How to Find All Your Debts In Australia

If you’ve ever lost track of what you owe, whether it’s a forgotten bill, a Buy Now Pay Later purchase, or a missed loan instalment, you’re not alone. Many Australians carry debt without realising how easily it accumulates. We’re often asked, How can I find all my debts? And it’s a fair question. At Credit Wipe Australia, we speak with everyday Aussies facing these exact situations: unsure of what’s hurting their credit and anxious about where to start.

Whether you’re rebuilding your credit, applying for a loan, or simply want a clear view of your finances, this guide walks you through every step to help you find any debts and missed bills with confidence.

Why It’s Easy to Lose Sight of Your Debts

In Australia, not all debts appear on your credit file straight away. Some never do, until they become a serious problem. Buy Now Pay Later services like Afterpay, for example, usually don’t report your usage unless the account is severely overdue. Utility companies might only report defaults after they’ve handed your account over to a collection agency. Even local councils and healthcare providers can issue debts without it showing up in a credit check.

This is why many people feel blindsided when applying for credit or checking their credit score. They often search “how to check my debt” after their loan gets declined. Sadly, it’s usually then that they find forgotten or hidden debts they never knew existed.

How Can I Find All My Debts?

Step 1: Start with Your Credit Report (But Don’t Stop There)

The first place you should check when trying to find debts is your credit report. In Australia, there are three credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian, and Illion, and you can request a free copy from each of them every year. These reports are essential when you want to find out all of your debts that are formally reported, such as credit cards, personal loans, mortgages, and defaults.

That said, it’s crucial to understand that credit reports don’t show everything.

Step 2: Review All Your Bank Accounts and Statements

Even if your credit report looks clean, it’s smart to go further. If you’re wondering how to check my debt beyond formal records, start by combing through your current bank accounts, old bank accounts, and old loan accounts. Review the last few months of transactions and take note of anything that suggests ongoing financial obligations, particularly BNPL instalments, which we’ll cover below.

These services don’t always show up on your credit file unless things go wrong, which is why many Australians aren’t sure where they stand. If you’ve recently switched banks, remember to check any previous accounts too, especially for pending charges.

Step 3: Log In to BNPL Services

Plenty of people assume that as long as they’re using Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) services responsibly, it won’t affect their credit score. For BNPL providers like AfterPay, that’s partly correct. BNPL providers do not report your positive repayment history, which means your credit score doesn’t benefit. But if payments are missed and your balance goes unpaid, they may refer the matter to a third-party collection agency.

When you’re trying to find out all of your debts, it’s essential to include your Afterpay, Zip, Klarna and other similar accounts, even if they haven’t yet affected your credit file. These hidden debts are often missed by people asking how to find out what debts they have.

Step 4: Check for Debts Outside the Credit System

In Australia, not all debts come from traditional lenders. Your local council, for example, may issue rate notices or unpaid parking fines. Telecom providers may charge for unreturned modems or phone plans that weren’t cancelled properly. These types of debts won’t always appear on your credit report right away, but they can easily move to debt collection.

So when someone says, how can I find all my debts, they need to include these ‘off-record’ debts that don’t show up until it’s too late. Healthcare providers such as dentists and pathology clinics may also send unpaid bills to collectors without much warning.

Step 5: Don’t Forget Shared or Co-Signed Debts

When you hold a joint account or co-sign someone else’s loan, their missed payments can still impact you. That’s why couples and families often search for how to find out what debts you have—especially after relationship breakdowns or financial separation.
Taking stock of joint liabilities is an essential part of rebuilding your credit or applying for finance. If you’ve ever asked how to check my debt and haven’t included shared loans, you might be overlooking some critical items.

Step 6: Use Your Email Inbox as a Clue

Another way to find my debts is by searching your inbox. Terms like “final notice”, “overdue bill”, or “account in arrears” can reveal unpaid accounts you may have forgotten. This is particularly common after moving house or switching internet providers, when small balances get left behind.

People who are serious about fixing their credit often come to us saying, I want to find out all of my debts, but I don’t know where to begin. We tell them: start with your email. It might surprise you how much you’ve missed.

Step 7: Check with Debt Collectors

If you’ve received any calls, letters, or emails from debt collectors, even if they seemed spammy, it’s worth following up. Debt collection agencies don’t always wait for credit reporting agencies to update their records. In some cases, the debt might never even hit your credit file, especially if it’s a small balance or disputed amount.

Contact any collection agency that has reached out to you and ask for a statement of account. You’re legally entitled to know the details of any debt being pursued, including who the original creditor was and how much you owe.

It might feel uncomfortable, but clarity is the first step toward resolution. Many agencies will even work with you to set up manageable payment plans.

Step 8: Check Court Records

In some cases, unresolved debts escalate to legal proceedings. This can include things like unpaid rent, utility bills, or business-related debts. If a creditor takes legal action and wins, a judgment debt may be recorded against your name. These are serious marks that can impact your creditworthiness and borrowing ability.

Each state and territory in Australia has a different way of accessing court records:

• NSW & ACT: NSW Online Registry
• Victoria: Victorian Online Registry
• Queensland: eCourts QLD
• Western Australia: WA eCourtsPortal
• South Australia: Courts SA
• Tasmania: Supreme Courts of Tasmania DB
• You can also do an Australia-wide search for judgements in your name in https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/

Search your name for any civil matters or judgment listings. If you’re unsure how to interpret the results, it’s okay to call the relevant court for guidance. Court records can be a hidden goldmine for anyone trying to answer the question, “How do I find out if I owe money I don’t know about?”

Step 9: Contact the ATO

Another commonly overlooked source of debt is the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Even if you’re not self-employed, you could still owe money for:

• Unpaid tax return obligations
• Overdue HECS/HELP repayments
• Outstanding BAS (Business Activity Statements) if you have an ABN
• PAYG shortfalls, particularly for sole traders or casual workers

You can easily check your ATO debt status by logging into your myGov account and linking it with the ATO. If you’re unsure whether you’re registered or have lost your login, you can contact the ATO directly on 13 28 61.

We’ve seen many clients surprised to learn they owed money from years back, perhaps a shortfall on a previous tax return or unpaid HECS triggered after changing jobs. If you want to be thorough, the ATO check is non-negotiable.

Step 10: Check with Government Services

Government departments outside the ATO can also issue debts, especially if you’ve received benefits or payments in the past. These can include:

• Centrelink: Overpayments, emergency payments, or youth allowance debts
• Child Support Agency: Missed payments or arrears
• NDIS or Veterans Affairs: In rare cases, co-contributions or overpayments may apply
• State revenue offices: Unpaid fines, fees, or traffic infringement notices

All of these may go unnoticed until they’re passed on to collectors, or worse, until legal action begins.

To check for these types of debts:

• Log in to myGov and explore your linked services
• Call Services Australia or the relevant department
• Review any historical correspondence or payment summaries

These types of debts are often “out of sight, out of mind,” which is why they’re so frequently missed in DIY debt checks.

Step 11: Use a Financial Counsellor Or a Credit Specialist

If the process of finding old debts is already feeling overwhelming, you’re not alone, and you don’t have to do it all yourself. Free financial counselling services can help you piece everything together and take meaningful action.

One of the best places to start is the National Debt Helpline, a free, government-backed service staffed by trained professionals. They can:

• Help you understand your credit report
• Contact creditors and collectors on your behalf
• Create a plan to manage or dispute debts
• Assist with hardship applications or negotiations

Contact them at ndh.org.au or by calling 1800 007 007 (available weekdays 9:30 am – 4:30 pm).

Financial counsellors aren’t there to judge—they’re there to support. Whether your debts are large, small, recent, or old, having someone in your corner can make a huge difference.

Even with support from the National Debt Helpline, it can still be a rather time-consuming, confusing, and frustrating process. That’s where credit specialists can help. Credit Wipe Australia provide a free credit report and assessment to help fast-track the whole process.

What to Do Once You’ve Found Your Debts

Once you’ve identified what you owe, take a moment to organise it. Mark which debts are current, which are overdue, and which ones are at risk of going to collections.

If you’re still unclear on how to prioritise or dispute anything, that’s another area where Credit Wipe Australia can help. Whether your issue stems from Afterpay or a provider that didn’t close your account correctly, we can help remove defaults, negotiate debt, and repair your credit score.

Conclusion: Knowing What You Owe Is Power

In Australia, how to find out what debts you have isn’t always straightforward. But taking the time to investigate credit files, bank accounts, Afterpay records, email, utility bills, and the other areas mentioned above puts you ahead. The answer to how to find out all of your debts is not a single step, but a process of looking closely and acting early.

If you’ve been asking yourself how can I find all my debts or how to check my debt, now is the time.

Also, don’t be afraid to take advantage of the services offered at Credit Wipe Australia; we don’t just repair credit, we help people take charge of it. With clear guidance, real understanding, and no judgment, we’re ready to support you at every step. Call us on 1300 247 030.