Consumer-based income streams:
Cash flows in which the party that owes payments is a consumer, a private individual.
Contingency-based income streams:
Cash flows in which the recipient is not necessarily legally entitled to receive payments, or in which the amount of the payment is uncertain or contingent upon outside factors.
Conversion:
The process of converting a qualified prospect into an active client.
Corporation:
A legal entity, chartered by a U.S. state or the federal government, and separate and distinct from the persons who own it. It is regarded by the courts as an artificial person; it may own property, incur debts, sue or be sued.
Creditor:
One who is owed payments on a debt by a debtor.
Debt instrument:
Future payment or series of payments, or a debt that one party owes to another party. Also known as income streams or cash flow instruments.
Debtor:
One who owes something and makes payments to a creditor.
Default:
The omission or failure to perform or fulfill a legal duty, obligation, or promise (i.e. to pay a debt).
Due diligence:
Exhaustive research on a transaction, income stream, client, and/or payor. Due diligence may involve credit checks, appraisals, UCC searches, lien searches, or on-site visits with clients.
Equity:
The value or interest an owner has in property over and above any indebtedness owed on the property.
Escrow:
The system by which money documents, personal property, or real property is held in trust for another party by a disinterested third party until the terms and conditions of the escrow instructions are completed or terminated.
Face value:
The current principal balance on an income stream.
Factor:
A funding source that specializes in funding accounts receivable.
Factoring:
The purchase of a business' accounts receivable at a discount.
Fictitious name:
A legal statement filed when a person uses a name other than his or her own to operate a business.
Foreclosure:
A legal proceeding in court to seize property given as security for a debt that is in default.
Funding source:
An individual investor or an investment company that buys income streams.
Government-based income streams:
Cash flows paid by a government entity, either directly or through an insurance company.
Hypothecation:
Borrowing funds from a lender, investing those funds in a debt instrument, and giving the lender a security interest in the debt instrument as the collateral for the loan.
Income stream:
A future payment or series of payments, or a debt that one party owes to another party. Also known as a debt instrument or cash flow instrument.
Institutional lenders:
Savings and loan associations, local and regional banks, mortgage companies, finance companies, and commercial lenders.
Insurance-based income streams:
Cash flows stemming from insurance companies and paid to individuals or businesses.
Intangible personal property:
Something that has value but is not a tangible asset, for example, a trademark, copyright, patent, or trade secret.
Investment-to-value ratio:
A measure of how secure a creditor's position is and how likely the creditor is to recoup all of his or her money in the event of a foreclosure.
Joint venture:
A business entity established for a specific task, operation, or goal.
Lead:
A piece of information of possible use in the search for a prospective client.
Leverage:
The ratio of debt to total assets.
Limited liability company:
A form of business structure designed to combine the best of corporate and partnership attributes into one entity.
Loan-to-value ratio:
A measure of how heavily mortgaged a property is and how likely the owner is to default on his or her debts.
Marginal credit customers:
Consumers who may have had some slow pay problems, but generally pay their bills.
Market value:
The price at which a ready, willing, and informed person would buy something; the price property would command in the current market.
Marketing:
The process of identifying and communicating with qualified prospects.
Master Broker:
Individual who has been certified and designated by the American Cash Flow Association to work with Diversified Cash Flow Specialists.
Mortgage:
A written instrument that creates a lien by pledging real property as security for a debt.
Notice of Pre-lien:
A document notifying the owner of real property that materials or services are being furnished to his real property, putting him on notice that the one sending it will look to have a lien against the real property if those materials or services are not paid for.