Survey results show that levels of income are strongly related to life-cycle stages, such as early youth, and the formation, maturation and dissolution of nuclear families. As young people enter into relationships their income rises as they often have two income earners contributing to their family income. The birth of children and the early years of child rearing are associated with reduced labour force participation of parents.
Income rises again as the children grow older.
For one-parent families the average weekly income increased with the age of the parent. As parents age and children become independent, income again declines, in particular in the pre-retirement and retirement years.