Benjamin Kochman
The data on this page comes from a financial disclosure filed by Benjamin Kochman, who was picked to be: Deputy Administrator (Acting Administrator), Department of Transportation. It is part of a collection of thousands of ethics documents ProPublica has been collecting from across the Trump administration.
Roles Outside Government
Officials are required to disclose paid or unpaid positions they hold or recently held outside the federal government, including roles as officer, director, trustee or employee. (Form 278e, Part 1)
| Organization | Position held | Endnote | Line No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interstate Natural Gas Association of America | Director of Pipeline Safety Policy, 3/2021 - 1/2025 | 1 |
Employment Assets
Officials are required to disclose assets associated with their employment, including salary, retirement accounts, stocks, intellectual property and awards or prizes. (Form 278e, Part 2)
Employment Agreements
Officials are required to disclose agreements relating to other jobs, including what will happen with any small businesses they own during government service and any continued health care coverage, planned leaves of absence, severance or bonuses. (Form 278e, Part 3)
| Organization | Agreement | Endnote | Line No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interstate Natural Gas Association of America | I will receive one final payout from this employer on January 31, 2025. It will encompass my standard yearly bonus and accrued annual leave. (2025-01-01) | 1 |
Compensation
Officials are required to disclose the sources of any compensation above $5,000 in a year. (Form 278e, Part 4)
| Organization | Description | Endnote | Line No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interstate Natural Gas Association of America | Services as Director of Pipeline Safety Policy | 1 |
Spouse’s Assets
Officials are required to disclose their spouse’s assets, including salary and retirement accounts worth more than $1,000. (Form 278e, Part 5)
| Description | Value | Income | Income Type | Endnote | Line No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M Medical Group (Healthcare) | Independent Contractor 1099 | 1 | |||
| Medical Faculty Associates 403(B) | 2 | ||||
| American Century One Choice 2050 Portfolio Investor Class Shares (ARFVX) | $1,001 - $15,000 | None (or less than $201) | 2.1 | ||
| Fidelity Growth Company Fund (FDGRX) | $1,001 - $15,000 | None (or less than $201) | 2.2 | ||
| Fidelity Extended Market Index Fund (FSMAX) | $15,001 - $50,000 | None (or less than $201) | 2.3 | ||
| Fidelity International Index Fund (FSPSX) | $15,001 - $50,000 | None (or less than $201) | 2.4 | ||
| FIDELITY 500 INDEX FUND (FXAIX) | $100K - $250K | None (or less than $201) | 2.5 | ||
| Rollover IRA | 3 | ||||
| Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) | $1,001 - $15,000 | None (or less than $201) | 3.1 | ||
| Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF Class Shares (VTI) | $15,001 - $50,000 | None (or less than $201) | 3.2 | ||
| Residential real estate, Arlington, VA | $500K - $1M | $50,001 - $100K | Rent or Royalties | 4 |
Other Assets and Income
Officials are required to disclose other assets and sources of investment income belonging to them, their spouse or their dependent children. These include annuities, bonds, cash, college savings plans, farms, precious metals, real estate, stocks, trusts and wills. (Form 278e, Part 6)
| Description | Value | Income | Income Type | Endnote | Line No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia 529 1 | 1 | ||||
| ESG Core Equity | $15,001 - $50,000 | None (or less than $201) | 1.1 | ||
| Virginia 529 2 | 2 | ||||
| 2042 Portfolio (Ages 0-3) | $1,001 - $15,000 | None (or less than $201) | 2.1 | ||
| Virginia 529 3 | 3 | ||||
| Active Aggressive | $1,001 - $15,000 | None (or less than $201) | 3.1 | ||
| Virginia 529 4 | 4 | ||||
| 2042 Portfolio (Ages 0-3) | $1,001 - $15,000 | None (or less than $201) | 4.1 | ||
| U.S. Bank #1 (Cash) | $15,001 - $50,000 | None (or less than $201) | 5 | ||
| U.S. Bank #2 (Cash) | $15,001 - $50,000 | None (or less than $201) | 6 | ||
| U.S. Bank #3 (Cash) | $15,001 - $50,000 | None (or less than $201) | 7 | ||
| Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIAX) | $50,001 - $100K | None (or less than $201) | 8 | ||
| Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund ETF Shares (VB) | $15,001 - $50,000 | None (or less than $201) | 9 | ||
| Vanguard Mid-Cap Index Fund ETF Shares (VO) | $15,001 - $50,000 | None (or less than $201) | 10 | ||
| Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) | $50,001 - $100K | None (or less than $201) | 11 | ||
| SPDR S&P 500 ETF TRUST (SPY) | $100K - $250K | None (or less than $201) | 12 |
Liabilities
Officials are required to disclose their liabilities totaling more than $10,000, as well as any linked to their spouse or dependent children. These include mortgages, credit card debt and student loans. The interest rates and loan repayment terms are also required. (Form 278e, Part 8)
| Creditor | Description | Endnote | Line No. |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Department of Education | type: Student Loan, amount: $10,001 - $15,000, year-incurred: 2012, rate: 7.65%, term: 31 months | 1 | |
| US Department of Education | type: Student Loan, amount: $50,001 - $100,000, year-incurred: 2012, rate: 6.55%, term: 31 months | 2 | |
| US Department of Education | type: Student Loan, amount: $15,001 - $50,000, year-incurred: 2015, rate: 5.96%, term: 31 months | 3 | |
| US Department of Education | type: Student Loan, amount: $15,001 - $50,000, year-incurred: 2015, rate: 6.96%, term: 31 months | 4 | |
| US Department of Education | type: Student Loan, amount: $50,001 - $100,000, year-incurred: 2014, rate: 5.16%, term: 31 months | 5 | |
| US Department of Education | type: Student Loan, amount: $15,001 - $50,000, year-incurred: 2014, rate: 6.16%, term: 31 months | 6 | |
| US Department of Education | type: Student Loan, amount: $50,001 - $100,000, year-incurred: 2013, rate: 5.16%, term: 31 months | 7 | |
| US Department of Education | type: Student Loan, amount: $15,001 - $50,000, year-incurred: 2013, rate: 6.16%, term: 31 months | 8 | |
| FirstMark Services | type: Student Loan, amount: $15,001 - $50,000, year-incurred: 2005, rate: 9% Variable, term: 118 months | 9 | |
| Keybank | type: Mortgage (investment/rent al property), amount: $250,001 - $500,000, year-incurred: 2021, rate: 2.0%, term: 30 years | 10 |
About the Data
Most political appointees and senior officials in the executive branch are required by law to file public financial disclosure reports. These are documents that detail their financial holdings, positions they hold outside government, their spouse’s holdings, their liabilities and their recent financial transactions (such as buying or selling stock) during a defined reporting period.
The most senior officials file their disclosures with an agency called the Office of Government Ethics, and others file them with a designated ethics official within their agency. The Ethics in Government Act allows members of the public and the press to request these documents.
We’re publishing this information to give the public an important glimpse into the financial ties of a powerful and often hidden cadre of presidential appointees within the federal bureaucracy.
The main document type included in the database is the OGE Form 278e, which appointees must file when they are nominated (for Senate-confirmed appointees) or when they enter government (all others), and then annually while in the position. Another common document included is the OGE Form 278-T, also known as a periodic transaction report, which all public filers must submit within 30 days of a transaction. We are also making other ethics documents available, such as ethics agreements, certificates of divestiture and other documents we have obtained under the Ethics in Government Act.
