被动收入是一种只要付出一点努力进行维护，就能定期获得的收入。

美国国税局把收入划分为三种类型，分别是主动收入（即劳动收入），被动收入，和组合收入。它把被动收入定义为“你没有重大参与贸易或商业活动”而获得的收入。其它金融机构和政府机构也认识到，被动收入作为一种获得的收入，是资本增长的结果，或跟负扣税机制有关。被动收入通常属于应税收入。

这里有一些被动收入的例子：

美国国税局对被动收入有具体的定义，和上面列出的并不完全吻合。比如版税，根据服务指南，通常认为不具备被动性质。另外，利息、分红、股票和债券的收益、彩票中奖奖金、工资、劳务报酬、佣金、退休收入、保证金等，都认为是非被动收入。

Passive income is an income received on a regular basis, with little effort required to maintain it.

The American Internal Revenue Service categorizes income into three broad types, active income, passive income, and portfolio income. It defines passive income as only coming from two sources: rental activity or "trade or business activities in which you do not materially participate." Other financial and government institutions also recognize it as an income obtained as a result of capital growth or in relation to negative gearing. Passive income is usually taxable.