An Automated Teller Machine (ATM) is a computerized device that provides customers with access to financial transactions in a public space without the need for a branch teller.

A computerized method for estimating the value of a property. Often used for mass appraisal purposes, such as the reassessment of a city's property tax base.

Automatic stabilizers are built-in changes in government spending and taxation that dampen the business cycle by adjusting automatically with the economy's performance without additional legislative action.

In labor economics, automatic checkoff refers to the authorization for the employer to deduct union dues and other assessments from an employee's salary automatically and remit them to the labor union; also called compulsory checkoff.

An automatic extension provides taxpayers with additional time to file their tax return by submitting IRS Form 4868 or Form 7004 by the original due date. However, the estimated tax payment remains due on the original filing date.

Automatic reinvestment is a financial process by which dividends or capital gains distributions from investments are automatically used to purchase more of the same or additional types of securities.

The automatic stay is a provision in U.S. bankruptcy law that halts all collection activities, including litigation, repossessions, and foreclosures, immediately upon filing a bankruptcy petition.

A mutual fund program that allows shareholders to receive a fixed payment each month or each quarter. The payment comes from dividends, including short-term capital gains, and income on securities held by the fund. Long-term capital gains are distributed annually when realized.

Automation refers to the process of operating devices or systems using automatic techniques, which may involve mechanical, electronic, or robotic methods.

Automobile liability insurance provides coverage for bodily injury or property damage for which the insured is legally liable due to an automobile accident. It is a fundamental aspect of auto insurance policies, ensuring financial responsibility for harm caused to others.

A personal automobile policy (PAP) provides comprehensive car insurance with multiple coverages, designed to replace the earlier Family Automobile Policy (FAP). It offers a wide range of protections including liability, medical payments, uninsured motorist coverage, comprehensive, collision, and several optional coverages.

Available hours refer to the total number of hours that can be allocated to complete a job, task, or process within an accounting period, expressed in terms of machine hours, direct labor hours, or production hours.

A guarantee of payment by a third party, often a bank, on a bill of exchange or promissory note, ensuring the instrument is honored.

An avatar is an image or representation of a computer user in an online forum, chat room, virtual reality program or game. Avatars range from simple, abstract images to complex, personalized, three-dimensional models.

AVCO stands for Average Cost Method, an inventory valuation method applied to calculate the cost of goods sold and end inventory by averaging the cost of all items available for sale during the period.

The term 'average' commonly refers to the arithmetic mean, which is a measure of central tendency. In finance, it refers to an appropriately weighted and adjusted arithmetic mean of selected securities designed to represent market behavior.

The Average Daily Balance is a method commonly employed by banks to compute interest charges, such as on credit card balances, when issuing monthly statements. It involves summing the amount owed on each day of the month and dividing by the number of days in the month.

The Average Collection Period is a key financial metric that measures the average number of days a company takes to collect payments from its credit customers.

Average Cost (also known as Weighted-Average Cost) is a method of determining the cost per unit by dividing total costs by the total output. This method includes recalculating the unit value for raw materials or finished goods after each new consignment.

The Average Cost Curve (ACC) in the long run represents the average cost per unit of output, taking into account the optimal production technology and scale. It is crucial for understanding economies of scale and business optimization.

A graphical depiction of the average cost per unit to produce a product for a given level of output based on current technology and scale employed by existing firms.

Average costing, also known as weighted average costing, is a method of cost accounting that assigns an average cost to each unit of production when items have a high degree of similarity. It is useful for inventory management and financial reporting.

A strategic investment approach where an investor lowers the average price paid for a company's shares by purchasing additional shares as the price decreases.

Average Fixed Cost (AFC) is a cost metric in economics that measures the fixed costs on a per-unit basis. It is calculated by dividing the total fixed costs by the number of units produced.

An accounting term referring to a calculated measure used to compare bonds of varying durations and repayment schedules by averaging the periods for which funds are available, weighted by the amounts available in each period.

The average tax rate is calculated by dividing total taxes paid by total income. It indicates the amount of tax paid per dollar earned, serving as a key measure in understanding overall tax burden.

Avoidable costs are expenses that can be eliminated if a particular decision or course of action is taken, such as ceasing production of a specific product. They are crucial in determining the financial impact of business decisions.

Avoidance of tax refers to legal strategies and methods by which a taxpayer reduces their tax liability, often through investing in tax shelters or utilizing other deduced deductions and credits allowed by tax law.

Avoiding probate involves using various estate planning techniques to eliminate assets from the legal probate process. Methods include jointly held property, living trusts, and lifetime gifting. It's important to note that avoiding probate does not exempt assets from federal estate or gift taxes.

Avoirdupois is a measure of weight customarily used for agricultural products and nonprecious metals. An avoirdupois ounce is lighter than a troy ounce; there are 16 ounces in an avoirdupois pound.

Avulsion refers to the sudden removal of land from one parcel to another, typically caused by the abrupt change of a watercourse such as a river.

A legal defense in which a senior executive claims ignorance of fraudulent or otherwise unlawful practices within their company. Famously coined during the 2005 trial of Bernie Ebbers, founder of WorldCom.

Awards are formal recognitions given to individuals or entities for achieving excellence in a specific field or meeting certain predefined criteria. These recognitions can be in the form of trophies, medals, certificates, or other tangible items that symbolize achievements.

Away from home refers to scenarios where sleeping arrangements are necessary for at least one night before returning home, allowing for the deduction of 'ordinary and necessary' travel expenses on a business trip.

The phrase 'axe to grind' denotes a personal interest or hidden agenda. It implies leveraging others, often without their full awareness, to fulfill personal objectives.

In the context of legal proceedings, the defendant's principal pleading is a formal written response to the plaintiff's complaint, containing denials of the allegations, affirmative defenses, and any potential counterclaims.

Depreciation is an accounting method of allocating the cost of a tangible asset over its useful life. It is used to account for declines in value as assets age and wear out.

Depreciation refers to the reduction in the value of an asset over time, often due to wear and tear. This accounting process allows businesses to allocate the cost of a tangible asset over its useful life.

The term 'in arrears' refers to the status of payments that are overdue. In financial terms, it commonly indicates that the last payment was made at the end of a period rather than in advance. It can also mean that payments are in default, indicating non-compliance with the agreed payment schedule.

An Internet address is a locator for an object accessible on the Internet, such as a website, an email address, or an IP address, helping in identifying devices, resources, and services.

An Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a company or organization that offers services for accessing, using, or participating in the Internet.

A market order is a buy or sell order to be executed immediately at the current market prices. These orders guarantee execution but do not guarantee a specific price.

A power of appointment is a legal authority granted to an individual (the appointor) allowing them to designate who will receive certain property or interests, typically within the contexts of trusts and estates.

A secondary market is a marketplace where investors buy and sell securities they already own. It differs from the primary market, where securities are initially issued. The secondary market provides liquidity and enables price discovery for traded assets.

The SCFP is a financial statement that provides a detailed picture of a company's financial health over a specific period, highlighting the changes affecting working capital and non-working capital due to significant noncurrent transactions.

A value-added statement outlines the wealth that a company has created for its stakeholders and how that wealth is distributed among employees, shareholders, governments, and others.

A Value-Added Tax (VAT) is a type of indirect tax levied on goods and services at each stage of production or distribution where value is added. It is prevalent in many countries worldwide and represents a significant source of revenue for governments.