Total return is the sum of the current income and the capital gain or loss earned on an investment over a specific time frame. Expected return is the return an investor believes will be earned over the holding period of an investment.

Yield is generally considered to be the return on an investor's original capital.

A paper return is a profit not realized until the investment is disposed of.

Alternatively, realized return is the measurement of the current income (interest and dividends) actually received by an investor over a specified time frame.

The holding period is the period of time over which an investor actually owns an investment. Holding period return (HPR) is the total return (realized plus unrealized income) earned from holding an investment for a specified period of time.

2. Liquidity. Liquidity is the ability to readily convert an investment into cash, with little or no loss in value.

3. Marketability. Marketability considers the higher demand that certain investments enjoy over others. For example, in some real estate markets a house is more marketable than a condominium. Common stock is more marketable than preferred stock.

4. Personal management required. This refers to the time and personal supervision that are required to manage an investment.

5. Term. Term refers to the specific period of time an asset is held, e.g., long-term or short-term. The term can also refer to whether or not an investment is subject to restricted access, or is locked in for any time periods.

6. Purchasing power. Purchasing power is defined as the ability to preserve purchasing power of the investment capital.

7. Tax considerations. This refers to the tax treatment and after-tax retention of different types of investment income.

8. Risk. The measurable degree of uncertainty associated with a situation or event in which there is exposure to possible loss. In finance, the terms risk and uncertainty are frequently used interchangeably however, risk is different than uncertainty. Risk is measurable while uncertainty is not measurable.