Marking to MarketProcess of determining the value of an asset based upon the going market rate for like assets on any given day.
MarkupWhen you buy securities from a broker-dealer or market maker, you pay a markup.
Married Filing Joint filing statusYou are married and both you and your spouse agree to file a joint return. (On a joint return, you report your combined income and deduct your combined…
Married Filing Separate filing statusYou must be married. This method may benefit you if you want to be responsible only for your own tax or if this method results in less tax than a joint…
mass taxA broad tax that affects a majority of taxpayers.
Matching contributionA matching contribution is money your employer adds to your salary reduction retirement savings account, such as a 401(k).
Material misrepresentationA significant misstatement in an application form. If a company had access to the correct information at the time of application, the company might not…
Matrix tradingMatrix trading occurs when the yield spread between two categories of bonds with different levels of risk is temporarily inconsistent with what that…
MaturityThe date on which the principal balance of a loan, bond, or other financial instrument becomes due and payable.
Maturity DateThe date as of which the principal of and interest on a security become due and payable.
MCCC-1Annual notification/reporting form required under Title 9-A M.R.S.A.§6-202 for all creditors conducting Maine consumer credit business.
MediationMediation is an informal, voluntary method of resolving disputes, in which the parties in conflict meet with a trained, independent third party to come up…
MedicaidMedicaid is federal government program run by the individual states. It's designed to provide assistance to people who can't afford skilled or custodial…
Medical BenefitsThis pays medical bills for you and others covered on your policy regardless of fault. The minimum limit is $5,000 of coverage.
Medical PaymentCoverage that pays for limited medical expenses if you, a member of your family, or a passenger in your car is hurt in a car accident.
MedicareMedicare is a federal government insurance program designed to provide healthcare coverage for people 65 or older, certain disabled people, and people…
Medicare taxUsed to provide medical benefits for certain individuals when they reach age 65.
memberMember means any person who has been admitted to membership in the Connecticut credit union in accordance with state law.
MergerWhen two or more companies consolidate by exchanging common stock, and the resulting single company replaces the old companies, the consolidation is…
Metropolitan Division (MD)(MD)A metropolitan division is a subset of an MSA having a single core with a population of 2.5 million or more.
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)(MSA)For purposes of HMDA, the term is interchangeable with "metropolitan area." The underlying concept of an MSA is that of a core area containing a large…
Micro-cap stockA micro-cap stock is one with a smaller market capitalization - sometimes much smaller - than stocks described as small-caps.
Mid-capitalization (mid-cap) stockA mid-cap stock is one issued by a corporation whose market capitalization falls in a range between $2 billion and $10 billion, making it larger than a…
Minimum Amount to OpenThe minimum initial deposit required to open the account described.
Minimum Balance RequiredThe balance in the account from day-to-day must average this amount when calculated.
Minimum finance chargeA minimum finance charge is a fee collected by a credit card issuer each billing period.
Minimum interest chargeThe minimum amount of interest you will be charged if you are charged any interest. For example, if your total interest charge is $0.
Minimum PaymentThe minimum dollar amount that must be paid each month on a loan, line of credit, or other debt.
Minimum required distribution (MRD)A minimum required distribution is the smallest amount you can take each year from your retirement savings plan once you've reached the mandatory…
Minor ChildA son or daughter who is under a state's age of legal competence, which is age 18 in most states.
Minority interestAll shareholders whose combined shares represent less than half of the total outstanding shares issued by a corporation have a minority interest in that…
Mitigation DivisionA division under FEMA that manages the NFIP and oversees FEMA’s mitigation programs.
Mobile homeTo be eligible for coverage under the National Flood Insurance Program, a mobile home must be on a permanent foundation and meet specific anchoring…
Modern portfolio theoryIn making investment decisions, adherents of modern portfolio theory focuses on potential return in relation to potential risk.
Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI)(MAGI)Your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is your adjusted gross income (AGI) plus deductions, such as college loan interest and contributions to a…
Modified DurationThe weighted average time to receipt of all cashflows, including coupon payments, on a present value basis.
Momentum investingA momentum investor focuses on stocks that are rising in value on increasing daily volume, and avoids stocks that are falling in price or that are…
Monetary policyA country's central bank is responsible for its monetary policy. In the United States, for example, the Federal Reserve aims to keep the economy growing…
Monetary reserveA government's monetary reserve includes the foreign currency and precious metals that its central bank holds.
Money factorA money factor, also called a lease factor, is the finance charge you pay on an automobile lease.
Money managerRegistered money managers are paid professionals who are responsible for handling the securities portfolios they oversee in the best interest of the…
Money marketA sector of the capital market where short-term obligations such as Treasury bills, commercial paper and bankers' acceptances are bought and sold.
Money Market AccountOffered by full-service brokers, these are similar to checking accounts but usually pay higher rates.
Money Market FundAn open-ended mutual fund that invests in short-term debts and monetary instruments such as Treasury bills and pays money market rates of interest.
Money OrderA money order is similar to a check. It is used to pay bills or make purchases in cases where cash is not accepted.
Money Order FeeMany institutions sell money orders for a fee. Institutions may impose separate fees on both account holders and non-account holders for the purchase of…
Money purchase planA money purchase plan is a defined contribution retirement plan that requires the employer to contribute a fixed percentage of each employee's salary…
Money supplyThe money supply is the total amount of liquid or near-liquid assets in the economy.
Monte Carlo simulationA Monte Carlo simulation can be used to analyze the return that an investment portfolio is capable of producing.
Monthly Gross Income (MGI)(MGI)the total income of all homeowners who sign a mortgage before any taxes or other deductions are made.
Monthly or Annual FeeThe fee that the institution charges, to its own account holders, for the ability to use their cards. This fee is charged on a monthly or yearly basis.
Moody's Corporate RatingsMoody's ratings provide investors with a simple system of gradation by which the relative investment qualities of a bond may be noted.
Moody's Investors ServiceA financial services company that is one of the best known bond rating agencies in the country.
Moody's Investors Service, Inc.Moody's is a financial services company best known for rating investments. Moody's rates bonds, common stock, commercial paper, municipal short-term…
Moody's Short-term Debt RatingsMoody's short-term debt ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to repay punctually senior debt obligations.
Morningstar, Inc.Morningstar, Inc., offers a broad range of investment information, research, and analysis online, in software products, and in print.
Mortality TableA statistical table showing the death rate (probability of death) at each age.
MortgageA debt instrument used in a real estate transaction where the property is the collateral for the loan.
Mortgage Company (Supervised Lender)A Supervised Lender is any person authorized to make or take assignments of supervised loans either under a license issued by the Bureau, or as a…
Mortgage Insurance (MI)(MI)insurance that protects lenders against losses caused by a rhomeowner's default on a mortgage loan.
Mortgage life insuranceTerm life insurance paid by the borrower in which the amount of coverage decreases as the mortgage balance declines.
Mortgage Modificationa change in the terms of a loan, usually the interest rate and/or term, in response to the homeowner's inability to make the payments under the existing…
Mortgage Paymentthe amount of money paid on a monthly basis for principal, interest, property taxes, hazard insurance and homeowner’s association fees, if applicable.
Mortgage Payment Guidelinethe calculation within HAMP that helps determine a homeowners eligibility. It is calculated as 31% of the homeowner’s current monthly gross income.
mortgage-backed securitiesSecurities issued by government-related agencies that buy up mortgage loans from lenders such as banks and savings and loan associations.
Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS)(MBS)MBS are debt securities that represent claims to the cash flows from pools of mortgage loans, most commonly on residential property.
Mortgage-backed SecurityOwnership claim in a pool of mortgages or an obligation that is secured by such a pool.
Moving averageA moving average of securities prices is an average that is recomputed regularly by adding the most recent price and dropping the oldest one.
MultipleA stock's multiple is its price-to-earnings ratio (P/E). It's figured by dividing the market price of the stock by its earnings.
Municipal bond (muni)Municipal bonds are debt securities issued by state or local governments or their agencies to finance general governmental activities or special projects.
Municipal bond fundMunicipal bond mutual funds invest in municipal bonds. Earnings from these funds are always free of federal income tax for all shareholders in the fund.
Mutual companyA mutual company is a privately held company owned by its policyholders, depositors, or other customers.
Mutual FundA fund operated by an investment company that raises money from shareholders and invests it in stocks, bonds, options, commodities, or money market…
Mutual Life Insurance CompanyA life insurance company owned by policyholders who share in the company's surplus earnings.
Naked optionWhen you write, or sell, a call option but don't own the underlying instrument, such as a stock in the case of an equity option, the option is described…
Named driver exclusionAn endorsement that provides that a policy does not cover accidents when a specifically named person is the driver.
Named driver policyAn automobile insurance policy that doesn't provide coverage for an individual residing in a named insured ’s household specifically unless the…
Named perilsSpecific events covered by a policy, such as fire, windstorm, and theft.
Named perils policyA named perils policy is a standard homeowners insurance policy that offers limited protection for damage from fire and theft and other hazards specified…
NASDNASD is the largest self-regulatory organization (SRO) in the United States. Formerly known as the National Association of Securities Dealers, NASD…
NASDAQNASDAQ is the world's oldest electronic stock market and the largest stock exchange in the United States.
NASDAQ Composite IndexThe NASDAQ Composite index tracks the prices of all of the securities traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market.
NASDAQ Stock MarketThe NASDAQ Stock Market is the world's oldest and largest electronic stock market and is now a national securities exchange and an independent…
National BankA bank that is subject to the supervision of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency is a bureau of the U.S.
National debtThe total value of all outstanding Treasury bills, notes, and bonds that the federal government owes investors is referred to as the national debt.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)(NFIP)The program of flood insurance coverage and floodplain management administered under the Flood Disaster Protection Act (FDPA or Act) and applicable…
National Flood Insurance Reform Act (NFIRA)(NFIRA)The purpose of the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 is to improve the financial condition of the NFIP and reduce federal expenditures for…
National Market System (NMS)The National Market System (NMS) links all the major stock markets in the United States and was developed to foster competition among them.
Negative amortizationWhen your loan principal increases rather than decreases because your monthly payment isn't enough to cover the loan interest, that's called negative…
Negative Equitythe condition of owing more on the property than the property is worth.
Negative yield curveA negative, or inverted, yield curve results when the interest rate on short-term US Treasury issues is higher than the rate on on long-term Treasury…
NegligenceFailure to exercise a generally acceptable level of care and caution resulting in injury or damage to a third party.
Negligence/NegligentA determination of fault in an accident caused by your inattention or carelessness.