What Is the Housing Choice Voucher Program? The Housing Choice Voucher Program assists low-income families, or those with disabilities, in finding safe and affordable housing in the private market. Local Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) issue housing choice vouchers to qualified families. The program is funded by the Federal Department of Urban Development (HUD). This is
What Is the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI)? The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) is a monthly sentiment survey of members of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The index measures sentiment among builders of U.S. single-family homes, and is a widely watched gauge of the U.S. housing sector. Since housing represents
What Are Housing Starts? The term housing starts refers to the start of construction on a new residential housing unit. Because new housing is a big-ticket capital good that spurs additional consumer spending on appliances and furniture, it is a key economic indicator closely watched by financial markets participants. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes estimates
What Is a Housing Unit? A housing unit is a single unit within a larger structure that can be used by an individual or household to eat, sleep, and live. The unit can be in any type of residence, such as a house, apartment, or mobile home, and may also be a single unit in
What Is the Hodrick-Prescott (HP) Filter? The Hodrick-Prescott (HP) filter refers to a data-smoothing technique. The HP filter is commonly applied during analysis to remove short-term fluctuations associated with the business cycle. Removal of these short-term fluctuations reveals long-term trends. This can help with economic or other forecasting associated with the business cycle. Key Takeaways The Hodrick-Prescott
What Is a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)? A health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) is an employer-funded plan that reimburses employees for qualified medical expenses and, in some cases, insurance premiums. Employers are allowed to claim a tax deduction for the reimbursements they make through these plans, and reimbursement dollars received by employees are generally tax-free. Key
What Is a Health Savings Account (HSA)? A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a tax-advantaged account created for or by individuals covered under high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) to save for qualified medical expenses. Contributions are made into the account by the individual or their employer and are limited to a maximum amount each year. The contributions
What Is an HSA Custodian? An HSA custodian is any bank, credit union, insurance company, brokerage, or other Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-approved financial institution that offers health savings accounts (HSAs). Financial institutions that manage HSAs are also called HSA administrators. An HSA custodian or administrator holds HSA assets in a secure HSA account. In some
What Is HyperText Markup Language (HTML)? HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is the set of markup symbols or codes inserted into a file intended for display on the Internet. The markup tells web browsers how to display a web page’s words and images. Each individual piece markup code (which would fall between “” characters) is referred to
What Is Hubris? Hubris is the characteristic of excessive confidence or arrogance, which leads a person to believe that they may do no wrong. The overwhelming pride caused by hubris is often considered a flaw in character. In the financial world, hubris is considered a dangerous quality that emboldens an investment professional to take risks
