What is a Multiple Listing Service (MLS)? A multiple listing service (MLS) is a combination of services that real estate brokers use to exchange data and information regarding properties and appraisals. A modern MLS consists of software that allows real estate agents and brokers who are selling properties to find brokers of potential buyers and…
What is the Modified Dietz Method (MDM)? The Modified Dietz Method (MDM) is a method that is used to measure a portfolio’s historical returns based on a weighted calculation of its cash flows. MDM takes into account the timing of the cash flows and assumes that a constant rate of return is achieved over a…
What is the Mill Levy/Rate? The mill levy/rate is a form of a property tax that is based on a property’s assessed value. The mill levy’s traditionally been, and continues to be, expressed in “mills.” A mill is equal to $1 for each $1,000 in assessed property value (derived from the Latin word “mil,” meaning…
What is Idiosyncratic Risk? Idiosyncratic risk, also sometimes referred to as unsystematic risk, is the inherent risk involved in investing in a specific asset, such as a stock. Idiosyncratic risk is the risk that is particular to a specific investment – as opposed to risk that affects the entire market or an entire investment portfolio….
What is EFTPS®? EFTPS® stands for the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System, which is an online tax payment system operated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the United States. The website enables both businesses and individuals to make tax payments directly from their bank accounts using a secure payment system. Learn more about EFTPS®…
What are War Bonds? War Bonds are debt instruments (bonds) that are issued by governments to finance military operations and production in wartime. War bonds tend to appeal to the sense of patriotism in individuals, who even see their purchase as a civic duty. Whilst there have been a variety of different structures for war…
What is the Sarbanes-Oxley Act? The Sarbanes-Oxley Act (or SOX Act) is a U.S. federal law that aims to protect investors by making corporate disclosures more reliable and accurate. The Act was spurred by major accounting scandals, such as Enron and WorldCom (today called MCI Inc.), that tricked investors and inflated stock prices. Spearheaded by…
What is a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy? A self-fulfilling prophecy is an expectation – positive or negative – about something or someone that can affect a person’s behavior in a way that leads those expectations to become a reality. For example, if investors think the stock market will crash, they will buy fewer stocks, prices will start…
What is the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)? The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is an economic group, currently with 21 members, that promotes and facilitates trade, economic growth, and the improvement of living standards for the Asia-Pacific region. With a growing interdependence of the region, APEC was established in 1989 as a way to leverage the…
