What Is Bad Debt?
Receivables deemed unlikely to be collected in full.
Detailed Explanation
May trigger allowance or direct write-off methods. Impacts P&L and cash forecasts.
Example
A bankrupt customer leaves $15k classified as bad debt.
Why It Matters
Realistic AR valuation and smarter credit policies.
Key facts
- Bad debt is an account receivable a business has determined to be uncollectible and writes off as a loss.
- Two methods of accounting for bad debt: (1) Direct write-off — record the loss when specific invoices are deemed uncollectible. (2) Allowance method — estimate uncollectible amounts based on AR aging and historical experience, recorded as a contra-asset.
- U.S. GAAP requires the allowance method for accrual-basis businesses. Cash-basis taxpayers can use direct write-off but cannot deduct bad debt for tax purposes (since they never recognized the revenue).
- Industry benchmark for bad-debt expense: 0.5-2% of revenue for healthy B2B service businesses; 1-3% for B2C retail; higher for lending and subprime sectors.
- Invoices over 90 days past due have a 26% probability of never being collected (Dun & Bradstreet, 2025-2026); over 180 days, that probability rises to 70%+.
How it shows up in practice
A boutique digital agency invoiced $14,200 to a now-bankrupt client in late 2025. Through 6 months of collection attempts (emails, phone calls, demand letter, small-claims filing), they recovered only $2,800. The remaining $11,400 was written off as bad debt expense for the year, reducing taxable income for the agency (an accrual-basis taxpayer). Their bookkeeper documented all collection attempts to support the IRS deduction.
Common mistakes
- Writing off receivables too quickly — most can be collected with proper escalation through 90 days.
- Writing off too slowly — accumulating uncollectible AR distorts financial statements and DSO calculations.
- Failing to document collection attempts — required for IRS deduction support.
- Using direct write-off when GAAP requires the allowance method.
- Not analyzing patterns in bad debt — repeat customer types or industries reveal preventable underwriting failures.
Frequently asked questions
When should I write off a receivable as bad debt?
Common triggers: (1) customer files bankruptcy, (2) collection attempts have failed for 90+ days with no response, (3) customer is unreachable after final demand letter, (4) cost of further collection exceeds the amount owed. Document the decision and rationale.
Can I deduct bad debt on my taxes?
Accrual-basis taxpayers can deduct bad-debt expense for amounts previously included in income. Cash-basis taxpayers generally cannot — since they never recognized the income, there's no loss to deduct. Always consult a tax professional.
What's the difference between bad debt and a write-off?
Bad debt is the broader concept (uncollectible amounts); write-off is the accounting action of removing the receivable from the books. They're often used interchangeably in casual conversation.
How do I estimate bad-debt allowance?
Common methods: (1) Percentage of credit sales (e.g., 1-2% of monthly credit sales), (2) Aging analysis — apply different bad-debt percentages to each AR aging bucket (e.g., 1% under 30 days, 5% 30-60 days, 25% 60-90 days, 75% 90+ days). Use historical data to calibrate.
Should I send bad debt to collections?
Worth it for amounts over ~$1,000 if the customer has assets. Collections agencies typically take 25-50% of recovered amounts. For amounts under $500, the cost-benefit usually favors writing off and improving credit screening for new customers.
Related Resources
Last verified: May 2026
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