Glossary

Adjusted gross income. Your total income minus certain adjustments. It's on your tax return.

Annual percentage rate. The yearly cost of borrowing, shown as a percent of what you owe.

A fixed amount you pay for a covered service, like $25 for a doctor visit, usually after you've met your deductible.

A company that collects credit information and sells credit reports. The three nationwide ones are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

A block on your credit reports so nobody, including you, can open new credit in your name until you lift it.

A record of your loans, cards and payment history, kept by credit bureaus like Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

A number that predicts how likely you are to pay back a loan on time, based on your credit reports.

A company or person that collects debts owed to someone else.

The amount you pay for covered care or repairs before your insurance starts to pay.

The yearly fee a fund charges, shown as a percent of what you have invested in it.

The rubber seal at the bottom of a toilet tank. When it wears out, water leaks into the bowl and the toilet runs.

The time between the end of a card's billing cycle and the payment due date. Pay the full balance by then and you usually owe no interest on purchases.

What you earned before anything is taken out.

Bare, unpainted metal on the car's engine or frame, used as the last connection when jump-starting.

A fund that tries to match a market index, like the S&P 500, instead of trying to beat it.

The contract between you and a landlord. It sets the rent, the rules and how either side can end it.

The nuts that hold a wheel on the car.

The smallest payment the lender accepts that month. Paying only this keeps you current but can cost a lot in interest.

What's left after taxes and deductions. The same thing as take-home pay.

The most you'll pay for covered health care in a plan year. After you reach it, the plan pays 100% of covered services.

When the bank pays a transaction even though you don't have enough money in the account, usually for a fee.

A short-term, high-cost loan, usually for a small amount, that's due on your next payday.

The amount you pay for an insurance plan, usually every month, whether or not you use it.

A notice that a vehicle or part has a safety defect the manufacturer must fix.

Money you pay up front that the landlord holds. It's meant to come back to you, minus any charges your lease and state law allow.

What reaches your bank account after taxes and deductions. Budget with this number.

Vehicle identification number. A 17-character code unique to your car.

The form that tells your employer how much federal income tax to hold back from each paycheck.

Tax your employer takes out of each paycheck and sends to the government for you.