How to Find Information on a Business That No Longer Exists

Businesses can close, be sold, or change for a variety of reasons. You might need information on a defunct company to verify employment history, for tax purposes, or for other reasons. Here are several strategies to help you find information on a business that no longer exists:

Method 1: Finding Out if a Company Has Gone Out of Business

Step 1: Contact the State Where the Business is Registered

1. Companies must register with the State Secretary or Division of Corporations where they conduct business.
2. This information is usually searchable online.
3. Locate your State Secretary by entering the search terms “Secretary” and the name of the state you are researching in a search engine.

Step 2: Contact the Better Business Bureau

1. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has information on thousands of businesses throughout the United States.
2. You can find reviews and complaints about the business you are researching on the BBB website.

Method 2: Finding Historical Information for a Defunct Company

Step 1: Locate Records through the Library of Congress

1. The Library of Congress has compiled a list of resources to assist researchers in finding information on old businesses.
2. If you have trouble finding information online, you can submit your question directly to library staff.

Step 2: Search the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Databases

1. Any business that offers publicly traded securities must file reports with the SEC.
2. If the company was in business on or after 1996, you can use the SEC online search engine to find information.
3. You can request documents not accessible through the search engine by submitting an online form. There may be a fee for certain documents.

Step 3: Locate Websites that Are No Longer Online on the Wayback Machine

1. The Wayback Machine is an online archive of more than 200 billion web pages, found at https://archive.org/web/.
2. If you know the name of the website that the business used to use, enter it in the search bar to see snapshots of the webpage at previous points in time.

Step 4: Find Business Records for a Company in Your Community

1. Research records at the county clerk’s office if you know the county where the business was located.
2. Locate the correct office by searching the National Association of Counties website.

Step 5: Contact Your State’s Department of State

1. The Department of State registers business entities and maintains old business information for any business in its jurisdiction.
2. Find your state’s Department of State office either through an online search or by going to the National Association of Secretaries of State website.

Method 3: Researching a Company You Worked For

Step 1: Locate the Company Information to Verify Your Employment History

1. Use recent pay documents such as pay stubs or tax forms to verify your job title and salary history.
2. Contact the Social Security Administration to request your earnings history on their website at https://www.ssa.gov/. There may be a fee depending on the number of years for which you’re requesting information.

Step 2: Locate Former Contacts

1. Search social media sites such as LinkedIn for contact information on the company, as well as your former managers and coworkers.
2. Attend networking meetings in your former industry.
3. Contact your university’s alumni association for colleagues who graduated from your school.

Method 4: Collecting Money Owed to You

Step 1: Attempt to Collect a Debt from a Defunct Company

1. Consult an attorney if the business owes you money and is about to close.
2. If the business declares bankruptcy, it may still be possible to collect all or part of the debt. The Small Business Association provides general guidelines on how the collection process works.
3. If you are unable to collect the debt from the defunct business, you may be able to write it off as a tax deduction. The IRS provides information on what it does and does not allow to be written off.

Step 2: Access a Defined Benefit (Traditional Pension) Plan from a Defunct Company

1. Contact the plan custodian if your plan was administered by a financial company such as Fidelity or Vanguard.
2. If your plan was not administered by a financial company, contact the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) at https://www.pbgc.gov/.

Step 3: Access a Defined Contribution (401(k)) Plan from a Defunct Company

1. Contact the plan custodian if your 401(k) was administered by a financial company.
2. If your plan custodian is no longer in business, contact the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) at 1-866-444-3272 or https://www.dol.gov/ebsa/.
3. Check the National Registry of Unclaimed Benefits at https://www.unclaimedretirementbenefits.com/.

Method 5: Researching Older Stocks

Step 1: Locate Information on the Stock Certificate

1. Find or inherit stock certificates from a company no longer in business.
2. Use the CUSIP, stock’s transfer agent, and State Securities Regulator information on the certificate to research the history of the company.

Step 2: Check Public Records Online

1. Search public records through the Harvard Law School Library and the Library of Congress Business History database.

Step 3: Contact Your State Historical Society

1. Many historical societies have information on businesses that operated in that state. You can find a list of state historical societies in the Preservation Directory.

By using these methods, you can gather information about businesses that no longer exist, ensuring you have the necessary details for your purposes.