Payment

A payment is the trade of value from one party (such as a person or company) to another for goods, or services, or to fulfill a legal obligation. Payment can take a variety of forms. Barter, the exchange of one good or service for another, is a form of payment. The most common means of payment involve use of money, check, or debit, credit or bank transfers. Payments may also take complicated forms, such as stock issues or the transfer of anything of value or benefit to the parties. In trade, payments are frequently preceded by an invoice or bill.