The Moneywise Financial Glossary
Absolute return funds aim to deliver a positive (or ‘absolute’) return every year regardless of what happens in the stockmarket. Unlike...
Account aggregation allows you to view all your online accounts – bank account, credit cards, debit card, mortgage, even air miles – on a...
These funds try to produce returns superior to a “benchmark index” such as the FTSE 100 by a combination of picking the right stock at the...
Actuarial science is the discipline that applies mathematics and statistics to assess risk in the insurance and finance industries. Every...
If you’re a member of an occupational pension scheme but want to increase your contributions to help boost your income in retirement, this...
Where APR is the rate charged for money borrowed, Annual equivalent rate is how interest is calculated on money saved. The AER takes into...
Affinity cards are credit cards offering extra benefits as a result of being issued in partnership with other organisations to which people...
Every limited company must hold an annual general meeting for its shareholders once a year to consider the company’s accounts, reports of...
This is the percentage of an investor’s initial cash or capital outlay that actually goes towards the final investment after any initial...
AIM is the London Stock Exchange’s international market for smaller companies. Since its launch in 1995, 2,200 companies have raised almost...
If you put money in an investment or pension fund, you’ll not only pay a fee when you initially invest (see Allocation Rate) but also a fee...
All limited liability companies registered in the UK are compelled by law to compile a report once a year on the company’s accounts and...
In exchange for any lump sum – usually your pension fund – an annuity is “bought” from an insurance company and provides an income for life...
This is the rate of interest a lender uses to calculate how much you owe it. The applied interest rate figure will be slightly lower than...
This is used to compare interest rates for borrowing. It is the total (or “gross”) interest you’ll pay over the life of a loan, including...
A charge some brokers (and, increasingly, lenders) make for arranging your loan or mortgage, either as a flat fee or a percentage of the...
“Arrears” tend to be associated with debt. If you fall behind and miss payments on any outstanding debt, the amount you failed to pay is an...
Established in 1985, the ABI is the trade body for UK insurance companies. It has more than 400 member companies that provide around 90% of...
Generally thought of as being interchangeable with insurance but isn’t. Assurance is cover for events that WILL happen but at an...
