Description

FAMINC reports annual family income, in categories, of all persons related to the head of household/householder. For individuals who are not part of the householder's family, FAMINC reports the value for the householder's family.

This measure includes the income of all members of the household who are 15 years of age or older. Income includes money from jobs; net income from business, farm or rent; pensions; dividends; interest; Social Security payments; and any other monetary income received by family members.

Family income is collected as part of the basic monthly survey. At the end of the monthly labor force survey, respondents are asked to choose the category that represents the total combined income during the past 12 months for all members of the householder's family. The questionnaire says that "This includes money from jobs, net income from business, farm or rent, pensions, dividends, interest, social security payments and any other money income received" by members of the householder's family who are 15 years of age or older. Available categories change over time.

Comparability

Categories change over time. See the codes section for which categories are available at any specific time.

Note that in 1988-2004 ASECs (with the exception of 2000 and 2001), the "less than $5,000" code includes NIU (and potentially Refused and Don't know) households. In the 2000 and 2001 ASECs, there is a separate NIU code which may also include Refused and Don't know households.

The 1977-1987 ASEC Missing code designates non-interview households. The 1989-1993 ASEC Missing code designates cases with a "Value Assigned" code in the original data.

Care must be taken when using the earlier data, especially the basic January 1982-December 1983 and March-February 1988 basic samples. These samples show considerable instability over time in the numbers of cases in specific codes.

Most of the time, this variable comes from the unedited categorical report of family income. The two exceptions are below.

Starting in January 2010, missing income values are allocated. CPS documentation warns that the allocation rate is approximately 20 percent, thus the variable should be used with caution. The flag QFAMINC identifies cases that were allocated.

In addition, in 1989-1993 ASECs, the variable is edited. No other information on the nature of this editing is available in the documentation.

Universe

Flags

Unharmonized Variables

• UH_FAMINCX_B1
• UH_FAMINCX_B2
• UH_FAMINC_B2
• UH_FAMINC_B3
• UH_FMINCR_A2
• UH_HFMINC_A1
• UH_HFMINC_A2
• UH_HFMINC_A3
• UH_HFMINC_A4
• UH_HFMINC_A5
• UH_HFMINC_A6