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- About
Income and Income Sources
Factor: Economic Success
Age: Teen, Adult
Duration: 3-5 minutes
Reading Level: 6th-8th grade
What
These 28 items can be used to assess the cash income received by a household along with the source of that income, such as earnings, child support, or public assistance. Information on the cash value of near-cash, in-kind benefits — such as food stamps (SNAP) — can also be ascertained. The number of items used varies based on number of household members with each type of income.
Who
The people in a household.
How
INSTRUCTIONS
These questions are administered by interviewer.
RESPONSE FORMAT
These questions are administered verbally by an interviewer. The questions have different answer formats and can be used individually.
Gross Income Estimate
Family Income
1. Which category represents the total combined income of all members of this FAMILY during the past 12 months? 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 this family who are 15 years of age or older?
Income by Source
Earned Income
2. How much did [name/you] earn from this employer before taxes and other deductions during [year]?
Ask only if the respondent “Doesn’t know” or ‘Refused”:
3. Could you tell me if [name/you] earned:
[ … response options … ]
… for the TOTAL yearly amount from this employer before taxes and other deductions during [year]?
4. Did [name/you] earn less than $15,000 between $15,000 and $30,000 or over $30,000 from this employer during [year]?
5. Is this a weekly, every other week, twice a month, monthly, or yearly amount?
6. For how many [weekly/every other week/twice a month/monthly] pay periods did [name/you] earn (fill from [above]) from this employer in [year]?
7. According to my calculations [name/you] earned (total) altogether from this employer in [year] before deductions. Does that sound about right?
8. Does this amount include all tips, bonuses, overtime pay, or commissions [name/you] may have received from this employer in [year]?
9. How much did [name/you] earn in tips, bonuses, overtime pay, or commissions from this employer in [year]?
Child Support (Source)
10. During [year] did [you/ anyone in this household] receive any child support payments?
Read only if necessary:
11. Who received these payments?
12. What is the easiest way for you to tell us [name’s/your] child support payments; weekly, every other week, twice a month, monthly, or yearly?
13. How much did [name/you] receive (weekly/ every other week/ twice a month/monthly) in child support payments in [year]?
Regular Financial Assistance
14. Any regular financial assistance from friends or relatives not living in this household? (Do not include loans)
Read only if necessary:
15. Who received this assistance?
16. What is the easiest way for you to tell us [name’s/you] regular financial assistance; weekly, every other week, twice a month, monthly, or yearly?
17. How much did [name/you] receive (weekly/every other week/twice a month/monthly) in regular financial assistance in [year]?
Public Assistance
(Ask about type/source. For each type/source, ask amount)
18. At any time during [year], even for one month, did [you/ anyone in this household] receive any FINANCIAL assistance from the following sources?
For all sources that apply, ask:
19. What is the easiest way for you to tell us about the assistance payments [you/your family members]; weekly, every other week, twice a month, monthly, or yearly?
20. During [year], how much FINANCIAL assistance did [name’s/your] receive (per week/every other week/twice a month/monthly)? [include amounts received on electronic benefit cards and vouchers]
Social Security, Disability, and Veterans Benefits
21. Ask about type/source; then for each type/source ask amount
At any time during [year], even for one month, did [you/ anyone in this household] receive any FINANCIAL assistance from the following sources?
22. For all sources that apply, ask: What is the easiest way for you to tell us about the assistance payments [you/your family members]; weekly, every other week, twice a month, monthly, or yearly?
23. During [year], how much FINANCIAL assistance did [name’s/your] receive (per week/every other week/twice a month/monthly)? [include amounts received on electronic benefit cards and vouchers]
Other Money Income
24. During [year], did [you/ anyone in this household] receive cash income not already covered such as: income from foster child care, alimony, jury duty, armed forces reserves, severance pay, hobbies, or any other source?
Ask only if necessary:
Who received this income?
What was the source of this income?
What is the easiest way for you to tell us [name’s/your] income from [source]; weekly, every other week, twice a month, monthly, or yearly?
25. How much did [name/you] receive (weekly/every other week/twice a month/monthly) in income from [source] during [year]?
26. According to my calculations [name/you] earned (total) altogether from this employer in [year] before deductions. Does that sound about right?
27. Does this amount include all tips, bonuses, overtime pay, or commissions [name/you] may have received from this employer in [year]?
28. How much did [name/you] earn in tips, bonuses, overtime pay, or commissions from this employer in [year]?
Why It Matters
The most fundamental marker of economic success is how much money a person makes, conventionally measured as income.
HEADS UP
Information gathered over shorter recall periods (last month vs. last year) tends to be more accurate. Public-assistance income tends to be underreported in surveys. Irregular sources of income (one-time or occasional payments) may be underreported. Responses given by one household member about the income of another member is more error-prone than self-reported information.
SEE ALSO
References
Adapted and shortened for families living on a low income:
U.S. Census Bureau (2015). Current Population Survey Interviewing Manual. Retrieved from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/cps/methodology/intman/CPS_Manual_April2015.pdf.
U.S. Census (2017). 2016 Current Population Survey 2017 Annual Social and Economic (ASEC) Supplement Survey. Retrieved from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/cps/techdocs/cpsmar17.pdf.
For more information on the Current Population Survey see: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/cps/about.html
