Einkommens

Einkommens is the genitive-bound morpheme used in German compounds to refer to income. In economic discourse the German noun Einkommen means the money and other resources a person or household receives over a period, usually a year. The form Einkommens appears in compounds such as Einkommensverteilung (income distribution) and Einkommensungleichheit (income inequality).

Income sources can be grouped into labor income (wages, salaries), capital income (interest, dividends, rents), and mixed income from self-employment. Government transfers, such as pensions, unemployment benefits, and social security, are often included in measures of disposable income, which is income after taxes and transfers. Different datasets may present market income (before transfers) and disposable income (after transfers) for analysis.

Measurement and data considerations rely on national accounts and household surveys. Market income excludes transfers; disposable income adds them and subtracts taxes. Equivalized income adjusts for household size and composition to enable fair comparisons. Common indicators include mean and median income, poverty thresholds, and the Gini coefficient, a widely used measure of inequality.

Income distribution is a central focus in studies of living standards, poverty, and the effects of public policy. Policymakers examine how tax systems, transfers, and social programs influence disposable income and inequality. Cross-country comparisons rely on harmonized data and account for differences in labor markets, welfare state generosity, and taxation.

Limitations include the treatment of non-monetary benefits, such as imputed rent for owner-occupied housing, and the exclusion or underreporting of informal or undeclared income. The term Einkommens emphasizes the flow of resources over time, rather than the stock of wealth.