They count declared income only. The person who has an income of $2 a day and gets benefits totaling $40,000 is listed as having an income of $2 a day. Food stamps, rent subsidies, free phones, don’t count. The person is still called “poor.”
The person with a salary of $45,000 is listed as having an income of $45,000. Federal and state taxes take 20,000, but he is listed as having an income of $45,000. So, he has less money than the lazy slob, but gets free everything.
Yep. That is exactly how the game works.