Life Terms

Plain answers for the terms that run your personal life, household, and team.

A to Z (1,012 terms)

0% APRA promotional interest rate of zero percent for a set period, during which the promotional balance doesn't grow with interest.

10,000 stepsA popular daily step goal that began as the name of a 1960s Japanese pedometer; later studies find health benefits begin well below it.

1099 contractorAn independent contractor whose pay a business reports on Form 1099-NEC; they're self-employed, so no tax is withheld and they owe self-employment tax.

18-month sleep regressionParents' name for a stretch of worse sleep around 18 months, when separation anxiety peaks and many toddlers settle into one nap.

2-2-3 custody scheduleAn equal-time custody rotation in which a child spends 2 days with one parent, 2 with the other, then 3 with the first, flipping the next week.

4-7-8 breathingA breathing pattern from Dr. Andrew Weil: breathe in through the nose for 4 counts, hold for 7, then breathe out through the mouth for 8.

4-month sleep regressionParents' name for a stretch of worse sleep around 4 months, when a baby's sleep cycles and body clock are maturing.

401(k)A retirement plan run through an employer that lets you put part of each paycheck into investments, before tax or as Roth, up to a yearly IRS limit.

5-4-3-2-1 groundingA grounding exercise that brings your attention back to the present by naming 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you hear, 2 you smell and 1 you taste.

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50/30/20 ruleA budgeting guideline that splits after-tax income into 50% for needs, 30% for wants and 20% for savings and paying down debt.

504 planA school's plan of supports for a student whose disability substantially limits a major life activity, under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

52-week savings challengeA year-long saving plan where you put away $1 in week one, $2 in week two and so on up to $52, for a total of $1,378.

529 planA state-sponsored, tax-advantaged account for education costs, where growth is free of federal income tax when spent on qualified expenses.

8-month sleep regressionParents' name for a stretch of worse sleep around 8 to 10 months, when separation anxiety, new motor skills and nap changes often arrive.

Academic redshirtingChoosing to start a child in kindergarten a year after they first become old enough, usually to give a young child more time to grow.

Account balanceThe money in a bank account once posted deposits and payments are counted, also called the ledger balance; pending card purchases aren't subtracted yet.

Accountability partnerA person you agree to update regularly on a goal, so someone else knows what you said you'd do and asks how it went.

Active listeningListening with full attention and showing you understood, by reflecting back what the other person said and felt before you reply with your own view.

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Acts of serviceOne of Gary Chapman's five love languages: showing love by doing helpful things that lighten the other person's load, like a chore or an errand.

ADHD in kidsAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children: ongoing trouble paying attention, sitting still or controlling impulses, beyond what's usual for their age.

Advent calendarA calendar that counts down the days to Christmas, with a door, pocket or small treat to open for each day.

AFCI breakerA circuit breaker that senses dangerous electrical arcing from damaged or worn wiring and shuts the power off before a fire can start.

After-school programSupervised care and activities for school-age children in the hours after the school day ends, often with homework help, enrichment, sports or clubs.

After-school program costWhat a family pays for care and activities in the hours after the school day ends, charged by the week, the month or the day.

After-school routineThe same set of steps a child follows between getting home from school and dinner, usually a snack, active play, some downtime and homework.

Afternoon slumpThe dip in energy and focus many people feel in the early to mid afternoon, linked to the body's daily hormone rhythm and to what and how much was eaten at lunch.

Age-appropriate choresHousehold jobs matched to what a child can safely and realistically do at their age, growing in difficulty as they get older.

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AgileA way of working, set out in the 2001 Agile Manifesto, that delivers in small pieces, gets feedback early and adjusts the plan as it learns.

All-inclusive resortA resort where one price covers the room plus meals and drinks, and often some activities, instead of charging for each one separately during the stay.

All-or-nothing thinkingA thinking pattern that sees things in only two extremes, total success or total failure, with nothing in between; also called black-and-white thinking.

Allergen introductionGiving a baby common allergy-causing foods, such as peanut and egg, early in the first year to lower the chance of a food allergy.

AllowanceA set amount of money a child gets on a regular schedule to manage, often with an agreement about what it has to cover.

AmortizationPaying off a loan through regular scheduled payments, each split between interest and principal, until the balance reaches zero at the end of the term.

Analysis paralysisOverthinking a decision so much that you can't make it, often because you keep gathering information or comparing options.

AnniversaryThe date each year that marks a past event, most often a wedding, and the celebration held on it.

Annual feeA yearly charge some credit cards bill simply for keeping the account open, listed in the card's Schumer box and charged again each anniversary.

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Annual passA pass bought once that covers entry to a park, attraction or set of sites for a year, so it pays off after enough visits.

Annual physicalA routine yearly checkup with your primary care provider to review your health and get recommended screenings, often covered as preventive care.

Anode rodA metal rod inside a tank water heater that corrodes on purpose, so the steel tank doesn't. Makers suggest checking it yearly or every few years.

AP classA high school course in the College Board's Advanced Placement program that ends in an AP Exam, where a high enough score can earn college credit or placement.

Appliance lifespanHow many years a home appliance usually lasts before it needs replacing, from about 6 years for a compactor to 15 for a gas range in Consumer Reports' 2009 figures.

APYA yearly rate showing the total interest a deposit account pays, counting how often interest compounds, as defined by federal Truth in Savings rules.

AsbestosA group of natural mineral fibers once common in building materials. Left undamaged it's no risk, but disturbed fibers can cause lung disease and cancer.

Asking for a raiseRequesting higher pay from your current employer, usually backed by your results, your role's market pay and what you plan to take on next.

AssetsThings you own that are worth money, such as cash, investments, a home or a car. Your assets minus your debts is your net worth.

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ATM feeA charge for using an ATM, which can come from the machine's owner, from your own bank for using a machine outside its network, or from both.

Attachment parentingA parenting approach from Dr. William and Martha Sears built on closeness and quick response to a baby's cues. The AAP advises room-sharing without bed-sharing.

Attention residueThoughts about an earlier task that stay with you after you switch to a new one, leaving less attention for the work in front of you.

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