Tenants by entirety (TBE) is a method in some states by which married couples can hold the title to a property. In order for one spouse to modify his or her interest in the property in any way, the consent of both spouses is required by tenants by entirety. It also provides that when one spouse passes away the surviving spouse gains full ownership of the property.
Margin debt is debt a brokerage customer takes on by trading on margin. When purchasing securities through a broker, investors have the option of using a cash account and covering the entire cost of the investment themselves, or using a margin account—meaning they borrow part of the initial capital from their broker. The portion the investors borrow is known as margin debt, while the portion they fund themselves is the margin, or equity.
Wire fraud is a crime in which a person concocts a scheme to defraud or obtain money based on false representation or promises. This criminal act is achieved using analog or digital electronic communications or an interstate communications facility. These can include a phone call, a fax, an email, a text, or social media messaging, among many other forms. Wire fraud is punishable by prison and/or fines.
Dollar-cost averaging (DCA) is an investment strategy in which an investor divides up the total amount to be invested across periodic purchases of a target asset in an effort to reduce the impact of volatility on the overall purchase. The purchases occur regardless of the asset’s price and at regular intervals; in effect, this strategy removes much of the detailed work of attempting to time the market in order to make purchases of equities at the best prices. Dollar-cost averaging is also known as the constant dollar plan.
Land value is the value of a piece of property including both the value of the land itself as well as any improvements that have been made to it. This is not to be confused with site value, which is the reasonable value of the land assuming that there are no leases, mortgages or anything else present that would otherwise change the site’s value. Land values increase when demand for land exceeds the supply of available land or if a particular piece of land has intrinsic value greater than neighboring areas (e.g., oil can be found on the land).
Commercialization is the process of bringing new products or services to market. The broader act of commercialization entails production, distribution, marketing, sales, customer support, and other key functions critical to achieving the commercial success of the new product or service.
The asset coverage ratio is a financial metric that measures how well a company can repay its debts by selling or liquidating its assets. The asset coverage ratio is important because it helps lenders, investors, and analysts measure the financial solvency of a company. Banks and creditors often look for a minimum asset coverage ratio before lending money.
A variable annuity is a type of annuity contract, the value of which can vary based on the performance of an underlying portfolio of mutual funds. Variable annuities differ from fixed annuities, which provide a specific and guaranteed return.
Net realizable value (NRV) is the value of an asset that can be realized upon the sale of the asset, less a reasonable estimate of the costs associated with the eventual sale or disposal of the asset. NRV is a common method used to evaluate an asset’s value for inventory accounting. NRV is a valuation method used in both Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
Strategic management is the management of an organization’s resources to achieve its goals and objectives. Strategic management involves setting objectives, analyzing the competitive environment, analyzing the internal organization, evaluating strategies, and ensuring that management rolls out the strategies across the organization.