Codes

This variable is not available for any of the currently selected samples.

Description

GOTRENT indicates whether the respondent received income from rent and/or royalties during the preceding calendar year.

For 1966-1967, the amount of rental income was combined with all other sources of unearned income in the INCUNERN variable. GOTRENT in these samples simply identifies those who received rental income. Of people who are coded as receiving rental income in GOTRENT in these samples, some (less than 15%) do not have unearned income in INCUNERN. Users should exercise caution when analyzing these cases.

For 1976-1987, the amount of net rental income and income from royalties was combined with income from dividends, estates, and trusts in the INCDRT variable. If respondents did not receive income from dividends during the previous calendar year (i.e., they have a code of 1 in GOTDIVID), they did not receive income from estates and trusts during the previous calendar year (i.e., they have a code of 1 in GOTESTAT), and they did receive income from rent and/or royalties during the previous calendar year (i.e., they have a code of 2 in GOTRENT), then the dollar amount in INCDRT for 1976-1987 should indicate the amount of income specifically from rent and royalties. If individuals received income from dividends or estates and trusts in addition to receiving income from rent and royalties, then the amount of income specifically from rent and royalties cannot be identified. Even in this case, however, researchers can use GOTRENT to analyze the characteristics of the recipients of income from royalties and rent.

Comparability

There were considerable shifts in the question wording over time. For 1976-1979, the question was, "Last year, did [this person] receive any money from net rental income or royalties?" Beginning in 1980, the question included more detail about what should and should not be counted as net rental income. Specifically, the interviewer asked whether the individual owned "any houses, apartments, business property or land which was rented to others" and received "income from royalties or from roomers and boarders." In 1980, amounts paid by the respondent's own children were specifically excluded; beginning in 1981, the exclusion was broadened to amounts paid by "relatives."

Beginning in 1988, the amount of income from rent and royalties is summed with income from estates and trusts in INCRENT. Combining the recipients of rent and royalties income with the recipients of income from estates and trusts for 1976-1987 produces a universe comparable to persons with positive values in INCRENT for 1988-2004. More specifically, persons with income in INCRENT (i.e., those with values between 1 and 99998) for 1988-2004 can be compared to persons with a yes response (code 2) in GOTRENT and/or GOTESTAT for 1976-1987.

The original public use data files for the ASEC CPS for 1969-1975 included a variable on receipt of net rental income, but the results are not reliable. In the 1969-1975 files, many persons coded as yes for GOTRENT do not have reported income in INCIDR, which included income from rents and royalties.

Universe

Flags

Unharmonized Variables

• UH_DUNERN_A2
• UH_INCS04_A2