Many people lose track of old bills or credit accounts over time, especially after undergoing significant life changes. For example, moving, switching jobs, or separating from a partner can all cause disruption that muddies your finances.
If you’re worried something has slipped through the cracks, this guide will show you how to find all your debts and who you owe.
Start With Your Credit Reports
The easiest way to find most major debts under your name is to pull your credit reports. These list all outstanding accounts you own that have been shared with the credit bureaus, including credit cards, personal loans, student loans, auto loans, and more.
Once per year, you can request a free credit report through AnnualCreditReport.com for all three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and Transunion. It should include details like the following for each tradeline:
- Account names
- Outstanding balances
- Account status (open, closed, or in collections)
- Contact information for the creditor
Credit reports won’t always include every debt—since some may not be reported to the credit bureaus—but they offer a strong starting point.
Don’t Forget Medical Bills and Utilities
Some debts may not appear in your credit reports right away. For example, medical bills, phone bills, and utility bills often stay off reports until they get sent to collections.
If you’re not sure whether you owe money to these types of service providers, contact them directly to confirm your balance.
Check Your Federal Accounts
Federal debts follow their own rules and may require separate investigation. For example, visit StudentAid.gov to see every federal student loan tied to your Social Security number.
Similarly, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the best place to find records of tax balances. If you think you might owe, log into your ID.me account through the IRS website.
Review Your Bank Statements and Other Records
If you’ve completed the steps above and still suspect you’re missing certain debts, going through your personal records can help you surface the rest. For example, consider looking through the the following:
- Historical bank statements
- Hard-copy bills and letters
- The IdentityTheft.gov website
- Emails and other digital correspondence
If you find evidence of a bill that doesn’t match any of the other debts you’ve discovered, reach out to the creditor for confirmation. They should be able to provide a validation letter that explains the nature of the account, the current balance, and the history of your charges.
Once You Find Everything, Build a Comprehensive List
Once you’ve tracked everything down, put all of the information in one place so it’s easy to reference going forward. For example, you can keep it in your phone notes, on a sheet of paper, or in a digital spreadsheet.
Seeing it all laid out may feel uncomfortable at first, but it also gives you clarity. From there, you can decide what needs attention first and what can wait.
Final Thoughts
Digging yourself out of debt can feel like an insurmountable task, especially if you have debt collectors hounding you over balances you didn’t even know about. That said, the worst thing you can do is to ignore the problem. Every day you delay, your finance charges will only grow bigger, as will the damage to your personal credit.
Fortunately, you don’t have to turn things around on your own. SmartSpending specializes in helping people who feel overwhelmed by their unsecured debts.
In addition to helping you find everything you owe, we can teach you your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), negotiate with creditors on your behalf, and show you how to devise a structured path back to financial stability.
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