Business Glossary

series of equal periodic payments or receipts. Examples of an annuity are semiannual interest receipts from a bond investment and cash dividends from a preferred stock. There are two types of an annuity: (1) Ordinary annuity, where payments or receipts occur at the end of the period; (2) Annuity due, where payments or receipts are made at the beginning of the period.

series of equal or nearly equal payments, each payment occurring at the end of each equally spaced period.