What is Self-Liquidating?

Self-liquidating is a term that is used to describe any investment in which the acquired stock, bond, property, or other holding has the inherent capability to offset the expense that was incurred in order to acquire the asset. In many cases, self-liquidating assets can go on to generate profits after creating enough return to cover that initial expense. There are a number of examples of this type of investment activity, ranging from municipal projects to real estate.

One example of a self-liquidating asset would be the construction of a building or toll bridge for use in a city or town. Because the building could be leased out to tenants and generate a regular income, it has the inherent ability to eventually pay off the total cost of the original building project. In like manner, the toll bridge would eventually generate enough revenue to offset the initial investment. From that point forward, both projects would be able to remain self-sustaining and even earn additional profits that could be used to fund other municipal projects.

The same basic concept applies in terms of residential real estate. An individual could purchase a house with the intent of leasing the property and creating a monthly stream of revenue. Assuming a suitable tenant is found, the property begins to generate regular income. Over time, that income offsets the initial investment made by the owner, and begins to generate ongoing profit.

Self-liquidating income can be realized from participating in various types of investment markets, such as the foreign currency exchange market. Savvy investors could identify a trend involving a particular currency and earn enough return to pay for the original purchase and realize a profit as well. For example, the currency investor could buy a given currency while it is relatively weak, hold onto it until it becomes strong, and then sell it for a substantial profit over the original investment.

Engaging in self-liquidating financial deals requires that the buyer have a good sense of what will remain a desirable asset, or what will ultimately fail to be worth that initial investment. Without this ability to properly evaluate an investment opportunity and know how to exploit it to best advantage, any attempt to secure properties or other investments and earn a profit is likely to fail. For this reason, investors tend to look closely at all relevant factors related to the investment, such as past performance and future potential, before choosing to buy into the venture.