October 1, 1992
Value of Typical American Family's 1992 Income Eroded by Taxes and Inflation
Special Report No. 10
Executive Summary
The value of the typical American family’s earnings is succumbing to weak income growth, inflation, and accelerating taxes. Just since 1991, the typical family is $214 dollars poorer. Defined as a household with two earners employed fulltime, year-round and two dependent children, the typical family has lost purchasing power every year since 1989, for a 4-year loss of $1,444.
The two-earner family that made $33,492 back in 1982 is now earning an estimated $53,984. However, when federal taxes, state and local taxes, and inflation are taken into account, the sizable $20,492 increase in this family’s income results in a real gain of only $4,021. In other words, over 80 percent of the family’s income growth has been eroded by taxes and inflation. The principal reason for this decline in the family's well-being has been weak income growth as fallout of the prolonged recession that started in July of 1990. Before taxes and inflation, the median family examined here managed to increase its income an average of only 3.3 percent annually over the past four years.
Attached Files
- Special Report No. 10, PDF, 514.3 KB
by Paul G. Merski
