BY BOB HOLT

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Although her husband’s name is more familiar in the headlines, Mary Pat Christie earns a comfortable living on her own.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s wife has made good money working for Wall Street investment firms.

According to an Associated Press report in The Huffington Post, their just-released tax returns show that Mary Pat and Chris Christie earned $698,838 in 2013.  Mary Pat Christie earned $475,854 of that in a part-time position as a director for investment advising firm Angelo, Gordon & Co. She also earned $34,698 as part of a five-year payout from her former job as a bond trader at Cantor Fitzgerald.

According to NorthJersey.com, Chris Christie reports $160,054 of his $175,000 salary as taxable income because he invests some of the money in a 401k-retirement program. For 2013, the couple paid $193,510 in federal and state taxes.

“I’ve always been the breadwinner,” Mary Pat Christie commented, according to Businessweek. “I just wanted him to be happy in his career, and he is.” Meanwhile, Governor Christie said about the matter, “I just have three words for you: joint checking account. That money all lands in the same place, baby.”

The Associated Press story in The Huffington Post reported that according to the Christie’s tax returns, the couple paid $38,316 in property taxes, donated $29,260 to charity and claimed four children as dependents. Their returns also include earnings from blind trusts in their names.

An Asbury Park Press story in USA Today reports that the Christies earned $478,977 for 2012.

PHOTO: Mary Pat Christie — CREDIT: NJ.GOV