SPMEQSCALE_19RYALT is a 6-digit floating point variable.

Description

SPMEQSCALE_19RYALT is the equivalence scale used to adjust the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) threshold to reflect the needs of the SPM family unit, based on the number of adults and children in the family. For two-adult, two-child families, SPMEQSCALE_19RYALT is set to 1.

This variable is an alternative version of SPMEQSCALE 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 calculation of the SPM equivalence scale, see the Census Bureau's "The Research Supplemental Poverty Measure" report.

Comparability

This variable is comparable over time.

Universe

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Unharmonized Variables