This is a 6-digit numeric variable.

Description

SPMCHXPNS_19RYALT records the total child care expenditures reported by members of the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) family unit. The capped value of child care and work expenditures are used in the construction of the SPM and is available in the SPMCAPXPNS_19RYALT.

This variable is an alternative version of SPMCHXPNS that was re-released for the 2020 ASEC which reflects methodological changes first introduced with the 2021 CPS ASEC sample. For more information, see our documentation on the re-release of the 2019 SPM research file in the 2020 ASEC that describes methodological improvements that impact SPM resource and threshold variables. The SPM reference year is the calendar year to which the income, taxes, transfers, expenses, and poverty thresholds apply.

For more information on the child care expenditure measures, see the Census Bureau's " Child Care Costs in the Current Population Survey's Annual Social and Economic Supplement" report.

SPMCHXPNS_19RYALT is expressed in dollars of the survey year; users can adjust for inflation using Consumer Price Index adjustment factors.

Comparability

This variable is comparable over time.

Universe

Flags

Unharmonized Variables