Nolo was born in 1971 as a publisher of self-help legal books. Guided by the motto “law for all,” our attorney authors and editors have been explaining the law to everyday people ever since. Learn more about our history and our editorial standards.
Each article that we publish has been written or reviewed by one of our editors, who together have over 100 years of experience practicing law. We strive to keep our information current as laws change. Learn more about our editorial standards.
In the financial context: an instrument whose value is based on the value of an underlying security, such as a commodity, currency, or bond. The most common derivatives are futures, options, and swaps. They are used to manage risk and fluctuations in the value of the underlying security but are often risky and complicated investments.
In the immigration law context: a close family member who is allowed to accompany a primary visa holder to the United States.