Tulorakenne

Tulorakenne is a Finnish term that refers to the structure of income by source. The concept is used in economic and statistical contexts to describe how household or national income is composed, typically by breaking it down into different categories such as earned income, capital income, and transfers.

Etymology and usage

The word combines tulot, meaning income, with rakenne, meaning structure. In Finnish statistical literature, tulorakenne is used to present data on the share of various income components and how they contribute to total income. The term may appear in national accounts, household surveys, and policy analyses as a way to describe changes in income composition over time or across groups.

Common components

A typical tulorakenne includes palkkatulot (earned income from wages and salaries), pääomatulot (capital income such as dividends and interest), and tulonsiirrot or etuudet (income transfers and social benefits). Depending on the dataset, other components such as pensions or miscellaneous income may be included. The exact definitions can vary by dataset and statistical authority.

Purpose and interpretation

Tulorakenne is used to assess distributional effects of economic policy, tax design, and welfare systems. By examining the share of each income source, researchers can analyze changes in inequality, dependency on transfers, and the impact of shocks on different household groups. Related concepts include income distribution, tax structure, and welfare analysis.

See also

Income distribution, Tax structure, Welfare state.