Ever wondered what a debt write-off really means? A write-off is an accounting step the City of Philadelphia uses to remove debt it does not expect to collect from its financial records. A write-off does not forgive the debt or erase the obligation to pay. The City will still pursue collection.

Attend the 2026 Accounts Review Panel meeting to learn more about how the City reviews debt for accounting purposes. The Panel will meet virtually through Microsoft Teams on Wednesday, September 22, 2026, at 10 a.m. The public is welcome to attend.

Every year, the Department of Revenue holds this public meeting to review old debts and remove them from the City’s financial statements for accounting purposes.

Attend the virtual meeting

Join through Microsoft Teams with the following credentials:

• Meeting link: Join the meeting
• Meeting ID: 212 525 677 056 521, and
• Passcode: h6Jq69s9

To attend by phone, call (267) 404-3440.

If you are calling in from outside Philadelphia, you can find your local number for the Panel here: Conference Dial-in Numbers.

Here’s the agenda for 2026

Order of business:

1. General
   • Introduction of Panel Members
   • Election of:
     • Panel Chairman
     • Recording Secretary
2. Business of the Day
   • Introduction of Recommended Charge-Offs
   • Discussion of Recommendation
   • Call for Action on Recommendation
3. Adjournment

How the Panel works

Philadelphia’s Accounts Review Panel reviews debts the City doesn’t expect to collect. A City Council ordinance established the Panel in 1966.

The City has a legal obligation to provide accurate financial information to bondholders. This includes accounting for debts it doesn’t expect to collect. The Panel’s work helps the City provide an accurate picture of its financial condition.

Before a debt goes before the Panel, the Department of Revenue reviews the factors that affect collection. These may include:

• How old the debt is,
• How much is owed, and
• The circumstances of the person or organization who owes it.

The Department then makes a recommendation to the Panel. Senior Revenue staff are present at Panel meetings to answer questions. The Panel reviews the recommendation as part of the City’s financial reporting process.

Write-offs don’t erase debt or stop collection

For accounting purposes, the City can write off a debt, but it doesn’t mean it’s forgiven.

Financial write-offs are accounting steps. They allow the City to accurately report the money it expects to collect as part of its overall financial picture. There’s still an obligation to pay, and the City will not stop its collection efforts.

There’s a difference between a write-off for accounting purposes and a legal decision not to pursue collection. The Law Department can decide whether a debt should no longer be pursued for collection.

Sometimes laws or ordinances decide when the City can’t collect a debt. For example, certain water debts expire after 15 years. But those aren’t the same as the accounting review conducted by the Accounts Review Panel.

Key takeaway: A write-off changes how the City accounts for a debt, not the debtor’s obligation to pay. By itself, the Panel doesn’t forgive debt or stop the City from collecting.