Median after tax income rose 7% in 2020 to $67,000 per individual

Wonder what causedthe shift. May be because our lovely government keep handing out tax payer money?

Median income isn't the same as "mean" income. "After-tax" income includes gov't supports (transfers).

The link at statscan also explains why this is:

"The increase in after-tax income was larger for lower-income individuals and families and was mainly driven by income support programs put in place to assist Canadians impacted by the COVID-19 economic shutdowns."

and, so on, and so on.

"In response to the economic shutdowns and restrictions put in place to limit the spread of the pandemic, the Government of Canada introduced a number of income supports for individuals and businesses. It is therefore important to consider the 2020 CIS estimates in light of the unprecedented events during the first year of the pandemic."

Some other considerations:

"... but Canadians made 3.3% less than in 2019 if you don’t factor in Covid benefits"
"Median government transfers doubled in 2020 to $16,400, up from $8,200 in 2019 and $7,500 in 2018. "

$67K after tax is like $86K before tax.
If the govt is handing out this kinda money, I'll quit my job in tech.
Until then, use common sense.

cheapshopper wrote: ↑ Wonder what causedthe shift. May be because our lovely government keep handing out tax payer money?

Those numbers don't make sense. Either people lied to stats Canada or they messed up the numbers. Who makes 67K even before taxes? No wonder CPI is only 4%, c'mon stats canada get your sht together.

Piklishi wrote: ↑ Those numbers don't make sense. Either people lied to stats Canada or they messed up the numbers. Who makes 67K even before taxes? No wonder CPI is only 4%, c'mon stats canada get your sht together.

Is it more likely your understanding of median income was flawed, or an organization full of educated professionals "messed up the numbers"?

Piklishi wrote: ↑ Those numbers don't make sense. Either people lied to stats Canada or they messed up the numbers. Who makes 67K even before taxes? No wonder CPI is only 4%, c'mon stats canada get your sht together.

There is a lot of lying on mortgage applications with incomes.

There's no way median income is $32/hour.
Probably 80% of jobs are under $25 if not more.

This is after tax too...what are they smoking.
Maybe 10% of people make that.

Median = middle.
So 50% of the population makes 100k before taxes...

They can't even add up covid numbers how do you expect them to do anything properly.

In 2019 median income was $37k....

This is probably for "families"

This is household income.
Since most households are 10 people these days.
Not so great.

Might want to take a closer look at the first sentence of the link you posted.

The median after-tax income of Canadian families and unattached individuals was $66,800 in 2020, which represented an increase of $4,400 (+7.1%) from the previous year.

So yeah, median income of $67k isn't across all individuals.

MarinersFanatik wrote: ↑ Might want to take a closer look at the first sentence of the link you posted.



So yeah, median income of $67k isn't across all individuals.

I see what they did there. Yes there are very smart people on how to manipulate and interpret things in ways that interests them. Makes more sense now, unattached individuals...wow.

I mean they do have the data for single individuals why mix it and make it hard to understand. Also if a family member in this case got covid help from gov that of course will translate into 4k for each member in a family of 4. Cant wait for 2021 data. I'll be more careful on the wording.

Piklishi wrote: ↑ Those numbers don't make sense. Either people lied to stats Canada or they messed up the numbers. Who makes 67K even before taxes? No wonder CPI is only 4%, c'mon stats canada get your sht together.

The issue is that CERB and those types of benefits fudged numbers for the year. People who were earning $5 or $6 thousand per year were all of a sudden earning $26,000 for the year.

I'd expect to see huge changes when 2022 numbers come out.

What @jeff1970 said. Most of the low-income earners quit and went on CERB, totally distorting the numbers,

Piklishi wrote: ↑ I see what they did there. Yes there are very smart people on how to manipulate and interpret things in ways that interests them. Makes more sense now, unattached individuals...wow.

I mean they do have the data for single individuals why mix it and make it hard to understand. Also if a family member in this case got covid help from gov that of course will translate into 4k for each member in a family of 4. Cant wait for 2021 data. I'll be more careful on the wording.

The 'interest" here is comparing "households" year-over-year in this particular report. That is its one and only purpose. Making it hard to understand for other purposes is a natural outcome of not being intended for other purposes.

Here we have people making unsubstantiated assumptions and gross misinterpretations about the very nature of statistical analysis.

Don't come to RFD for analysis of Statscan reports - "I don't understand - they must be lying and manipulating the data".

robsaw wrote: ↑
Don't come to RFD for analysis of Statscan reports - "I don't understand - they must be lying and manipulating the data".

There are people that have been fed a line that everyone in any position of either authority or competence is lying to them for imaginary nefarious reasons constantly. They don't believe anything based in reality but will gladly spread unsubstatiated crap they consumed on social media instead. It's frustrating.

Yet a certain $100 billion fund want to pay their analyst with 5 years of experience minimum per their job description at range of $55-65k before tax;