Comprehensive definitions of common financial terms, loan concepts, and investment terminology. Free reference for borrowers, investors, and financial planning.
Learn what amortization means in finance. Understand loan amortization schedules, how payments are applied to principal and interest, and see examples.
Learn what an amortization schedule is and how to read it. Understand loan amortization tables, principal vs. interest payments, and see examples.
Learn what Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is and how it differs from interest rate. Understand APR calculation, fees included, and see examples.
Learn what APR (Annual Percentage Rate) means in finance. Understand the APR formula, how it differs from interest rate, and see examples for loans and credit cards.
Learn what a balloon payment is and how it works in loans. Understand balloon mortgages, risks, and see examples of balloon loan structures.
Learn what collateral is in lending and how it works. Understand secured vs. unsecured loans, types of collateral, and see examples.
Learn what compound interest is and how it works. Understand the compound interest formula, how it differs from simple interest, and see examples for savings and loans.
Learn what a credit score is, how it ranges from 300-850, and what affects your credit rating. Understand FICO scores, VantageScore, and how to improve your credit.
Learn what debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is and how lenders use it. Understand the DTI formula, what counts as debt, and see examples for mortgage approval.
Learn what default means in finance and lending. Understand loan default, credit consequences, and see examples of how to avoid default.
Learn what depreciation is in finance and accounting. Understand how assets lose value over time, depreciation methods, and see examples for cars and real estate.
Learn what dividends are and how they work. Understand dividend yield, types of dividends, and see examples for stock investing and passive income.
Learn what a down payment is for homes and cars. Understand how down payments affect loans, PMI, and see examples of different down payment amounts.
Learn what equity means in finance and real estate. Understand home equity, shareholder equity, and how to calculate your equity position.
Learn what escrow is and how it works in real estate and mortgages. Understand escrow accounts, how they protect buyers and sellers, and see examples.
Learn what foreclosure is and how the process works. Understand the stages of foreclosure, how it affects credit, and what options homeowners have to avoid it.
Learn what gross income is and how it differs from net income. Understand gross income for individuals vs. businesses, and see examples for salary and taxes.
Learn what inflation is and how it affects purchasing power. Understand inflation rates, CPI, and see examples of how inflation impacts savings and investments.
Learn what interest rates are and how they work. Understand simple vs. compound interest, fixed vs. variable rates, and see calculation examples.
Learn what a lien is and how it affects property. Understand different types of liens, how they work in real estate, and see examples.
Learn what liquidity is in finance. Understand liquid assets, liquidity ratios, and see examples of how liquidity affects financial decisions.
Learn what net income is and how it differs from gross income. Understand take-home pay, net income for businesses, and see examples.
Learn what net worth is and how to calculate it. Understand assets vs. liabilities, net worth calculation, and see examples for individuals.
Learn what PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance) is, how much it costs, when it is required, and how to avoid paying PMI on your mortgage.
Learn what principal means in finance. Understand loan principal, how principal payments work, and the difference between principal and interest.
Learn what principal balance is and how it differs from total loan amount. Understand how principal balance decreases with payments and see examples.
Learn what qualifying ratio is and how lenders use it. Understand front-end and back-end ratios, how they affect mortgage approval, and see examples.
Learn what a rate lock is and how it protects borrowers. Understand mortgage rate locks, lock periods, and see examples.
Learn what refinancing is and when it makes sense. Understand mortgage refinancing, refinance costs, and see examples of when to refinance your loan.
Learn what a loan term is and how it affects payments. Understand different loan term lengths, short vs. long terms, and see examples.
Learn what yield is in finance. Understand dividend yield, bond yield, yield to maturity, and see examples for calculating investment returns.