ARM (redirected from armer)

ARM

See: Adjustable-rate mortgage

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Adjustable Rate Mortgage

A mortgage with an interest rate that changes periodically. Generally speaking, an adjustable rate mortgage is linked to some major benchmark rate; for example, the interest rate may be stated as "LIBOR + 1%." The mortgage may or may not have a cap on how much the interest rate can rise or fall, or on how often the interest rate may change. Very often, the initial interest rate for an adjustable-rate mortgage is lower than that for a fixed-rate mortgage. This allows more people to qualify for an adjustable-rate mortgage; however, this kind of mortgage can be risky because the interest rate (and therefore the monthly payment) can rise unexpectedly. Indeed the prevalence of ARMs has been blamed for the housing bubble in the mid-2000s and the subsequent recession. See also: Credit Crunch, Teaser Rate.

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Associate in Risk Management

A certification offered by the American Institute of CPCU. To receive the certification, one must complete a series of courses on the science of risk management, skills used in reducing risk, risk assessment and risk financing, among other things.

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Adjustable rate mortgage (ARM). An adjustable rate mortgage is a long-term loan you use to finance a real estate purchase, typically a home.

Unlike a fixed-rate mortgage, where the interest rate remains the same for the term of the loan, the interest rate on an ARM is adjusted, or changed, during its term.

The initial rate on an ARM is usually lower than the rate on a fixed-rate mortgage for the same term, which means it may be easier to qualify for an ARM. You take the risk, however, that interest rates may rise, increasing the cost of your mortgage. Of course, it's also possible that the rates may drop, decreasing your payments.

The rate adjustments, which are based on changes in one of the publicly reported indexes that reflect market rates, occur at preset times, usually once a year but sometimes less often. Typically, rate changes on ARMs are capped both annually and over the term of the loan, which helps protect you in the case of a rapid or sustained increase in market rates.

However, certain ARMs allow negative amortization, which means additional interest could accumulate on the outstanding balance if market rates rise higher than the cap. That interest would be due when the loan matured or if you want to prepay.

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ARM

See adjustable-rate mortgage.

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ARM

See Adjustable Rate Mortgage.