Investment income (property income in the System of National Accounts (SNA)) covers income derived from a resident entity's ownership of foreign assets.
The most common types of investment income are income on equity (dividends) and income on debt (interest).
Dividends, including stock dividends, are the distribution of earning allocated to shares and other forms of participation in the equity of incorporated private enterprises, cooperatives, and public corporations. Dividends represents income that is payable without a binding agreement between the creditor and the debtor.
The components of investment income are classified as direct investment income, portfolio investment, and other investment income.