Glossary
Mortgage, Explained Simply
A mortgage is the loan that buys the house, and the interest is the real price.
Glossary
Glossary
Debt-to-Income Ratio, Explained Simply
The one number lenders use to decide if you can handle more debt.
Glossary
Balance Transfer, Explained Simply
Move high-interest debt somewhere cheaper and pay it off faster, if you beat the clock.
Glossary
Cosigner, Explained Simply
A cosigner is a co-borrower, not a cheerleader, and fully on the hook if things go south.
Glossary
Secured vs Unsecured Debt, Explained Simply
One kind can cost you your car or house, the other cannot. Know the difference.
Glossary
Credit Limit, Explained Simply
The ceiling on what you can borrow, and why staying well below it lifts your score.
Glossary
Compound Interest, Explained Simply
Compound interest is when your money earns money, and that growth starts earning too, so savings snowball faster and faster over time.
Glossary
Employer Match, Explained Simply
An employer match is free money your job adds to your retirement account when you contribute your own, and skipping it means turning down a raise.
Glossary
Traditional IRA, Explained Simply
A Traditional IRA can lower your taxes the year you contribute, grows untouched for years, and gets taxed later when you take the money out.
Glossary
Roth IRA, Explained Simply
A Roth IRA lets you save money you have already paid taxes on, then grow it and pull it out completely tax-free in retirement.
Glossary
401(k), Explained Simply
A 401(k) is a retirement account you get through your job that saves money straight from your paycheck, cuts your taxes, and often comes with free employer money attached.
Glossary
Capital Gains, Explained Simply
The profit when you sell for more than you paid.