Vital records
Certified death certificate
An official copy of a death record issued or certified by the responsible vital-records authority.
Reviewed August 19, 2026
Glossary
Understand the administrative term before you choose a form or submit a request.
Browse administrative terms
Read a concise definition first, then open the dedicated term page when one is available for examples and related procedures.
Social Security
Statutory benefit continuation
A separate election that can keep eligible disability payments in place during a medical cessation appeal.
Federal tax
Currently Not Collectible status
An IRS account status that temporarily delays most collection because payment would create financial hardship.
Federal tax
Notice of Federal Tax Lien (NFTL)
The IRS public filing that alerts creditors to the federal government’s claim for unpaid tax.
Federal tax
Injured spouse allocation
An IRS calculation of a spouse’s share of a joint overpayment offset for the other spouse’s debt.
Federal tax
Amended federal tax return
A corrected Form 1040-series return filed with Form 1040-X after the original return was submitted.
Federal tax
IRS audit reconsideration
An IRS process for reevaluating certain closed audit assessments using new information.
Federal tax
IRS installment agreement
A long-term IRS payment plan with scheduled monthly payments.
Medicare
Important Message from Medicare
The CMS-10065 notice explains hospital discharge rights and the fast appeal route.
Medicare
Medicare Change of Status Notice
CMS-10868 explains a hospital's change from inpatient to outpatient observation and the fast appeal.
Medicare
Notice of Medicare Non-Coverage
The CMS-10123 notice explains when covered SNF, home health, hospice, or CORF services end and how to request fast review.
Medicare
Medicare grievance
A complaint about plan service, access, conduct, quality, or process rather than coverage.
Medicare
Medicare Part D coverage determination
The drug plan’s formal initial decision about coverage, payment, exceptions, costs, or utilization rules.
Medicaid
Medicaid fair hearing
A state administrative process for challenging certain eligibility, benefit, service, or delay decisions.
Medicare
Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA)
An additional Part B or Part D amount based on tax-derived income and filing status.
Medicare
IRMAA reconsideration
The first administrative appeal of Social Security's income-related Medicare premium determination.
Change of address
A notice sent to an organization so it updates the address in its own official record. This is not always the same as forwarding mail.
Mail forwarding
A Postal Service arrangement that reroutes eligible mail from an old address to a new one for the selected period.
State or territory motor vehicle office
The jurisdiction-level agency that handles driver licenses, state ID cards, vehicle titles, and registration. Its name is not always “DMV.”
Address of record
The address an agency stores for notices, payments, identity checks, or case correspondence.
Official source
The government agency, statute, regulation, form, or public portal responsible for the information or filing.
Certified copy
An official duplicate authenticated by the office responsible for the record. It is not the same as a plain photocopy.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
A federal needs-based program administered by SSA for certain people with limited income and resources.
Passport acceptance facility
Authorized location that receives certain in-person passport applications for the Department of State; it is not a passport agency for urgent travel.
Creditable prescription drug coverage
Drug coverage expected to pay, on average, at least as much as Medicare drug coverage.
Student Aid Index (SAI)
A FAFSA-based index schools use in financial-need calculations; it is not a dollar amount or final aid offer.
Responsible party (EIN)
The individual who ultimately owns or controls an entity for the IRS employer identification number record.
Nutritional risk (WIC)
A medical, growth, dietary, or related condition identified by a qualified WIC professional for eligibility.
Unemployment base period
The wage-measurement window a state uses for monetary eligibility and benefit calculations.
New and relevant evidence (VA)
Evidence not previously in the record that tends to prove or disprove a matter at issue in a Supplemental Claim.
Adjusted gross income (AGI)
Total taxable income reduced by eligible adjustments to income; it is not the same as gross income, taxable income, or MAGI.
Tax account transcript
An IRS record of basic tax-year data, payments, and changes posted after an original return.
Delayed retirement credits (DRCs)
Increases for eligible months after full retirement age when Social Security retirement benefits are not received.
Full retirement age (FRA)
The Social Security milestone, between age 66 and 67 depending on birth year, used for several retirement-benefit rules.
Board remand
A Board action that returns an appeal to VA for more evidence or another required step without finally granting or denying the remanded issue.
Medicare Savings Program (MSP)
State-administered help for eligible people with certain Medicare premiums and, in some categories, other Medicare cost sharing.
Medicare Summary Notice (MSN)
The Original Medicare statement of processed Part A and Part B claims; it is not a bill.
Medicare redetermination
The first appeal level for an Original Medicare Part A or Part B claim decision, reviewed by the Medicare contractor.
Social Security reconsideration
The first review level for many appealable initial SSA determinations.
Social Security
Civil action under 42 U.S.C. § 405(g)
A federal district court case asking for review of a final Social Security decision.
Apostille
Certificate that authenticates the origin of a public document for use in a Hague Apostille Convention country.
Social Security overpayment
A benefit amount SSA determines exceeded what should have been paid, with separate options to appeal, request a waiver, or arrange repayment.
Social Security overpayment recovery rate
The monthly amount or portion of a payment SSA uses to collect a benefit overpayment.
SNAP
SNAP fair hearing
State administrative review of an action affecting a household’s participation or benefit amount.
Unemployment insurance
Unemployment appeal tribunal
The impartial state authority that conducts the first administrative review of a disputed determination.
WIC
WIC fair hearing
An impartial administrative review of certain WIC denials, disqualifications, or repayment claims.
LIHEAP
LIHEAP fair administrative hearing
The review opportunity for a denied LIHEAP claim or one not acted on with reasonable promptness.
Medicare Advantage
Medicare Advantage organization determination
The plan’s initial formal decision about a medical item, service, Part B drug, or payment.
Federal tax
Automatic Exemption from Penalty (AEP)
Automatic IRS administrative relief for certain penalties when an eligible return and compliance history qualify.
Federal tax
Offer in compromise (OIC)
An IRS agreement that can resolve an eligible federal tax liability for less than the full amount owed.
Federal tax
Collection Due Process hearing (CDP)
An IRS Appeals review of a qualifying federal tax lien or levy action after a timely written request.
Federal tax
Innocent spouse relief
Federal IRS relief that may remove or allocate joint-return tax liability under specific rules.
Significant hardship
The TAS standard for serious harm caused or threatened by IRS administration.