Measuring the Effect of Benefits and Taxes on Income and Poverty: 1989

By U. S. Census Bureau Department

Book Id: WPLBN0000583151
Format Type: PDF eBook:
File Size: 10.08 MB
Reproduction Date: 2005

Title:	Measuring the Effect of Benefits and Taxes on Income and Poverty: 1989
Author:	U. S. Census Bureau Department
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Government publications, Census., Census report
Collections:	Government Library Collection, U.S. Census Bureau Collection
Historic Publication Date:
Publisher:	United States Census Bureau Department


Citation APA MLA Chicago Census Bureau Department, B. U. (n.d.). Measuring the Effect of Benefits and Taxes on Income and Poverty: 1989. Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.cc/

Description
Statistical Reference Document

Excerpt
Excerpt: Traditionally, income and poverty data presented in Census Bureau reports have been based on the amount of money income received during a calendar year before any taxes and excluding capital gains. This definition of income is narrow and does not provide a completely satisfactory measure of the distribution of income. The omission of data on taxes, capital gains, and the value of noncash benefits has an effect on comparisons over time and between population subgroups.

Table of Contents
Contents Page Introduction......................................................................................... 1 Measurement issues............................................................................... 2 Highlights........................................................................................... 3 Distributional effects of benefits and taxes 4 Changes in income by definition: 1987-89. . . . . ... . . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . . .. .. .. ... . .. .. 7 Income characteristics of selected population groups.. . .. .. .. .. .. ... ... ... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. . .. .. 8 Poverty status. .. . . . .. . . . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . ... . . . . . . ... ... . .. . .. .. . .. .. ... . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . ... . .. . 9 User comments. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . ... . . . . . .. .. ... . .. . .. .. . .. .. ... . .. . .. .. . .. . .. ... .. . .. . .. .. 15 TEXT TABLES A. Median, mean, and aggregate household income, by definition of income: 1989..... 5 B. Percentage of aggregate income received by income quintiles and index of income concentration, by definition of income: 1989 5 C. Median household income, by definition: 1987-89........................... 8 D. Median household income, by selected characteristics and definition of income: 1989.... 9 E. Numberand percentage of persons in poverty, by definition of income: 1989, 1988, and 1987. 10 F. Number of persons in poverty, by race, Hispanic origin, and definition of income: 1989....................................................................................... 11 G. Percentage of persons in poverty, by race, Hispanic origin, and definition of income: 1989 :........ 12 H. Percentage of persons in poverty, by age and definition of income: 1989............. 12 I. Percentage of persons in poverty in families with related children under 18 years, by type of family, race, Hispanic origin, and definition of income: 1989 . ... .. . .. . .. .. 13 J. Numberand percentage of persons in poverty, by definition of income: 1989, 1988, and 1987 (poverty thresholds based on CPI-U-X1)..................................... 14 FIGURES 1. Median household income and Gini index, by income definition: 1989................. 6 2. Poverty rates, by definition of income and type of deflator: 1959-89................... 15 DETAILED TABLES 1. Income distribution measures, by definition of income: 1989 . 16 2. Percent of persons in poverty, by definition of income and selected characteristics: 1989....................................................................................... 38 3. Percent of families in poverty, by definition of income and selected characteristics: 1989....................................................................................... 46 4. Percent of unrelated individuals in poverty, by definition of income and selected characteristics: 1989...................................................................... 54 5. Mean income deficit of families in poverty, by definition of income and selected characteristics: 1989...................................................................... 62 iii iv DETAILED TABLES-Continued Page 6. Mean income deficit of unrelated individuals in poverty, by definition of income and selected characteristics: 1989 .. . . .. . . .. . .... . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . ... . .. . .. .. 64 7. Income of householdsfrom specified sources; by poverty status: 1989 .. . . ... . .. . . . .. 66 8. Percent of persons in poverty, by definition of income and selected characteristics: 1989 (povertythresholds based on CPI-U-X1)................... 72 9. Percent of families in poverty, by definition of income and selected characteristics: 1989 (povertythresholds based on CPI-U-X1)........... 80 10. Percent of unrelated individuals in poverty, by definition of income and selected characteristics: 1989 (poverty thresholds based on CPI-U-X1)........................ 88 11. Mean income deficit of families in poverty, .by definition of income and selected characteristics: 1989 (poverty thresholds based on CPI-U-X1)........................ 96 12. Mean income deficit of unrelated individuals in poverty, by definition of income and selected characteristics: 1989 (poverty thresholds based on CPI-U-X1).............. 98 13. Income of householdsfrom specified sources, by poverty status: 1989 (poverty thresholds based on CPI-U-X1) 100 APPENDIXES A. Definitions and Explanations ;...... .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . ... . .. . .. .. 107 B. Description of Methods Used to Value Noncash Benefits.. . .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. . 111 C. Description of Methods Used to EstimateTaxes and Capital Gains................... 115 Introduction.. .. .. . .. . .. .. . . . . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . .. .. . .. .... . ... .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . ... . .. . .. .. 115 Federal income taxes.. . . .. . .. . .. . . .. . . .. .. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .... . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . ... . .. . .. .. 115 State individual income taxes. .. .. . .. . .. . . .. . . ... .. .. . .. . .. .. ... . .. . . . .. . .. . . ... . .. . . . .. 117 Propertytaxes on owner-occupied housing.. . .... . ... .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . ... . .. . .. .. 117 Payroll taxes 117 D. Source and Acccuracy of Estimates :. .. 119 Sources of data.. .. . .. .. .. . . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . ... . .. . .... . ... .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . ... . .. . .. .. 119 Current Population Survey 119 Accuracy of estimates. . . .. . .. ... .. . . . . .. .. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . . .. . .. .. 120 Standard error tables. .. .. . . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . .. .. ... .... . ... .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . ... . .. . .. .. 122 E. Program Descriptions and Data Collection 131 Food stamps 131 School lunches ;. .. . .. . .. . . .. . . ... .... . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . . .. . .. .. .. . . .. . .. .. 131 Public or other subsidized housing .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. ... . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . ... . .. . . . .. 132 Medicaid 132 Medicare 133 F. Underreporting of Cash Income and Noncash Benefits 135 G. U.S. Senate Statement, Data Collection and Poverty Level .. . .. .. . ... .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. 137 H. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Statement on the Use of the CPI-U-X1 138 I. Facsimiles of CPS Questionnaires :..................... 139 Facsimile I. Control Card..... . .. . . .. . . .. .. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . . ... . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. ... . .. . .. .. 139 Facsimile II. CPS-1-Basic Questionnaire 141 Facsimile III. CPS-665-Supplemental Questionnaire 146 APi'ENDIX TABLES A-1. Annual average Consumer Price Index (CPI-U): 1947 to 1989 108 A-2. Weighted average poverty thresholds in 1989 . . .. .... . ... .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . ... . .. . .. .. 108 B-1. Estimates of monthly rent subsidies, by number of bedrooms, region, and income level: 1989................................................................................. 112 B-2.