What is the IPUMS equivalent to PEARNVAL?

CPS
1

The Census Bureau uses PEARNVAL when calculating a unit’s capped work and child care expenses (when calculating the Supplemental Poverty Measur). PEARNVAL is the total of wages and salary income, self-employment income, and farm income. I’m doing an analysis using IPUMS SPM variables and just wanted to confirm that I’m using the equivalent variables. Is it incwage, incbus, and incfarm, respectively?

Thanks!

2

Yes, you are correct. INCWAGE represents wage and salary income. INCBUS represents non-farm business income. And INCFARMrepresents farm income. The sum of these should equal PEARNVAL. All other income variables represent “unearned” income sources.