discretionary income
noun
: income that is left after paying for things that are essential, such as food and housing
She has enough discretionary income to pay for a nice vacation each year.
Examples of discretionary income in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The result is a smaller discretionary income and, thus, a smaller monthly payment required.
—
Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
However, discretionary income under this plan is calculated at 100% of your state’s poverty guideline.
—Robert Farrington, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
Wealth inequality, rising rent and higher cost of living mean that young people have less discretionary income.
—Kian Bakhtiari, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
In short, the Repayment Assistance Plan uses a sliding scale based on income and provides borrowers with a straightforward and predictable way to estimate their payment based on their income alone, without complex formulas about poverty lines or discretionary income.
—Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discretionary income
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
However, discretionary income under this plan is calculated at 100% of your state’s poverty guideline.
—Robert Farrington, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
Wealth inequality, rising rent and higher cost of living mean that young people have less discretionary income.
—Kian Bakhtiari, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
In short, the Repayment Assistance Plan uses a sliding scale based on income and provides borrowers with a straightforward and predictable way to estimate their payment based on their income alone, without complex formulas about poverty lines or discretionary income.
—Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for discretionary income
Cite this Entry
“Discretionary income.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discretionary%20income. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share