George W. Bush the costliest former US President, Congressional Research Service report says

George W. Bush is costing taxpayers $1.3 million a year, the most of any ex-President, according to a report by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service.

Meanwhile, taxpayers are forking over nearly $3.7 million total to pay for the four remaining presidents: Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, George W. and Bill Clinton.

That figure includes their $200,000 annual pension, compensation and benefits for a small staff, and funds for travel, office space, and postage. 

But it doesn't include the additional money spent on Secret Service protection, which is not made public, CNN wrote.

Presidential allowances are most often spent on pension, office, staff, travel and even postage, although New York Magazine quipped that and "taxpayers are certainly being rewarded for enabling the younger Bush to pursue his passion for painting dogs."

Most of George W.'s allowance was put toward 8,000 square feet of office space in Dallas, however Clinton spent the most government money on office space: $442,000 for 8,300 square feet in Harlem.

Bill Clinton apparently spent more than a million last year, too, while President H.W. Bush spent around $850,000 dollars and Jimmy Carter $500,000.

The Eisenhower administration is responsible for the generous presidential allowance, passing the Former Presidents Act just after Harry Truman left office.

Truman could barely pay his bills after leaving the White House. 

Presidents get more assistance for their first five years out of office, the Washington Post wrote, explaining George W.'s costliness to some extent.