Broker
A regulated firm that gives investors access to financial markets, routing their orders to venues where they can be executed and holding their accounts.
Related terms
Related lessons
How Brokers Make Money
A complete map of every way a broker earns — commissions, spreads, payment for order flow, margin interest, interest on your cash, securities lending, FX and fees — and which revenue streams align with your interests and which work against them.
Retirement Accounts
The big picture of saving for retirement: why tax-advantaged retirement accounts exist, the three pillars (state, workplace and private pensions), why an employer match is free money to claim first, and the priority order for your contributions.
401(k)
The US workplace retirement plan: what a 401(k) is, how pre-tax (and Roth) contributions work, why an employer match is free money to claim first, how tax-deferred growth compounds, contribution limits, vesting, and the rules around accessing the money.
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