The money one makes is not necessarily the money one takes home. this income represents your salary before taxes are taken out of it

This is true indeed. While you make a certain amount of money, of that money, there will be a certain percentage that will go towards taxes for your states, for health insurance and other possible monthly expenses you also have. All of these expenses have to be deducted from the total amount of money you're making. What you're left with is the actual amount of money you're bringing home.