Pennsylvania Injuries Glossary

Legal and insurance terms explained plainly

The part that trips people up most is timing: filing again does not erase the first tax return, and waiting too long can cost a refund or make a tax problem harder to fix. An...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-28

correspondence audit vs field audit

What is the difference between a correspondence audit and a field audit? A correspondence audit is a tax examination handled by mail or through an online IRS account, usually...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-29

currently not collectible status

The worst outcome is assuming a tax debt has gone away when collection has only been paused. Currently not collectible status is an IRS hardship classification that temporarily...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-31

estimated tax penalty

You usually see this in an IRS notice, a tax software warning, or a conversation with an accountant saying you "didn't pay enough during the year." It means the government...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-30

federal tax lien

Miss a tax debt long enough, and the government can claim a legal right to nearly everything you own or may later receive - your home, vehicle, bank accounts, business...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-26

installment agreement

Like paying off a hospital bill in monthly chunks instead of all at once, an installment agreement lets a person or business repay a debt over time under set terms. In tax...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-27

IRS appeals process

Like asking a supervisor to take a second look after a front-line decision goes against you, the IRS appeals process is the formal way to challenge certain IRS findings without...

GLOSSARY 2026-04-03

IRS audit notice

You just got a letter that says the IRS is reviewing your tax return and wants more information. An IRS audit notice is a formal written notice from the Internal Revenue...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-24

IRS levy

A legal seizure of property by the Internal Revenue Service to collect unpaid federal taxes after required notices have been sent and the taxpayer does not resolve the debt. An...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-25

minor beneficiary

You usually see this in paperwork after a death or settlement - something like "funds allocated to the minor beneficiary," "guardian for minor beneficiary," or "court approval...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-23

offer in compromise

You might see this in an IRS letter, a tax relief ad, or a call with a debt resolution company: the government may agree to settle a tax debt for less than the full amount owed...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-29

penalty abatement

You just got a letter that says you owe extra money on top of your tax bill because you filed late, paid late, or made some other tax mistake. Penalty abatement means asking...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-25

period 1 coverage

The part that catches people off guard is this: a rideshare driver can be "working" on the app, but the big company insurance may still be limited. Think of it like a warehouse...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-21

pre-death pain and suffering

Money can be lost fast if this part of a case is missed: it may add significant damages for what a person consciously endured between the injury and death, even if that period...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-23

reasonable cause defense

A legally recognized excuse for failing to meet a tax obligation that can remove a penalty when the taxpayer used ordinary business care and prudence but still could not...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-29

spoliation

Yes - this can cost you money, and sometimes the whole case. If key evidence gets lost, destroyed, overwritten, or "cleaned up" before it can be reviewed, the insurance company...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-21

statute of limitations on tax collections

A statute of limitations on tax collections is the legal time limit within which a taxing authority may collect an assessed tax debt through enforced means such as levies,...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-25

Tax Court petition

Not a letter begging the IRS to be nice, and not the same thing as suing in regular court. A Tax Court petition is the formal document filed with the United States Tax Court to...

GLOSSARY 2026-04-01

wage garnishment for taxes

Like a slice taken out of every paycheck before it ever reaches your bank account, wage garnishment for taxes is a legal process that lets a tax agency collect unpaid tax debt...

GLOSSARY 2026-03-28