Hard Inquiry
A credit check recorded when you apply for credit, visible to lenders for around two years.
Why it matters: Several inquiries in a short window for the same loan type are usually treated as one.
Run the credit utilization →6 terms
Dictionary — H
Hard Inquiry, Home Equity Line, Hours of Service, Hazard Insurance and more. Each definition explains what the term means and why it changes a number.
Home Equity Line
A revolving credit line secured against your home, typically with a variable rate.
Why it matters: The rate is low precisely because your house is the collateral, which changes the nature of the risk entirely.
Hours of Service
Federal rules limiting how long a commercial driver may operate without rest.
Why it matters: Violations recorded in electronic logs are frequently the strongest evidence in a truck accident claim.
Run the truck accident claim →Hazard Insurance
Property coverage a lender requires as a condition of the mortgage.
Why it matters: Force-placed policies bought by the lender cost several times more than shopping it yourself.
Run the mortgage payment →High-Deductible Health Plan
A plan with a higher deductible and lower premium, usually paired with a health savings account.
Why it matters: It wins in a healthy year and loses badly in a bad one, which is when you can least absorb it.
Run the health plan comparison →Holdback
An amount retained by a funder or buyer until conditions are satisfied.
Why it matters: In factoring it is the reserve; in acquisitions it is protection against undisclosed problems.
Run the invoice factoring cost →Estimates, not advice. Every figure here is produced from the inputs you enter and the formula printed on the page. Rules differ by state, carrier, lender and contract, so use these numbers to prepare for a conversation with a qualified professional rather than to replace one. See our full disclaimer.