Government deficit spending will reach unprecedented proportions to combat the self-induced economic coma of COVID-19 shutdowns. Part of these massive fiscal packages will include government loans for corporations that may otherwise go bankrupt — also known as bailouts.

Before going further, it’s important to clarify the term “bailout” is a misnomer, usually deployed with political motivations to evoke connotations of corporations receiving government handouts. This pretense isn’t true; the bailout money provided to corporations during the 2008 financial crisis were loans repaid with interest, actually making the Treasury and taxpayer money. So when you hear the word, know it typically means the government is essentially investing in distressed companies and getting favorable terms or even equity stakes in return for a capital infusion. It isn’t free money.