and her husband have pieced together a uniquely Alaskan income that reached comfortably into six figures even before she became governor, capitalizing on valuable fishing rights, a series of land deals and a patchwork of other ventures to build an above-average lifestyle.


Add up the couple's 2007 income and the estimated value of their property and investments and they appear to be worth at least $1.2 million. That would make the Palins, like Democratic vice presidential rival Joe Biden and his wife Jill, well-off but not nearly as wealthy as multimillionaire couples John and Cindy McCain and, to a lesser extent, Barack and Michelle Obama.

One measure of financial health: While there is a home loan, Palin reported no personal credit card debt on her most recent financial report as Alaska governor. That compares to average household credit card debt among Americans of $9,840 last year.

A more complete picture will come when Sarah Palin outlines her personal finances in federal paperwork in coming days. It will include details of any mortgage debt and at least rough dollar totals for bank accounts and investments.

Palin this week characterized herself as "an everyday, working-class American" who knows how it feels when the stock market takes a hit.

The Palins' total income last year was split almost evenly between Sarah Palin's white-collar job and her husband's blue-collar work. Sarah Palin's salary as governor was $125,000; Todd Palin took in $46,790 as a part-time oil production operator for BP Alaska in Prudhoe Bay, plus $46,265 in commercial fishing income and $10,500 in Iron Dog snowmachine race winnings. These figures do not include nearly $17,000 in per diem payments Palin received for 312 nights spent in her own home since she was elected governor; she also has received $43,490 to cover travel costs for her husband and children.

In addition, each member of the Palin family received $1,654 in state oil royalties paid to all Alaskans.

The Palins' assets seem enviable: a half-million-dollar home on a lake with a float-plane at the dock, two vacation retreats, commercial-fishing rights worth an estimated $50,000 or more and an income last year of at least $230,000. That compares to a median income of $64,333 for Alaskans and $50,740 for Americans in 2007, according to the Census Bureau.

But in Alaska, scarce roads make private planes commonplace, it's typical to spend a month or two fishing commercially, and wilderness acreage is so plentiful the state has sold loads' worth stake-your-claim style. So, it's often the finer points that matter: How old is the airplane? Where exactly is the fishing spot? Is the house on a paved road?

Land itself doesn't necessarily translate to wealth, said Tom Hawkins of Anchorage, who paid about $2,000 for a five-acre parcel miles from the nearest road, best reached by snowmachine.

"I've got a stunning parcel overlooking a river," Hawkins said. "I took my wife to it. And she stood up and looked out at the stunning view and said, 'Dear, what are we going to do with it?'"

The Palins' main residence, a large two-story house on Lake Lucille in Wasilla, draws much of its value from its prime position along a paved road and float-plane accessible lake, said Darcie Salmon, a local real estate agent. He said lakefront land is plentiful in Alaska, but lakefront land along paved roads isn't.

The Palins' home, tucked behind a wooded field, is off Wasilla's main road, Parks Highway, a mostly four-lane road cluttered with restaurants, bars, retail stores, offices, grocery stores and big-box outlets such as Target. A store-bought "no trespassing" sign is posted near the entry to an unmarked, private gravel drive that winds about 100 yards to the lakefront home. A neighbor's property has an old metal gate at its entrance with a sign warning, "Enter at your own risk."

The Palins' four-bedroom, four-bath house, nearly 3,500 square feet, sits on just over two acres behind a tall wood-plank privacy fence that runs along one side of the property. It's one of the newest homes in the Snider subdivision lining Lake Lucille and is assessed at $552,000 "? more than twice the value of a neighboring two-acre lot with a much smaller, older wood-frame home.

Todd Palin built the house with friends who were contractors, he said in a recent television interview.

The house is worth substantially more than the Palins' starter home, a three-bedroom, two-bath house house built in 1984 on the far western boundary of Wasilla. The quiet, wooded neighborhood was developed about three miles from the city center, with half-acre lots and space for young families.

In addition to the Lake Lucille home, the Palins own recreational property in two remote areas accessible by plane, all-terrain vehicle or snowmachine.

The Palins invested in five lots along Safari Lake, an undeveloped area near Denali State Park. They bought the property, once owned by the state's Department of Natural Resources and valued at $30,000 in assessment records, with friends Scott and Deborah Richter in 2004 and 2005. The Richters have since divorced.

With other friends, the Palins own a cabin on five acres southwest of Wasilla and the Iditarod National Historic Trail. The land and cabin are assessed at $55,000; property records do not show what the Palins paid for their share.

The Palins own snowmachines and an airplane. Todd Palin has a 1958 Piper float plane that he said has been in his family for about 20 years.

Though old, such planes remain in wide use. Palin's plane would be worth from about $38,000 to $78,000 depending on its condition, said Boyd Newman, owner of West One Aircraft Sales in Caldwell, Idaho.

Other family assets include Todd Palin's shoreside lease and commercial fishing permit to harvest salmon from Bristol Bay each season. Last year, the Palins took in $46,265 commercial fishing for sockeye salmon over about a month.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081002/...dGebyqCihsnwcF

They made money the honest way they didn't sit on there ass and cast a vote in the senate or make money off oil companies or rob the American tax payers. Nothing wrong with being wealthy. She and her husband didn't always have it this easy they had to work for it what's wrong with that ? nothing Give it a rest your BS attempts to change peoples mind about her ain't working. Do something more productive with your time. Wood working and gardening are good hobbies to look into.

Maybe like Mccain who is one of the richest persons in the senate who owns 8 houses and 13 cars? She claims herself to be a middle class american, but its not the case. Im not trying to sway anyones vote with this, just an interesting read. No dumber than that vid you posted from Fox.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: R13</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Maybe like Mccain who is one of the richest persons in the senate who owns 8 houses and 13 cars? She claims herself to be a middle class american, but its not the case. Im not trying to sway anyones vote with this, just an interesting read. No dumber than that vid you posted from Fox. </div></div>
I knew that lady in that video reminded me of somebody and i just realized it was you.

Wow, nice one.

I really don't know anything about you R13. But I can assume from your blind allegiance that you are probably fairly young. You had stated before that Biden lives fairly meager financially being one of the least wealthy Senators, which is probably true. But he also stands to make millions in retirement benefits from US taxpayers. I remember when Mitchell retired in the 90's he took home an annuity worth app. 6 million bucks!

As far as the Palins making over $200,000 per year and being worth over 1 million? While I definately would like to have my family bringing in that kind of money and having that much net worth, it really isn't that much in the big scheme of things. And if they, or anyone else, got it through hard work (I'm sure Mr Palin earns it as a production worker/commercial fisherman) I have no problem what so ever.

I respect them a heck of a lot more than someone who has gotten rich through being a lifetime politician taking kickbacks from lobbyists of every stripe so they can enjoy screwing the good people of the US. And who can just vote themselves a nice yearly raise or set themselves up with a nice retirement system where they can potentially earn millions upon retirement.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: R13</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Maybe like Mccain who is one of the richest persons in the senate who owns 8 houses and 13 cars? She claims herself to be a middle class american, but its not the case. Im not trying to sway anyones vote with this, just an interesting read. No dumber than that vid you posted from Fox. </div></div>

Friend, McCain isn't the rich one in case you have done your home work. His wife is, much like John Kerry and his wife. You can see the similarities can't you?

And sad as it may be, be Palins probably can be considered on the upper edge of "middle class" as far as income. What is the Obama family income?

I have said this over and over. You can't reason with this boy. Complete waste of time. He is an idiot. He blindly <span style='font-family: Arial Black'>WORSHIPS</span> B. HUSSEIN and lacks the intelligence to understand how wrong he is.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PVVikeFan</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have said this over and over. You can't reason with this boy. Complete waste of time. He is an idiot. He blindly <span style='font-family: Arial Black'>WORSHIPS</span> B. HUSSEIN and lacks the intelligence to understand how wrong he is. </div></div>

I don't know if lacking intelligence is the word because some pretty high IQ people are likewise goose stepping bshind Obama. I liken it more to a defiency in morality and a lack of understanding that Obama is essentially a Marxist.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: GC1</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PVVikeFan</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have said this over and over. You can't reason with this boy. Complete waste of time. He is an idiot. He blindly <span style='font-family: Arial Black'>WORSHIPS</span> B. HUSSEIN and lacks the intelligence to understand how wrong he is. </div></div>

I don't know if lacking intelligence is the word because some pretty high IQ people are likewise goose stepping bshind Obama. I liken it more to a defiency in morality and a lack of understanding that Obama is essentially a Marxist. </div></div>

He doesn't have the intelligence to understand.