IRS code similar to that of a tax-deferred 401(k) retirement plan for public education, cooperative hospitals and some nonprofit organizations.(1)

A regular periodic payment made by an insurance company to a policyholder over a contracted period of time.(1)

The value of property owned by a person, association, corporation or estate.(3)

A large, creditworthy company renowned for the quality and wide acceptance of its products or services and for its ability to earn money and pay dividends.(1)

A debt issued for a specified period of time that investors can buy thereby lending money to the seller – typically governments, governmental organizations or corporations – and for which the seller agrees to repay the principal amount of the loan with interest within a specified time frame.(1)

A board-certified professional who has completed extensive training and experience requirements and who are held to rigorous ethical standards.(2)

Food, metal, raw material or another physical substance that investors buy or sell either in physical form or on a futures contract – examples include agricultural products like wheat or cattle or products of mining such as precious metals or oil.

The portion of a company’s profit paid to shareholders.(1)

The most widely known index in the U.S., it is a price-weighted average of 30 actively traded blue-chip stocks considered to be a barometer of how shares of the largest U.S. companies are performing. There are hundreds of investment indexes around the world.(1)

A synonym for stock.

An investment fund traded on stock exchanges much like stocks. An ETF holds assets such as stocks, bonds, commodities or other assets.(1)

Payment to a financial advisor based on a set fee and for which the advisor receives no commissions on any transactions to implement the plan.(1)

Relating to or involving confidence or trust. A person with fiduciary responsibility is legally required to act in a manner that benefits the party who places that trust in them.(3,4)

An agreement to buy a specific amount of shares or commodities at a specified price on a particular date guaranteeing the price.(1,5)

A hypothetical portfolio of securities used as an indicator or measure of a particular market or market segment. You cannot invest directly in an index.(1)

A retirement account for which contributions are generally tax deductible and account gains are tax-deferred.(1)

The percentage rate over a period of time paid by a borrower to a lender.(1)

A pooled investment typically holding a portfolio of stocks and/or bonds that is managed by a federally regulated investment company. Mutual funds provide a way to diversify a portfolio with smaller investment amounts.

National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System – an electronic equities exchange founded in 1971.(1) The NASDAQ Composite Index is a stock market index of common stocks and similar securities listed on the NASDAQ stock market. The NASDAQ Composite is heavily weighted toward information technology companies.

An agreement that gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy an asset at a set price within a specific time period or on a specific date.(1)

The total amount of money borrowed or lent or invested.(1)

Similar to an IRA, except that contributions made to a Roth IRA are made on an after-tax basis, and earnings grow tax-deferred until retirement age at which point distributions are tax-free.(1)

Ownership of a corporation in shares representing a corporation’s assets and earnings.(1)

Similar to a mutual fund, a UIT is a registered investment company, however the portfolio of a UIT is fixed for the life of the fund. Shares of a UIT are known as units.(1)