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User Note Regarding Real Estate, Dependent Care, and Vehicles Topical Module

Statement of Problem:

In the Real Estate, Dependent Care, and Vehicles topical module of the 1996, 2001, 2004, and 2008 SIPP panels (waves 3, 6, and 9 in the 1996 and 2001 panels; waves 3 and 6 in the 2004 panel; and waves 4 and 7 of the 2008 panel), the secured debt recode (THHSCDBT) and total household debt recode (THHDEBT) items are incorrectly calculated for anyone reporting any amount for principal owed on a mobile home (TMHPR). In Wave 7 of the 2008 Panel, this affects 1.38 percent of all households.

An editing inconsistency has excluded TMHPR from the calculation of THHSCBT (and thus THHDEBT where THHDEBT is the sum of the secured debt recode and the unsecured debt recode, or THHDEBT=THHSCDBT+THHUSCBT). Therefore, any user wishing to make calculations using variables THHSCBT and THHDEBT should add TMHPR to THHSCBT and THHDEBT for corrected results.

Please note that this does not affect the calculation of total household wealth (THHTWLTH) and total household net worth (THHTNW), which are calculated based on equity held in different assets, and therefore properly include principal owed on a mobile home.

Resolution of Problem:

Any user wishing to make calculations using variables THHSCBT and THHDEBT should add TMHPR to THHSCBT and THHDEBT for corrected results.


This problem was fixed for Wave 10 of the 2008 Panel.


If you have additional questions, please contact the Labor Force Statistics Branch at (301) 763-3230.

Page Last Revised - October 8, 2021
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