1968 - 2009: 9999999 = NIU (Not in universe)

Description

SPMFTOTVAL reports total cash income for the family and is used in the construction of the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM). This variable is measured at the level of the SPM family unit.

SPM variables prior to 2010 are created by Columbia University's Center on Poverty and Social Research. Details about the methodology used by CPSP to construct the Historical SPM are described in the Historical SPM user note.

Amounts for SPMFTOTVAL are expressed in dollars of the given year, rather than in constant dollars adjusted for inflation. Users can adjust for inflation using Consumer Price Index adjustment factors.

For more information on calculation of the SPM, see the Census Bureau's "The Research Supplemental Poverty Measure" report.

Comparability

Prior to 2010, SPM variables are constructed by CPSP using data from the CPS ASEC and other sources to calculate household resources and poverty thresholds. These variables are created using the best possible data available, but some must be imputed due to incomplete data coverage (particularly in the earliest years of the Historical SPM). Users are encouraged to read the Historical SPM documentation for information about CPSP's methodology and use caution when comparing pre- and post-2010 values.

Aside from the effects of inflation, SPMFTOTVAL is comparable across years from 2010 to 2018.

In 2019, the Census Bureau implemented a new processing system to accommodate survey changes. These changes affect income and relationship variables, making poverty measurements before and after 2019 incomparable. For more information on this overhaul, see our guide to the 2019 ASEC updates.

Universe

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Unharmonized Variables