Declines in average income were greatest in the wealthiest 10% families and for groups with more education, the survey showed. The housing slump and financial crisis also boosted the dependence on wages as a percentile of net worth for the wealthiest 10%.
The top 10% by wealth got 55.8% of their pretax family income from wages in 2010, up from 46.2% in 2007, the survey found. The portion earned from capital gains plunged to 2.3% from 14.4%.
Debt as a share of family assets rose to 16.4% from 14.8% as asset values declined, the Fed said. All dollar figures are expressed in 2010 dollars.