Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
National income accounting involves several closely related income aggregates, including National Income (NI), Personal Income (PI), and Personal Disposable Income (PDI).
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us distinguish between the different aggregates:
- Personal Income (PI): This is the total income actually received by individuals or households from all sources (including wages, salaries, transfer payments, and interest) before personal income taxes are deducted. (Option A)
- Personal Disposable Income (PDI): This is the actual amount available for spending or saving after individuals pay their personal taxes to the government. (Option B)
Therefore, Personal Income represents the total income received by the household sector.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The definition of personal income is the amount received by the household sector, corresponding to Option (A).