One-dollar salary

A one-dollar salary is a practice used when a business executive or government employee wishes to work without direct compensation, but must receive a salary above zero to legally distinguish them from a volunteer.^[1][2][3] The concept first emerged in the early 1900s, when various American leaders of industry offered their services to the government during times of war. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, many executives began accepting one-dollar salaries—often in the case of struggling companies or startups—with the potential for further indirect earnings as the result of stock ownership. Many choose to reduce their salary to avoid income taxes.^[4]