What term describes a collection of a payment made in error?

• A. Refund
• B. Receipts
• C. Reimbursements
• D. Payments

Answer: (A)

When money is taken in error, the term used is refund. A refund is money returned to the payer to reverse an erroneous collection or overpayment, restoring the payer’s funds to the correct amount. A receipt, by contrast, is simply a record showing that a payment was made, not a reversal of that payment. Reimbursements refer to paying someone back for expenses they incurred, not correcting an erroneous collection. Payments describe the act of making a payment, without implying any return of funds. So the best term for a collection of a payment made in error is refund.