The period of time assigned as the lifespan of any investment. When referring to debt, the term is the time it takes for all payments to be made by the borrower and received by the lender. |
When referring to equities, term is the time that elapses between the acquisition of the asset and its sale or removal from holdings for another reason. Additionally, the life of an asset can generally fall into one of two main categories: short and long term. Short term investments can be as short as a day, where as long term can extend for the lifespan of a piece of land, which can pass through generations of investors.