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Britannica Money
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Understanding the 3 types of income: Earned, investment, and passive

A trio of ways to make money.
Written byColin Dodds
Colin Dodds
Colin Dodds is a writer, editor and filmmaker who has worked with some of the biggest companies in media, technology and finance including Morgan Stanley, Charles Schwab and Bank of America.
Fact-checked byNancy Ashburn
Nancy Ashburn
As a 30+ year member of the AICPA, Nancy has experienced all facets of finance, including tax, auditing, payroll, plan benefits, and small business accounting. Her résumé includes years at KPMG International and McDonald’s Corporation. She now runs her own accounting business, serving several small clients in industries ranging from law and education to the arts.
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Table of Contents
Read More
A very thrifty person squeezes toothpaste from the tube onto a toothbrush using a vise.
The paradox of thrift: Understanding economic behavior in recessions
Young couple looking at family finance papers
Breaking the taboo: Why you need to talk money with your partner
Hotel clerk with several extra hands taking credit card from customer.
FTC junk fees rule: Shining the light on hidden costs
Three dollar signs displayed on white pedestals with a white background. The center dollar sign is bright green and bolder in style, while the two on either side are black and more traditional in appearance.
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The three pillars of income: earned, investment, and passive.
Photo illustration Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc

What is income? On the surface, the answer is simple: Income is any money you receive. And it’s essential to your financial well-being, from paying your bills to funding your goals to building your retirement nest egg.

Even with substantial assets, your savings can shrink over time if you don’t have income to offset your expenses.

Key Points

  • Earned income includes wages, salary, tips, and commissions.
  • Investment income comes from selling something for more than you paid for it.
  • Passive income is generated from something you own, without having to sell it.

Income may bring to mind a paycheck, but there are many other ways money can flow into your life:

Just as there are different types of income, there are different ways to categorize it. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) broadly categorizes the money individuals make as either income or capital gains. But other systems use more detailed breakdowns, sometimes separating income into six or more categories.

Income can take many forms, but it often falls into three broad categories: earned, investment, and passive.

1. Earned income

Money you receive from work, typically paid in the form of a paycheck.

Common sources

  • Salary and wages: Fixed or hourly compensation from an employer for work performed
  • Tips and commissions: Variable income based on sales or service
  • Bonuses: Extra pay tied to performance or company milestones
  • Self-employment income: Earnings from running your own business or working as an independent contractor

Characteristics

2. Investment income

Money earned from selling an asset for more than you paid to acquire it.

Common sources

  • Stocks: Profits from selling shares at a higher price than you paid
  • Real estate: Gains from selling property, whether residential, rental, or commercial
  • Collectibles: Sale of valuable items such as art, coins, or baseball cards
  • Stock options: Compensation that becomes investment income once exercised and sold
  • Businesses: Profit from selling a company or ownership stake

Characteristics

  • Includes profits from assets sold for a gain
  • Sometimes difficult to distinguish from earned income, especially when compensation involves equity, such as stock options
  • Usually taxed as capital gains, with typically lower rates than earned income (20% versus 37% top rate for 2024)
  • Applicable to unusual items like comic books or artwork when sold at a profit

3. Passive income

Money earned from assets you own that generate recurring payments without being sold.

Common sources

  • Interest: Payments from bonds, savings accounts, or other fixed-income investments
  • Dividends: Distributions from stocks you own, paid out by companies
  • Rental income: Payments received from tenants using property you own
  • Royalties: Income from intellectual property, such as books, music, or patents

Characteristics

  • Taxed as personal income and added to your total earnings at tax time
  • Can play a key role in retirement or long-term wealth building
  • Shifts to investment income if you eventually sell the asset that’s generating the payments
  • Generates ongoing income with limited involvement, depending on the asset; dividends or royalties typically require less upkeep than rental properties

The bottom line

Each type of income plays a different role at various stages of your financial life. When you’re starting your career, earned income covers daily expenses and helps you begin building wealth. Over time, investment and passive income can provide additional stability and support long-term goals such as retirement. Understanding how these income types work—and how they’re taxed—can help you make more informed financial decisions.

References