Before you can pay it off, you need to know exactly what debt is. It’s not just a number. Debt is anything you owe that’s standing between you and your goals. But not all debt looks the same. From credit cards to student loans, there are different types of debt that hold you back in different ways. And watch out for phantom debt—aka old debts that can come back to haunt you. Knowing what debt really is and where it’s hiding is the first step to getting rid of it for good.