This combination Real Estate Glossary and Personal Finance Glossary provides definitions of commonly used real estate and personal finance terms. All definitions are listed below, arranged in alphabetical order.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Inception Fees - Inception Fees are the upfront fees that the car dealer will require you to pay, including your first monthly payment, refundable security deposit, Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) fees, and possibly an acquisition fee. You'll have to come up with this cash upfront, even if you're getting a "no money down" lease. If you're paying a down payment, you'll have to add that in as well.
Income Replacement Policy - An Income Replacement Policy is private disability insurance that covers the difference between what you earned prior to the disability and what you now earn doing a different job.
Income Stock - An Income Stock is a company that tends to pay out more of its profits to shareholders (in the form of dividends) and put less toward growth.
Indemnity Plans - Indemnity Plans are a type of health care insurance set up as a fee-for-service plan. You get something done, you pay for it. Typically there are no restrictions on care, and the plan coverage kicks in when you reach a certain deductible. Unlike an HMO, you (or the doctor's office) will also have to bill the insurance company. The nice thing about indemnity plans is that you can see the doctor you choose and seek second opinions or specialists anywhere in the country. On the other hand, it's the most expensive way to go, and not every employer offers this plan.
Index Funds - Index Funds are stock mutual funds designed to mimic the movements of a particular index. For example, a fund trying to mimic the movement of the Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500, will either purchase every stock on the S&P 500 in the same ratio that those stocks appear on the index, or will purchase a representative sample of companies that closely approximate the index. Since index funds rarely change their holdings, they are typically cheap to hold and may do better for investors over the long haul.
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) - An Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is an account to which any individual who earns income may contribute up to $2,000 per year. The contributions are tax-deductible, and the earnings grow tax-free although they may be taxed upon withdrawal.
Initial Public Offering (IPO) - An Initial Public Offering (IPO) occurs when a young company hoping to finance future growth goes public to raise additional funds. Many IPOs rise dramatically the first day of the offering, then settle back down to a more reasonable share price. Some investors try to get in on the ground floor of an IPO and then sell their shares within the first day or week.
Installment Contract for Deed - An Installment Contract for Deed refers to purchasing property in installments. Title to the property is given to the purchaser when all installments are made. For more information take a look at our [Installment Contract for Deed](http://www.thinkglink.com/installment-contract) topic page and the articles we have written on this subject.
Institutional Investors or Lenders - Institutional Investors or Lenders are private or public companies, corporations, or funds (such as pension funds) that purchase loans on the secondary market from commercial lenders such as banks and savings and loans. Or, they are sources of funds for mortgages through mortgage brokers.
Interest - Interest is money charged for the use of borrowed funds. Usually expressed as an interest rate, it is the percentage of the total loan charged annually for the use of the funds.
Interest Rate Cap - An Interest Rate Cap is the total number of percentage points that an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) might rise over the life of the loan.
Interest-Only Mortgage - An Interest-Only Mortgage is a loan in which only the interest is paid on a regular basis (usually monthly), and the principal is owed in full at the end of the loan term.
IRS Penalty - An IRS Penalty is a fine levied by the IRS. You may pay a flat dollar fee or a fee based on an interest charge for unpaid taxes, failure to pay taxes, failure to make estimated tax payments, failure to make federal tax deposits, or filing late.
