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Year-Over-Year National Bankruptcy Filings

Chapter 7 Statistics

Chapter 13 Statistics

Chapter 11 Statistics

Chapter 12 Statistics

Weekly District Filings

*We've updated our statistics to use the case entry date, aligning better with our advanced bankruptcy report and case list data for subscribed BankruptcyWatch users.

Our Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics (Updated January 12th, 2026)

Week 2 showed mixed year-over-year results, with consumer bankruptcies rising approximately 15% while business filings declined roughly 19% compared with the same week last year. Chapter 7 filings, a lifeline for many struggling households, were up 12.75% year-over-year (4,400 in 2025 to 4,961 in 2026). Chapter 13 filings, allowing individuals to restructure their debt, were up 18.03% year-over-year (3,467 in 2025 to 4,092 in 2026). Chapter 11 filings, often used by businesses dealing with insolvency, were down 18.66% year-over-year (209 in 2025 to 170 in 2026).

These results suggest a divergence between household and commercial distress. The decline in Chapter 11 filings may reflect seasonal timing or deal pipeline shifts rather than improved business conditions. Meanwhile, the stronger growth in Chapter 13 filings (18%) versus Chapter 7 (12.75%) indicates more consumers are attempting debt restructuring rather than full liquidation, potentially signaling that filers still have enough income to pursue repayment plans.

The consumer filing increases align with broader stress indicators: the NY Fed's January survey shows 15.3% of Americans expect to miss debt payments, the highest since April 2020, while essential costs like healthcare, housing, and childcare continue outpacing wage growth.

Want to know about the news articles that caught our eye this week? Start here.

Where Inflation Has Hit the Hardest (2000–2025): Hospital services have risen 275% since 2000, with college tuition up 196% and housing up 111%, all outpacing overall U.S. inflation of 92%, putting growing strain on consumer budgets.

JPMorgan Says 'Everything' on Table to Fight 10% Credit Card Cap (Bloomberg): JPMorgan warned Trump's proposed 10% rate cap would "significantly change" its card business and harm consumers, with CFO Jeremy Barnum saying "everything's on the table" to push back

15.3% of Americans Expect to Miss Debt Payments: The NY Fed's January 2026 survey shows 15.3% of Americans expect to miss a minimum debt payment, the highest since April 2020, with the hardest hit being those over 60, without college degrees, and households under $50K.

Consumer Credit Signals Reset and Resilience: The mean probability of losing one's job rose to 15.2% in December (highest since March 2024), while revolving credit balances are declining, suggesting households are proactively adjusting behavior amid rising risk signals.

AI Analysis of this Week's Bankruptcy Statistics 

We exported our dataset containing the daily filing numbers for every chapter and district to different AI models and asked for an analysis. Below are the exact results for each model.

Claude 4.5 Opus Extended Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics

Overview of this week's National filings. During the second week of 2026, the United States recorded a total of 9,229 bankruptcy filings across all districts nationwide. Chapter 7 liquidation bankruptcies accounted for 4,961 filings, representing 53.8% of all cases filed that week. Chapter 13 wage earner plans comprised 4,092 filings at 44.3% of the total, while Chapter 11 business reorganizations totaled 170 filings at 1.8%. Chapter 12 family farmer bankruptcies were minimal with only 6 filings, representing just 0.1% of the weekly total. This distribution shows that individual bankruptcies (Chapters 7 and 13 combined) dominated the filing landscape at 98.2% of all cases.

An interesting fact about this week's filings. The second week of 2026 showed a modest increase of 220 filings compared to the first week, representing a 2.4% week-over-week growth from 9,009 to 9,229 total filings. Chapter 11 business bankruptcy filings reached 170 cases this week, indicating ongoing financial stress in the commercial sector despite broader economic conditions. When comparing this week to the same week in previous years, the growth trajectory is striking: 2022 recorded 5,888 filings, 2023 saw 6,708, 2024 reached 7,563, and 2025 hit 8,085. The 9,229 filings in week 2 of 2026 represent a 56.7% increase over the same week in 2022, demonstrating a consistent upward trend. This four-year progression shows an average annual increase of approximately 14% in weekly bankruptcy filings.

An overview of this week's district-level filings with reference to actual district filing numbers. The Northern District of Georgia led the nation with 476 total bankruptcy filings during week 2, including 219 Chapter 7 cases and a substantial 241 Chapter 13 cases. The Middle District of Florida followed closely with 416 total filings, of which 275 were Chapter 7 liquidations, making it the district with the highest Chapter 7 count nationwide. California's Central District recorded 372 total filings with 275 Chapter 7 cases, while Illinois Northern District reported 364 total filings including 177 Chapter 7 cases. Texas Northern District rounded out the top five with 273 total filings, demonstrating that large metropolitan areas continue to drive national bankruptcy trends.

Geographic (district) disparities in filings. The disparity between districts reveals significant geographic variation in bankruptcy filing patterns, with the highest-filing district recording 476 cases while the lowest-filing districts reported just 4 filings each. Alaska and Vermont tied for the lowest filing volumes at 4 cases each, followed by Maine with 6 filings, Wyoming with 8 filings, and the District of Columbia with 10 filings. The median district filing count stood at 76 cases, indicating that half of all districts filed fewer than 76 bankruptcies while the other half filed more. The 119-fold difference between the highest and lowest filing districts (476 versus 4) reflects vast differences in population density, economic conditions, and regional financial stress. Districts serving major metropolitan areas such as Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas consistently showed the highest filing volumes.

Current year focus. Through the first two weeks of 2026, the United States has recorded 18,238 total bankruptcy filings, establishing a robust pace for the year ahead. Chapter 7 liquidations lead with 10,734 filings representing 58.9% of the year-to-date total, while Chapter 13 wage earner plans account for 7,213 filings at 39.5%. Chapter 11 business reorganizations total 282 cases at 1.5% of filings, with Chapter 12 family farmer cases remaining minimal at 9 filings. The current weekly average of 9,119 filings suggests sustained high levels of financial distress among American households and businesses. This early-year filing pace significantly exceeds all previous years in the dataset, with 2026's two-week total surpassing 2025's comparable period by 2,622 filings.

Comparative analysis with previous years. When examining the first two weeks of each year, the upward trajectory becomes unmistakable: 2022 recorded 10,874 filings, 2023 saw 11,850, 2024 reached 12,972, and 2025 hit 15,616, while 2026 has already accumulated 18,238 filings. This represents a 67.7% increase over 2022's two-week total and a 16.8% increase over 2025's start. Focusing specifically on week 2 across these years reveals consistent growth: from 5,888 in 2022 to 6,708 in 2023 (13.9% increase), then 7,563 in 2024 (12.7% increase), 8,085 in 2025 (6.9% increase), and finally 9,229 in 2026 (14.1% increase). The 2026 week 2 figure is 3,341 filings higher than the same week in 2022, a remarkable 56.7% increase over four years. Year-over-year growth has ranged from 6.9% to 14.1%, indicating that bankruptcy filings have consistently accelerated regardless of economic cycles.

Analyzing the filings per capita. Adjusting for population growth reveals that bankruptcy filing rates per capita have increased even more dramatically than raw numbers suggest. In week 2 of 2022, the filing rate stood at 1.77 per 100,000 population, which climbed to 2.00 in 2023, 2.25 in 2024, 2.39 in 2025, and reached 2.71 in 2026. This 53% increase in the per-capita filing rate from 2022 to 2026 demonstrates that population growth alone cannot explain the surge in bankruptcy filings. The 2026 per-capita rate of 2.71 filings per 100,000 people represents the highest level observed in this dataset, suggesting that a growing proportion of Americans are experiencing severe financial distress. When annualized, the current pace would yield approximately 141 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 population for the full year 2026. This metric clearly shows that bankruptcy has become an increasingly common financial event for American households.

Analyzing the changing filings per capita. The year-over-year changes in per-capita filing rates reveal an accelerating trend with some fluctuation. From 2022 to 2023, the rate increased by 0.24 filings per 100,000 population (a 13.4% jump), followed by another 0.24 increase from 2023 to 2024 (12.1% growth). The 2024 to 2025 transition showed a slower 0.14 increase (6.4% growth), suggesting a potential moderation in the trend. However, 2025 to 2026 reversed this deceleration with a sharp 0.32 increase per 100,000 population, representing a robust 13.5% growth rate. Over the four-year period from 2022 to 2026, the compound annual growth rate in per-capita filings stands at 11.3%, indicating that Americans are filing for bankruptcy at an increasingly rapid pace even after accounting for population increases.

Forecast the expected filing numbers for the rest of the year. Based on the current weekly average of 9,119 filings through the first two weeks of 2026, and with 50 weeks remaining in the year, the nation can expect approximately 455,950 additional bankruptcy filings. This projection would bring the total 2026 filings to approximately 474,188 cases nationwide. However, this forecast should be interpreted cautiously as it assumes the current pace continues uniformly throughout the year without accounting for seasonal variations that typically occur in bankruptcy filings. Historical data shows that summer months often see reduced filing activity while autumn months typically experience increased volumes as households make year-end financial decisions. If weekly filing rates maintain their current trajectory or accelerate further, 2026 could potentially approach or exceed 500,000 total bankruptcy filings for the year.

Forecast the trends of increasing filings after 2025. Historical growth rates from 2022 through 2025 provide a foundation for projecting future bankruptcy trends, with annual increases of 17.7%, 13.2%, and 11.7% respectively, averaging 14.2% per year. If this 14.2% average growth rate continues beyond 2025, the nation could see approximately 541,000 bankruptcy filings in 2027, rising to 618,000 in 2028, and potentially reaching 806,000 by 2030. These projections assume that current economic pressures—including elevated consumer debt levels, housing affordability challenges, and persistent inflation—will continue to strain household finances. However, several factors could alter this trajectory, including changes in interest rates, employment levels, housing market dynamics, or modifications to bankruptcy laws. The sustained upward trend from 2022 through early 2026 suggests that without significant economic improvements or policy interventions, Americans will continue seeking bankruptcy protection at historically elevated rates well into the next decade.

ChatGPT 4o Pro Analysis of this Week's Bankruptcy Statistics 

Overview of This Week's National Filings
For the week ending January 12, 2026, a total of 9,229 bankruptcy filings were recorded across the United States. This figure represents the collective filings from all chapters and districts. The breakdown by bankruptcy type shows 4,961 filings under Chapter 7, 170 under Chapter 11, 6 under Chapter 12, and 4,092 under Chapter 13. This distribution suggests that the majority of filers continue to prefer Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 proceedings. The aggregate volume indicates a strong filing week early in the year, setting a notable pace for 2026.

An Interesting Fact About This Week's Filings
An intriguing detail from this week’s data is the relatively high volume of Chapter 13 filings, totaling 4,092, nearly matching the Chapter 7 total of 4,961. This parity is uncommon historically, as Chapter 7 typically dominates filing statistics. The low Chapter 12 total of just 6 filings reflects its narrow applicability to family farmers and fishermen. Chapter 11 filings, at 170, remain consistent with typical early-year trends where business reorganizations begin after the holidays. The close competition between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 suggests shifts in debtor preferences or demographic factors influencing filing decisions.

Overview of District-Level Filings
Drilling down to district-level activity, we observe significant variation across the country. For example, the CAC (Central District of California) posted 275 Chapter 7 filings, one of the highest district totals. Meanwhile, AZ (District of Arizona) recorded 174 Chapter 7 filings, also among the leaders. Some states like ALN (Northern District of Alabama) contributed 73 filings, reflecting strong regional filing activity. These district-level values feed into the national totals and show where demand for bankruptcy protection is concentrated.

Geographic Disparities in Filings
Geographic disparities are clear when comparing districts like CAC (275 Chapter 7 filings) to smaller contributors like AK (District of Alaska), which only had 1 filing. The difference of over 270 filings between these extremes shows how population size, local economic conditions, and court infrastructure affect bankruptcy activity. Southern and southwestern states like AL, AZ, and CA consistently report higher filing counts, possibly due to ongoing economic strain. Meanwhile, rural or less populated regions like WY and VT reported significantly fewer filings. This trend underscores the urban-rural divide in access to and use of bankruptcy protections.

Current Year Focus
As of the second week of 2026, the cumulative filings for the year have reached 9,229, since the data is week-specific and only one week is marked as fully complete. Chapter 7 filings account for over 53% of the total so far, at 4,961. Chapter 13 filings are close behind, suggesting a trend worth monitoring as the year progresses. With Chapter 11 filings starting at 170, business restructuring may pick up in subsequent weeks. The opening numbers for 2026 give us a foundational benchmark to track year-long trends in personal and business insolvencies.

Comparative Analysis with Previous Years
Compared to Week 2 of 2025 (not shown here but assumed available in the dataset), this week's 9,229 total filings likely represent an increase based on typical annual growth patterns. If Week 2 of 2025 had approximately 8,500 filings, then 2026's figure marks an 8.6% year-over-year increase. Chapter 7’s share has also grown from under 50% in prior years to 53.7% this year. Chapter 13, while historically variable, shows strength at 4,092, which may reflect a healthier employment environment allowing debtors to commit to repayment plans. These comparative insights show that bankruptcy activity is rising, but with potentially different underlying drivers than previous years.

Analyzing the Filings Per Capita
Assuming a national population of roughly 334 million, the 9,229 filings this week equate to approximately 2.76 filings per 100,000 people. This figure is higher than the long-term average weekly rate, suggesting a possible uptick in financial distress. If we focus on states like California with 275 filings in one district alone, per capita rates in those regions are likely well above the national average. Conversely, districts like Alaska, with just 1 filing, show extremely low per capita rates. This disparity confirms that per capita bankruptcy trends vary significantly by geography and local economic context.

Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita
Comparing this week’s 2.76 per 100,000 people to earlier years shows an upward trend from pre-pandemic norms of around 2.1 per 100,000. This increase reflects cumulative inflation, rising consumer debt, and post-pandemic policy shifts, such as the end of certain relief programs. If this pace continues or accelerates, we may see a 2026 average closer to 3.0 per 100,000, a substantial jump. The high Chapter 13 numbers also suggest that debtors may be exploring structured repayment rather than liquidation, reflecting evolving financial strategies. These patterns imply not only higher volume but also changes in debtor profiles and needs.

Forecasting Filing Numbers for the Rest of the Year
Extrapolating from Week 2’s 9,229 filings, and assuming similar or increasing weekly volumes, we could project over 480,000 filings for 2026. This assumes an average of roughly 9,200 filings per week over 52 weeks, accounting for occasional dips. If trends continue upward, as January filings suggest, the total could push beyond 500,000. Chapter 7 filings could exceed 260,000, while Chapter 13 filings might hit 220,000, depending on economic conditions and court trends. These forecasts rely on the assumption that early-year momentum holds steady or accelerates.

Forecasting Trends Beyond 2025
Looking past 2025, current indicators suggest a continuing increase in bankruptcy filings through 2027 and beyond. If the economic pressures (e.g., inflation, interest rates, and household debt) persist, we may see national weekly filings averaging 10,000 or more in future years. That would result in 520,000+ filings annually, assuming no major legislative or economic interventions. Chapter 13 filings may grow fastest, especially if income stability improves, allowing more people to commit to repayment plans. Overall, post-2025 trends suggest both volume growth and evolving chapter preferences in the bankruptcy landscape.

Claude 4.5 Sonnet Extended Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics 

Overview of This Week's National Filings The latest fully completed week (Week 2 of 2026) recorded a national total of 9,229 bankruptcy filings across all chapters and districts. This represents a 2.4% increase from the previous week (Week 1), which had 9,009 filings, indicating a steady start to the new year. Chapter 7 liquidation filings dominated with 4,961 cases, accounting for 53.8% of all filings, while Chapter 13 wage-earner reorganizations contributed 4,092 cases at 44.3%. Chapter 11 business reorganizations totaled 170 filings (1.8%), and Chapter 12 family farmer cases were minimal at just 6 filings. The combined weekly total of 9,229 marks a significant milestone as it approaches the psychological threshold of 10,000 weekly filings.

An Interesting Fact About This Week's Filings The most striking aspect of Week 2, 2026 is the dramatic 14.1% year-over-year increase compared to the same week in 2025, which recorded only 8,085 filings. Over a four-year span from Week 2 of 2022 to Week 2 of 2026, total filings have surged by 56.7%, representing an addition of 3,341 weekly cases. Chapter 13 filings showed the most remarkable growth at 77.6% over this period, rising from 2,304 cases in 2022 to 4,092 in 2026. Chapter 11 business filings nearly doubled with a 91.0% increase, jumping from 89 to 170 cases, suggesting heightened commercial financial stress. This acceleration in filings indicates that American households and businesses continue to face mounting financial pressures that far exceed pre-2022 levels.

An Overview of This Week's District-Level Filings The Northern District of Georgia led all 94 federal districts with an impressive 476 total filings during Week 2, accounting for 5.2% of the national total. The Middle District of Florida ranked second with 416 filings, followed closely by the Central District of California at 372 filings and the Northern District of Illinois at 364 filings. The Northern District of Texas contributed 273 filings, while the Eastern District of Michigan recorded 269 cases. The top 10 districts collectively handled approximately 31% of all national filings, demonstrating significant concentration in major metropolitan areas.

Geographic (District) Disparities in Filings The geographic disparity in bankruptcy filings is extraordinarily pronounced, with the highest-volume district (Northern Georgia at 476 filings) recording 119 times more cases than the lowest non-zero district (Vermont at just 4 filings). Regional analysis reveals that Southern states account for a dominant 45.0% of all national filings (4,152 cases), while the Midwest contributes 22.3% (2,058 cases). Western states represent 18.5% of filings (1,707 cases), and the Northeast accounts for just 14.2% (1,312 cases). Three districts reported zero filings for the week, including Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands. This regional imbalance suggests that economic stress is disproportionately concentrated in the Sun Belt and Southeastern states.

Current Year Focus The year 2026 has begun with exceptional intensity, posting a year-to-date total of 18,238 filings through the first two completed weeks. This represents a substantial 16.8% increase over the same two-week period in 2025, which recorded 15,616 filings. Week 2 of 2026 alone saw Chapter 7 filings reach 4,961, the highest weekly total for this chapter in the comparable period across all years analyzed. Chapter 13 filings at 4,092 reflect an 18.0% jump from the 3,467 recorded in Week 2 of 2025. If current trends continue through the remainder of the year, 2026 is on pace to potentially exceed 650,000 total annual filings.

Comparative Analysis with Previous Years Examining Week 2 across five consecutive years reveals a persistent upward trajectory: 5,888 filings in 2022, 6,708 in 2023, 7,563 in 2024, 8,085 in 2025, and now 9,229 in 2026. Annual totals have climbed from 378,317 in 2022 to 445,173 in 2023, 503,744 in 2024, and 562,562 in 2025, representing a compound annual growth rate of 14.14%. The year-over-year percentage increases for Week 2 have been 13.9% (2022-2023), 12.7% (2023-2024), 6.9% (2024-2025), and 14.1% (2025-2026), indicating an acceleration after a brief slowdown. Chapter 11 commercial filings showed notable volatility, spiking to 209 in Week 2 of 2025 before moderating to 170 in 2026. The cumulative evidence demonstrates that bankruptcy filings have not plateaued but continue their relentless multi-year ascent.

Analyzing the Filings Per Capita Week 2 of 2026 produced a filing rate of 2.71 per 100,000 people, assuming a national population of approximately 340 million. This represents a meaningful increase from the 2.39 per 100,000 rate observed in Week 2 of 2025 and the 2.25 rate in Week 2 of 2024. On an annualized basis, 2025 recorded approximately 166.24 filings per 100,000 Americans, up substantially from 113.51 per 100,000 in 2022. The per capita filing rate has increased by approximately 53.6% over the four-year period from 2022 to 2026, outpacing raw filing growth due to relatively modest population increases. This per capita perspective confirms that the rise in bankruptcies reflects genuine increases in household and business financial distress rather than mere population growth.

Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita The per capita year-over-year change for Week 2 of 2026 was 13.61%, indicating that the acceleration in filings significantly outpaces population growth of roughly 0.5% annually. Historical per capita growth rates for Week 2 were 13.35% (2022-2023), 12.18% (2023-2024), 6.36% (2024-2025), and 13.61% (2025-2026), showing a resurgence after a slower 2025 comparison. The 2024-to-2025 slowdown appears to have been an anomaly, as 2026 has returned to double-digit per capita growth rates. If per capita rates continue increasing at roughly 12-14% annually, the filing rate could approach 3.5 per 100,000 per week by late 2027. This persistent per capita acceleration suggests structural economic factors driving financial distress rather than temporary cyclical pressures.

Forecast the Expected Filing Numbers for the Rest of the Year Based on the 16.8% year-to-date growth rate observed through Week 2, the projected 2026 annual total would reach approximately 657,000 filings if this pace continues. Linear trend extrapolation from 2022-2025 data (adding roughly 61,130 filings annually) suggests a more conservative estimate of 625,276 filings for 2026. Applying the compound annual growth rate of 14.14% to the 2025 total of 562,562 yields a projection of approximately 642,000 filings. Weekly averages are expected to climb from the 2025 average of 10,818 to potentially 12,000-12,500 during peak weeks in fall 2026. Barring significant macroeconomic interventions or policy changes, 2026 appears virtually certain to exceed 600,000 annual filings for the first time since at least 2020.

Forecast the Trends of Increasing Filings After 2025 The sustained compound annual growth rate of 14.14% from 2022 through 2025 suggests that bankruptcy filings could reach 732,000 in 2027, 836,000 in 2028, and potentially approach 955,000 by 2029. If current trajectories persist, the United States could see annual filings exceed 1 million by 2030, representing a filing rate of approximately 290 per 100,000 Americans annually. Chapter 13 filings, which grew 77.6% over four years, may continue outpacing Chapter 7 growth as more debtors attempt wage-earner repayment plans before resorting to liquidation. Economic factors including elevated interest rates, persistent inflation effects, and mounting consumer debt levels suggest the underlying drivers of bankruptcy growth remain firmly in place. Without substantial improvements in household finances or major policy interventions, the multi-year upward trend in bankruptcy filings shows no indication of reversal through the remainder of this decade.

ChatGPT 5.2 Analysis of this Week's Bankruptcy Statistics 

In the latest fully completed week (the second week of 2026), national filings totaled 9,229. Of that total, 4,961 were Chapter 7 filings, 170 were Chapter 11 filings, 6 were Chapter 12 filings, and 4,092 were Chapter 13 filings. Compared with the prior week (the first week of 2026), national filings rose from 9,009 to 9,229, a gain of 220. The week-to-week mix shifted because Chapter 7 fell from 5,773 to 4,961 (down 812) while Chapter 13 jumped from 3,121 to 4,092 (up 971). Versus the same week one year earlier (second week of 2025), the national total increased from 8,085 to 9,229 (up 1,144).

The most striking feature this week is how dominant consumer-style volume was: Chapter 7 plus Chapter 13 equaled 4,961 + 4,092 = 9,053 filings out of the 9,229 national total. That means only 176 filings were outside Chapters 7 and 13 this week (because 9,229 − 9,053 = 176). Even within that remainder, Chapter 11 was just 170 filings nationwide, and Chapter 12 was 6, showing how small those segments were this week. What’s especially interesting is the “hand-off” from last week: Chapter 7 dropped 812 week-over-week (from 5,773 to 4,961) while Chapter 13 rose 971 (from 3,121 to 4,092). Netting those two moves together explains most of the total change of +220 from 9,009 to 9,229.

District-level filings were concentrated, with several districts posting totals in the hundreds during this latest week. The highest district total was 476 (Georgia Northern), followed by 416 (Florida Middle), 372 (California Central), 364 (Illinois Northern), and 273 (Texas Northern). For context, Georgia Northern’s 476 this week is up from 349 last week, while Illinois Northern’s 364 is up from 258 last week. California Central shows the opposite pattern, dropping from 544 last week to 372 this week despite the national total rising from 9,009 to 9,229. At the low end, several districts recorded 0 filings this week (including Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and Virgin Islands), while Alaska and Vermont each had 4.

The geographic spread is wide: the top district at 476 filings is infinitely larger than districts that posted 0, and it is 472 higher than a district like Alaska at 4. Even among high-volume districts, the gap is meaningful—Georgia Northern at 476 is 104 higher than California Central at 372, and 203 higher than Texas Northern at 273. Week-over-week, disparities also shifted: Georgia Northern rose from 349 to 476 (+127), while California Central fell from 544 to 372 (−172). These cross-currents happened while the national total moved only +220 (from 9,009 to 9,229), meaning regional changes were partially offsetting one another. Year-over-year, Georgia Northern moved from 357 in the comparable week of 2025 to 476 now (+119), while Texas Northern was essentially flat at 274 then versus 273 now (−1).

Focusing on the current year to date (weeks one and two of 2026), national filings sum to 18,238. Over those two weeks, Chapter 7 totals 10,734, Chapter 11 totals 282, Chapter 12 totals 9, and Chapter 13 totals 7,213. That puts the year-to-date weekly average at 9,119 filings (because 18,238 ÷ 2 = 9,119), with the latest week slightly above that at 9,229. Compared with the same two-week period in 2025, the year-to-date total is higher by 2,622 (from 15,616 to 18,238). The increase is split across big categories as well, with Chapter 7 up 1,704 year-to-date (10,734 vs 9,030) and Chapter 13 up 933 (7,213 vs 6,280).

Looking across prior years for the same week (second week), the national total has risen steadily: 5,888 (2022), 6,708 (2023), 7,563 (2024), 8,085 (2025), and now 9,229 (2026). This latest week’s 9,229 is 1,666 higher than the second week of 2024 (7,563) and 2,521 higher than the second week of 2023 (6,708). Chapter 7 for this week (4,961) is higher than the second week of 2025 (4,400) by 561, but lower than last week’s 5,773 by 812. Chapter 13 for this week (4,092) exceeds the second week of 2025 (3,467) by 625, and it also exceeds the second week of 2024 (3,218) by 874. Meanwhile, Chapter 11 is lower than last year’s comparable week (170 vs 209, down 39), showing that the year-over-year growth is not being driven by Chapter 11.

Using a national population baseline of about 349 million people for 2026, this week’s 9,229 filings translate to roughly 2.64 filings per 100,000 people. Using the same baseline for comparison, the prior week’s 9,009 filings are about 2.58 per 100,000, so the per-capita rate ticked up by about 0.06 per 100,000 week-over-week. For year-over-year context on the same week, 8,085 filings in the second week of 2025 equate to about 2.32 per 100,000, versus 2.64 per 100,000 now. On a per-capita basis, the increase from 8,085 to 9,229 corresponds to about 0.33 more filings per 100,000 people. The chapter mix also matters for per-capita exposure: Chapter 7’s 4,961 is about 1.42 per 100,000, while Chapter 13’s 4,092 is about 1.17 per 100,000.

The per-capita direction is being shaped by offsetting chapter shifts, even though the national total rose by 220 (from 9,009 to 9,229). Chapter 7 fell 812 week-over-week (from 5,773 to 4,961), which on the same population baseline is a decline of about 0.23 per 100,000. Chapter 13 increased 971 (from 3,121 to 4,092), roughly +0.28 per 100,000, more than compensating for the Chapter 7 drop. That is why the overall rate moved up only modestly (about 2.58 to 2.64 per 100,000) despite large internal churn. The year-over-year per-capita rise (from 8,085 to 9,229) is consistent with this rebalancing, because Chapter 13 is up 625 while Chapter 11 is down 39 in the comparable week.

A simple weekly projection for the remainder of 2026 can be anchored on the year-to-date comparison: weeks one and two total 18,238 in 2026 versus 15,616 in 2025, a factor of about 1.168×. Applying that factor to the full-year 2025 total of 562,562 suggests an indicative 2026 total of about 657,019 filings if the relationship holds. With 18,238 already recorded in the first two weeks, that would imply roughly 638,781 filings across the remaining 50 weeks. Spread evenly, that’s about 12,776 filings per week for the rest of the year, which is higher than this latest week’s 9,229 and reflects that many years run hotter than their first two weeks. If you prefer a nearer-term baseline, simply annualizing the current two-week average of 9,119 would yield about 474,188 (9,119 × 52), which is below the 657,019 trend-based estimate and highlights the uncertainty when only two weeks (including 9,229 this week) are observed.

Longer-run trends after 2025 have been strongly upward in the annual totals: 378,317 (2022), 445,173 (2023), 503,744 (2024), and 562,562 (2025). From 2022 to 2025, that’s an average growth rate of roughly 14% per year, which is consistent with the week-level progression from 5,888 (second week of 2022) to 9,229 (second week of 2026). If the annual pattern were to continue beyond 2025 at a similar pace, a rough trajectory would put 2026 in the neighborhood of the mid-600,000s (the week-based estimate above was ~657,019) and then potentially higher in subsequent years. The composition also points to where growth may concentrate: in 2025 the annual Chapter 7 total was 350,380 and Chapter 13 was 203,225, and this latest week still shows those two categories dominating with 4,961 and 4,092 out of 9,229. If consumer-driven pressure remains the main engine, you’d expect continued increases to show up more in the Chapter 7/13 bands than in Chapter 11, which is only 170 in the latest week even as the national total is 9,229.

Gemini Advanced Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics

National Trends: Across the United States, bankruptcy filings are up across all chapters, indicating a widespread increase in financial distress. Chapter 7 filings show the most significant jump, suggesting more individuals are seeking a fresh start financially.

Business Bankruptcies: Chapter 11 filings, primarily used by businesses, are clustered in a few major districts, highlighting the role of specialized courts and legal expertise in handling complex reorganizations.

Regional Differences: Bankruptcy filings are not evenly distributed across the country. Some districts show much higher rates of Chapter 7 filings, pointing to potential disparities in economic conditions and financial pressures faced by households in those areas.

Urban vs. Rural: The data generally shows more bankruptcy filings in urban areas compared to rural ones, likely reflecting differences in population density, economic activity, and cost of living.

Year-to-Date: So far in 2025, we've seen a noticeable rise in bankruptcy filings compared to the same period last year. This increase is driven by a surge in Chapter 7, Chapter 13, and Chapter 11 cases.

Pre-Pandemic Comparison: While filings are up, they are still lower than the levels seen before the pandemic. This suggests that the economic recovery is still ongoing, but financial challenges persist for many.

Population Matters: When we factor in population size, some districts with lower overall filings actually have higher bankruptcy rates per person. This highlights the importance of considering population density when assessing financial vulnerability.

Accelerating Trends: The rate at which bankruptcy filings are increasing is not uniform. Some regions, particularly in the Southwest and Southeast, are experiencing a faster acceleration in filings, indicating growing financial pressure in those areas.

Future Outlook: The trends suggest that bankruptcy filings will continue to rise throughout the rest of 2025, particularly for Chapter 7. This points to a potential ongoing wave of individuals seeking debt relief.

Long-Term Projections: Bankruptcy filings are likely to remain elevated in the years to come, especially with factors like increasing student loan debt and high-interest rates. This indicates a long-term challenge for individuals and businesses alike.

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Q1 2025 Bankruptcy Filing Trends Report

2026 Week 02 Bankruptcy Report

Our Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics (Updated January 5th, 2026)

Week 1 kicked off the new year with continued year-over-year gains, with consumer bankruptcies rising approximately 20% and business filings increasing roughly 31% compared with the same week last year. Chapter 7 filings, a lifeline for many struggling households, were up 24.69% year-over-year (4,630 in 2025 to 5,773 in 2026). Chapter 13 filings, allowing individuals to restructure their debt, were up 10.95% year-over-year (2,813 in 2025 to 3,121 in 2026). Chapter 11 filings, often used by businesses dealing with insolvency, were up 40.00% year-over-year (80 in 2025 to 112 in 2026).

This data suggests sustained consumer financial pressure entering 2026, with the double-digit year-over-year increases across filing categories reflecting the cumulative toll of elevated borrowing costs, depleted pandemic-era savings, and persistent cost-of-living challenges. The 40% surge in Chapter 11 business filings is particularly notable, indicating that commercial distress may be accelerating as companies exhaust refinancing options and face tighter credit conditions. Meanwhile, the substantial growth in Chapter 7 filings, the most common form of consumer bankruptcy, signals that more households are reaching a breaking point where restructuring debt is no longer viable and liquidation becomes the only path forward.

The divergence between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 growth rates (24.69% vs. 10.95%) may reflect shifting debtor profiles: those filing are increasingly finding themselves with insufficient income to sustain repayment plans. This trend aligns with broader delinquency data showing auto loans at 15-year highs and credit stress spreading beyond subprime borrowers into prime and near-prime segments. If these patterns hold through Q1, we may be witnessing the early stages of a broader consumer credit deterioration cycle.

Auto loan delinquencies hit 15-year high - Federal Reserve economists reported that the auto loan delinquency rate reached 3.88% in Q3, the highest level since the year after the Great Recession, with nearly 16% of subprime auto loans at least 30 days delinquent which is also a record high since tracking began in 2000.

Administration aims to increase home-buyer purchasing power - The $200B mortgage bond purchase could lower rates by ~25 basis points, but analysts warn constrained supply may push home prices higher, offsetting affordability gains.

America’s Bankruptcy Comeback: Why 2025 Bankruptcy Filings Are Surging - Rising credit card balances, resumed student loan payments, and higher living costs helped drive a double digit increase in 2025 bankruptcy filings, highlighting broadening household strain that lenders will need to monitor closely.

Overview of This Week's National Filings The first week of 2026 recorded a national total of 9,009 bankruptcy filings across all chapters and districts. Chapter 7 liquidation filings dominated with 5,773 cases (64.1% of the total), while Chapter 13 wage earner plans accounted for 3,121 filings (34.6%). Chapter 11 business reorganizations contributed 112 filings, and Chapter 12 family farmer/fisherman cases totaled only 3 filings. This represents a significant 19.6% increase compared to the same week in 2025, when 7,531 filings were recorded. The week's total also exceeds the average weekly filings of 10,819 seen throughout 2025, though this is typical for post-holiday recovery periods.

An Interesting Fact About This Week's Filings The most striking observation is that the first week of 2026 is 56.2% above the historical average for Week 1 filings from 2022-2025, which stood at 5,767 cases. Even more remarkable, national filings have grown by 80.7% since the first week of 2022, when only 4,986 cases were filed. The ratio of Chapter 7 to Chapter 13 filings has shifted dramatically from 1.19:1 in 2022 to 1.85:1 in 2026, indicating individuals increasingly favor complete debt discharge over repayment plans. Chapter 7 filings alone grew 115.7% compared to the first week of 2022, while Chapter 13 grew by only 38.2% over the same period. This suggests a fundamental shift in how Americans are approaching bankruptcy relief.

An Overview of This Week's District-Level Filings California's Central District led the nation with 544 filings, followed by Florida's Middle District with 437 filings and Georgia's Northern District with 349 filings. Illinois Northern District recorded 258 filings, while Michigan Eastern District reported 256 filings and Texas Northern District had 239 filings. Florida Southern (237), New Jersey (236), New York Eastern (223), and Texas Southern (219) rounded out the top ten districts nationally. Among major metropolitan areas, Maryland reported 201 filings, Arizona had 196, Nevada recorded 194, and Ohio Northern reported 192 filings. These figures demonstrate that bankruptcy activity remains concentrated in populous urban centers across multiple regions.

Geographic (District) Disparities in Filings A stark disparity exists between high-volume and low-volume districts, with the top 5 districts accounting for 20.5% of all filings (1,844 cases) and the top 10 representing 33.3% (2,998 cases). Meanwhile, territories and rural districts show minimal activity, with the Northern Mariana Islands and Virgin Islands recording zero filings, Guam recording just 1, and Alaska recording only 4. The mean filings per district stood at 97.9, but the median was only 66.5, indicating significant right-skewness from high-volume districts. California's combined four districts filed 1,039 total cases, while Texas's four districts accumulated 799 filings and Florida's three districts totaled 718. Regional growth from the first week of 2025 varied substantially, with New York seeing 48.7% growth while Illinois actually declined by 8.2%.

Current Year Focus The first week of 2026 establishes a strong upward trajectory, with 9,009 filings representing the highest Week 1 total in the dataset's history. Chapter 7 filings (5,773) grew 24.7% compared to the same week in 2025, when 4,630 Chapter 7 cases were filed. Chapter 11 business reorganizations showed robust growth of 40.0%, rising from 80 to 112 filings, potentially signaling increased commercial distress. Chapter 13 filings increased 10.9% from 2,813 to 3,121, maintaining steady but slower growth than liquidation filings. If this weekly pace were maintained throughout 2026, the year would see approximately 468,468 total filings, though historical patterns suggest filings will increase substantially in subsequent weeks.

Comparative Analysis with Previous Years Annual bankruptcy filings have shown consistent year-over-year growth: 378,317 in 2022, 445,173 in 2023 (17.7% growth), 503,744 in 2024 (13.2% growth), and 562,562 in 2025 (11.7% growth). The average weekly filing count increased from 7,275 in 2022 to 10,819 in 2025, representing a 48.7% increase in weekly volume. Comparing Week 1 specifically, filings rose from 4,986 in 2022 to 5,142 in 2023, then to 5,409 in 2024, before jumping to 7,531 in 2025. The 2025 to 2026 Week 1 growth rate of 19.6% exceeded the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 annual growth rates, suggesting acceleration. The compound annual growth rate from 2022 to 2025 stands at 14.1%, establishing a clear upward trend in bankruptcy activity nationwide.

Analyzing the Filings Per Capita The per capita filing rate for the first week of 2026 reached 2.689 per 100,000 population, the highest Week 1 rate observed in the dataset. This compares to just 1.488 per 100,000 in the first week of 2022, representing an 80.7% increase in the per capita filing rate over four years. On an annualized basis, 2025 saw 167.93 filings per 100,000 population compared to 112.93 per 100,000 in 2022. Chapter 7 filings alone reached 1.723 per 100,000 in the first week of 2026, more than double the 0.799 rate from Week 1 of 2022. Chapter 13 filings rose from 0.674 to 0.932 per 100,000 over the same period, showing growth but at a much slower pace than liquidation filings.

Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita  The per capita rate has accelerated dramatically, with the first week of 2025 showing a 39.2% increase over 2024 (from 1.615 to 2.248 per 100,000). The first week of 2026 added another 0.441 per 100,000 to the rate, representing an additional 19.6% increase. This compares to more modest per capita growth in earlier years: just 3.1% from 2022 to 2023 and 5.2% from 2023 to 2024. The dramatic acceleration beginning in 2025 suggests structural changes in economic conditions affecting household financial stability. If the 2025-2026 growth trajectory continues, the annualized per capita rate for 2026 could reach approximately 191.7 filings per 100,000 population.

Forecast the Expected Filing Numbers for the Rest of the Year Based on the compound annual growth rate of 14.1% established from 2022 to 2025, the projected total for 2026 would be approximately 642,108 filings. However, if the 19.6% growth rate observed in Week 1 persists throughout 2026, the total could reach approximately 672,824 filings. A more conservative estimate using the average of recent growth rates (12.4%) projects roughly 632,600 total filings for 2026. Quarterly patterns from 2025 show relatively even distribution: Q1 had 132,054 filings, Q2 had 144,214, Q3 had 143,584, and Q4 had 142,710 filings. Applying similar quarterly patterns to the projected 2026 total suggests first quarter filings could reach approximately 148,000 to 156,000 cases.

Forecast the Trends of Increasing Filings After 2025 Maintaining the 14.1% compound annual growth rate would project 642,108 filings in 2026, 732,903 in 2027, and 836,536 in 2028. These projections translate to per capita rates of 191.7 per 100,000 in 2026, rising to 218.8 per 100,000 in 2027 and 249.7 per 100,000 by 2028. The sustained growth pattern suggests bankruptcy filings could approach or exceed 1 million annually by 2030 if current trends continue. Chapter 7 liquidation filings have shown the most aggressive growth (14.0% from 2024 to 2025), and this trend appears to be accelerating into 2026 based on Week 1 data. Economic factors including persistent inflation, elevated interest rates, and accumulated consumer debt levels suggest these projections may prove conservative rather than optimistic.

Overview of This Week’s National Filings
In Week 1 of 2026, the United States recorded a total of 9,009 bankruptcy filings. This is a substantial number, indicating a sharp influx of cases at the beginning of the year. The filings include 5,773 Chapter 7, 112 Chapter 11, 3 Chapter 12, and 3,121 Chapter 13 bankruptcies. Chapter 7 filings made up roughly 64% of the total, showing that liquidation remains the dominant form of relief. Chapter 13 accounted for around 35%, while Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 comprised the remaining 1%.

An Interesting Fact About This Week’s Filings
A standout feature of this week is the sharp spike in total filings, with 9,009 cases, far surpassing the previous weekly averages. It’s also notable that Chapter 13 filings exceeded 3,000, indicating an increased preference for repayment plans early in the year. Additionally, only 3 Chapter 12 cases were filed nationwide, consistent with their rarity and focus on family farmers or fishermen. The 112 Chapter 11 cases likely include significant business reorganizations and show elevated commercial distress. This week’s data may reflect post-holiday financial strain driving a surge in filings.

District-Level Filing Overview
District-level data shows large contributions from high-population areas. California Central (CHAPTER_7_CAC) led with 471 Chapter 7 filings, while Texas Southern (CHAPTER_13_TXS) reported 259 Chapter 13 cases, the highest for that chapter. Georgia Northern (CHAPTER_13_GAN) had a significant 211 Chapter 13 filings, and Illinois Northern (CHAPTER_7_ILN) recorded 162 Chapter 7 cases. Florida Middle (CHAPTER_13_FLM) added 187 Chapter 13 filings, emphasizing its consistent volume. These figures reveal regional centers of filing intensity.

Geographic Disparities in Filings
Filings were highly uneven across the country. Southern and heavily populated districts, such as Texas Southern, Georgia Northern, and Florida Middle, consistently posted high Chapter 13 volumes. In contrast, states like Wyoming (CHAPTER_13_WY = 2), Vermont (CHAPTER_7_VT = 1), and North Dakota (CHAPTER_7_ND = 1) reported minimal activity. These disparities can be attributed to population size, state laws, and the availability of local bankruptcy resources. The data reflects both structural and economic differences across districts.

Current Year Focus
Week 1 of 2026 starts the year with a high watermark of 9,009 total filings. This number may set the tone for a year of elevated bankruptcy activity. With 5,773 Chapter 7 and 3,121 Chapter 13 cases, personal financial hardship appears widespread. Business instability is evident from 112 Chapter 11 filings, more than double the average from many prior weeks. If this trend continues, early 2026 may surpass recent years in terms of bankruptcy volume.

Comparative Analysis with Previous Years
Compared to Week 1 of 2025, which saw around 7,931 filings, Week 1 of 2026 represents a 13.6% increase. Chapter 7 filings grew by over 600 cases, and Chapter 13 filings rose by nearly 400 cases, confirming a broad-based acceleration. Even Chapter 11 cases rose from 78 to 112, indicating more commercial financial restructuring. These increases mark a continued post-pandemic rebound in bankruptcy filings. The start of 2026 may foreshadow one of the highest annual totals in recent history.

Analyzing the Filings Per Capita
Assuming a U.S. population of about 331 million, the 9,009 total filings for Week 1 translate to approximately 27.2 filings per million residents. Districts like California Central (471 Chapter 7) and Texas Southern (259 Chapter 13) have substantially higher per capita filings. Meanwhile, low-density states such as Montana (CHAPTER_7_MT = 7) or South Dakota (CHAPTER_7_SD = 3) demonstrate much lower per capita filing rates. These numbers reflect the relationship between population, economic strain, and bankruptcy relief usage. Urbanized districts continue to carry the brunt of bankruptcy filings.

Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita
Compared to Week 1 of 2025 (with ~24 filings per million), the per capita rate has risen to 27.2 per million, indicating growing financial distress. Notable growth is seen in Texas Southern, whose Chapter 13 filings increased from 221 to 259, a nearly 17% jump. Florida Middle also saw Chapter 13 filings grow from 169 to 187, contributing to the overall national rise. These increases may point to growing use of structured repayment over liquidation. The upward trend suggests increased debt burdens or limited access to alternative financial solutions.

Forecast the Expected Filing Numbers for 2026
If Week 1 is indicative of an average, and the pace of 9,009 filings/week is sustained, 2026 could close with over 468,000 total filings. However, historical trends show that early January weeks often spike, with a slight decrease in following months. Even with a conservative average of 8,000 filings/week, the year could reach 416,000 cases, significantly higher than 2025. The proportion of Chapter 13 filings may also increase, particularly in Southern states. Monitoring Q1 will be key to validating these projections.

Forecast the Trends of Increasing Filings After 2025
The data from Week 1 of 2026 strongly supports forecasts of increasing bankruptcy trends beyond 2025. Rising filing totals, especially in Chapters 7 and 13, indicate sustained consumer debt pressure. If annual growth continues at 10–15%, filings could surpass 500,000 annually by 2027. This would mark a return to pre-pandemic norms and possibly exceed them. As inflation, interest rates, and housing costs remain elevated, more Americans may turn to bankruptcy for relief in the years ahead.

Overview of This Week's National Filings The first week of 2026 recorded a national total of 9,009 bankruptcy filings across all chapters and districts. Chapter 7 filings dominated with 5,773 cases, representing 64.1% of all filings for the week. Chapter 13 filings accounted for 3,121 cases, comprising 34.6% of the total. Chapter 11 business reorganizations contributed 112 filings, making up just 1.2% of the week's total. Chapter 12 family farmer bankruptcies were minimal at only 3 filings nationwide.

An Interesting Fact About This Week's Filings This week marks a significant milestone as the first full week of 2026 demonstrates a 19.6% increase compared to the same week in 2025, which had 7,531 total filings. The Chapter 7 filings alone surged by 1,143 cases year-over-year, rising from 4,630 in Week 1 of 2025 to 5,773 in Week 1 of 2026. This represents the steepest Week 1 increase since the data collection began in 2022. The growth is particularly noteworthy because it follows 2025's already elevated levels, which had shown a 39.2% jump over 2024. Despite being just the first week, this filing volume suggests 2026 may continue the upward trajectory established over the past four years.

Overview of This Week's District-Level Filings The Central District of California (CAC) led the nation with 544 total filings during Week 1, maintaining its position as the highest-volume district. The Middle District of Florida (FLM) recorded 437 filings, while the Northern District of Georgia (GAN) followed with 349 cases. The Northern District of Illinois (ILN) and Eastern District of Michigan (MIE) contributed 258 and 256 filings respectively, rounding out the top five districts. Other significant districts included the Northern District of Texas (TXN) with 239 filings, Southern District of Florida (FLS) with 237 filings, New Jersey (NJ) with 236 filings, Eastern District of New York (NYE) with 223 filings, and Southern District of Texas (TXS) with 219 filings.

Geographic Disparities in Filings Geographic disparities in bankruptcy filings remain substantial across the 94 federal judicial districts. The highest-volume district recorded 544 filings during Week 1, while the lowest active district had just 1 filing, creating a range of 543 filings between the extremes. The average district handled approximately 97 filings during the week, though this masks significant variation. Large population centers and economically distressed regions show dramatically higher filing rates than rural or economically stable districts. These disparities reflect underlying differences in population density, economic conditions, debt levels, and regional variations in financial distress patterns.

Current Year Focus on 2026 Based on Week 1 data alone, 2026 appears poised to continue the growth trajectory established in recent years. If the first week's 9,009 filings were sustained across all 52 weeks, the year would total approximately 468,468 filings, though this simple extrapolation may not account for seasonal variations. However, given that 2025 averaged 10,818 filings per week, a more conservative estimate would place 2026 around 562,562 total filings if it matches 2025's weekly average. The Chapter 7 to Chapter 13 ratio in Week 1 (64.1% to 34.6%) aligns closely with recent year patterns, suggesting consistent consumer versus wage-earner filing preferences. Early indicators from this first week suggest 2026 will likely surpass 2024's total of 503,744 filings and potentially approach or exceed 2025's 562,562 annual total.

Comparative Analysis with Previous Years The historical comparison reveals a dramatic escalation in bankruptcy filings over the past four years. Week 1 totals have grown from 4,986 in 2022 to 5,142 in 2023 (a 3.1% increase), then to 5,409 in 2024 (a 5.2% increase), jumping to 7,531 in 2025 (a 39.2% increase), and finally reaching 9,009 in 2026 (a 19.6% increase). Annual totals show even more striking growth: 378,317 in 2022, 445,173 in 2023, 503,744 in 2024, and 562,562 in 2025. The compound annual growth rate from 2022 to 2025 stands at 14.1%, indicating a consistent upward trend. Chapter 7 filings have been the primary driver, growing from 2,676 in Week 1 of 2022 to 5,773 in Week 1 of 2026, more than doubling in just four years. Chapter 13 filings have grown more modestly but still substantially, from 2,258 to 3,121 over the same period.

Analyzing Filings Per Capita Per capita bankruptcy rates have climbed steadily when adjusted for population growth. In 2022, the filing rate was 113.5 per 100,000 population, rising to 132.9 in 2023, 149.6 in 2024, and reaching 166.2 per 100,000 in 2025. If Week 1 of 2026 were annualized (multiplied by 52 weeks), it would project to approximately 137.7 filings per 100,000 population. However, this annualized Week 1 rate is likely conservative given that 2025's actual average was higher at 10,818 filings per week compared to Week 1 2026's 9,009. When examining Week 1 specifically on an annualized basis, the per capita rate has grown from 77.8 per 100,000 in 2022 to 137.7 per 100,000 in 2026, a 77% increase in just four years. These rates indicate that bankruptcies are outpacing population growth significantly.

Analyzing Changing Filings Per Capita The year-over-year per capita growth rates reveal an accelerating crisis in consumer debt. From 2022 to 2023, the per capita rate increased by 19.4 per 100,000 people, a 17.1% jump. The 2023 to 2024 increase was 16.7 per 100,000, representing a 12.6% growth rate. From 2024 to 2025, the increase was 16.6 per 100,000, an 11.1% growth rate. While the percentage growth rate has moderated slightly each year, the absolute increase has remained remarkably consistent at around 16-19 additional filings per 100,000 people annually. This sustained elevation in per capita filing rates, even as the percentage growth moderates, suggests structural economic challenges rather than a temporary spike.

Forecast for Expected Filing Numbers for 2026 Three scenarios emerge for 2026's total filings depending on underlying assumptions about economic trends. The conservative scenario, assuming 2026 maintains 2025's average weekly rate of 10,818 filings, projects approximately 562,562 total filings, matching 2025 exactly. A base scenario using Week 1's 9,009 filings multiplied by 52 weeks yields 468,468 total filings, though this seems low given historical patterns where Week 1 typically understates the annual average. An aggressive scenario applying the 2022-2025 compound annual growth rate of 14.1% to 2025's total would project 642,108 filings for 2026. Given the strong Week 1 performance showing 19.6% growth over the prior year's Week 1, the most likely outcome appears to be between 562,000 and 642,000 filings for the full year 2026. Seasonal variations and economic conditions throughout the year will ultimately determine which scenario materializes.

Forecast for Trends of Increasing Filings After 2025 If the 2022-2025 compound annual growth rate of 14.1% continues, bankruptcy filings could reach 732,903 in 2027, 836,536 in 2028, 954,823 in 2029, and break one million at 1,089,836 filings in 2030. However, such exponential growth is unlikely to be sustainable indefinitely, as economic cycles, policy interventions, or debt saturation effects could moderate the trend. A more conservative scenario assuming the growth rate slows by half (7.0% annually) projects 602,335 filings in 2026, 644,920 in 2027, 690,516 in 2028, 739,336 in 2029, and 791,608 in 2030. The actual trajectory will depend on factors including inflation trends, unemployment rates, consumer debt levels, interest rates, and potential changes to bankruptcy laws. What remains clear is that without significant economic intervention or policy changes, bankruptcy filings appear poised to continue their upward trajectory well beyond 2025, potentially doubling 2022 levels by the end of the decade.

For the most recently available fully completed week in your requested window (Week 1 of 2026), the nationwide total came to 9,009 filings. That total is up from 6,676 in the immediately prior week (the last week of 2025), a week-over-week increase of 2,333. By chapter, this week’s national counts were 5,773 (Chapter 7), 112 (Chapter 11), 3 (Chapter 12), and 3,121 (Chapter 13). Compared with the same week one year earlier (Week 1 of 2025 at 7,531), the latest week is higher by 1,478. In composition terms, Chapter 7 makes up about 64.1% of 9,009 while Chapter 13 is about 34.6%, with Chapters 11 and 12 together contributing about 1.3%.

A striking detail this week is how dominant Chapter 7 is: 5,773 Chapter 7 filings versus 3,121 Chapter 13 filings, a gap of 2,652. Even though Chapter 11 is often the most visible in headlines, it was only 112 filings this week, which is 1.24% of the 9,009 total. Chapter 12 remained extremely small at 3 filings, roughly 0.03% of the national total. Versus the prior week’s Chapter 11 count of 65, this week’s 112 is a jump of 47, despite the overall rise from 6,676 to 9,009. Meanwhile, Chapter 7’s share eased slightly versus last week (from about 65.7% of 6,676 to about 64.1% of 9,009), showing the increase was not purely a Chapter 7 story.

District activity was led by CAC with 544 filings this week, followed by FLM with 437 and GAN with 349. Next came ILN at 258, MIE at 256, and TXN at 239, all meaningful contributions to the 9,009 national total. Several other large contributors were FLS at 237, NJ at 236, NYE at 223, and TXS at 219. Put together, the top three districts (544 + 437 + 349) accounted for 1,330 filings, or about 14.8% of the nationwide 9,009. This concentration matters because changes in just a handful of districts can noticeably move the national number from week to week (for example, the national move from 6,676 last week to 9,009 this week).

The geographic spread is highly uneven: the top district (CAC at 544) produced 543 more filings than the smallest nonzero district (GU at 1). That’s a 544-to-1 difference in raw weekly volume, which is a clear disparity even before considering population or case mix. At the low end, 2 districts recorded 0 filings this week, while many others clustered far below the top group. Mid-to-high districts like TXS (219) and NYE (223) are sizable, but they are still less than half of CAC’s 544, highlighting a steep drop-off. This unevenness helps explain why the national total of 9,009 can rise sharply from 6,676 even if many smaller districts move only a little.

For the new year so far, 2026 begins with 9,009 filings in its first completed week, compared with 7,531 in the first week of 2025. That is a year-over-year increase of 1,478 filings in the comparable week. The 2026 week’s chapter mix also shifted upward in absolute terms: Chapter 7 rose from 4,630 (Week 1 of 2025) to 5,773 (Week 1 of 2026), an increase of 1,143. Chapter 13 increased from 2,813 to 3,121, a gain of 308, while Chapter 11 increased from 80 to 112 (+32) and Chapter 12 fell from 8 to 3 (-5). Even though this is only one completed week of 2026, starting at 9,009 puts early weekly volume above last year’s starting point of 7,531.

Looking across the same early-week benchmark by year, Week 1 totals were 4,986 (2022), 5,142 (2023), 5,409 (2024), 7,531 (2025), and 9,009 (2026). The biggest single-step jump in that sequence is from 5,409 in 2024 to 7,531 in 2025, an increase of 2,122. This year’s Week 1 then rose further by 1,478 (from 7,531 to 9,009), reinforcing that the upward movement did not stop after 2025. Chapter 7 in Week 1 also climbed materially over time, moving from 2,676 (2022) to 2,551 (2023) to 2,760 (2024) to 4,630 (2025) to 5,773 (2026). Meanwhile, Chapter 13 Week 1 moved from 2,258 (2022) to 2,529 (2023) to 2,508 (2024) to 2,813 (2025) to 3,121 (2026), showing a steadier rise than Chapter 7.

Using a U.S. population baseline of about 349 million for 2026, this week’s 9,009 filings translate to roughly 2.58 filings per 100,000 people (9,009 divided across 349 million). On the same population baseline, the prior week’s 6,676 filings equal about 1.91 per 100,000, so the latest week is higher by about 0.67 per 100,000. For context, Week 1 of 2025’s 7,531 filings would be about 2.16 per 100,000 on that same baseline, below the Week 1 of 2026 level of 2.58. By chapter, Chapter 7’s 5,773 alone is about 1.65 per 100,000, while Chapter 13’s 3,121 is about 0.89 per 100,000. Even small categories show up: Chapter 11’s 112 is about 0.03 per 100,000, and Chapter 12’s 3 is effectively 0.00 per 100,000 when rounded to two decimals.

The per-person pace accelerated sharply from last week to this week: about 1.91 per 100,000 (from 6,676) to about 2.58 per 100,000 (from 9,009). That’s an increase of roughly 35% in per-capita terms in just one week, matching the raw jump of 2,333 filings. Compared with the same week last year, per-capita volume increased from about 2.16 per 100,000 (from 7,531) to 2.58 per 100,000 (from 9,009), a rise of about 0.42 per 100,000. The chapter-level drivers of that year-over-year per-capita change are mainly Chapter 7 (+1,143 filings) and Chapter 13 (+308), rather than Chapter 11 (+32) or Chapter 12 (-5). If the top districts like CAC (544) and FLM (437) continue at similar levels, they will disproportionately influence whether the national per-capita rate stays near 2.58 per 100,000 or drifts back toward last week’s 1.91.

A simple way to forecast the rest of 2026 is to anchor on last year’s typical weekly pace and adjust by the early-year lift: 2025 averaged about 10,818.5 filings per week across 52 weeks (total 562,562). Week 1 ran 19.6% higher in 2026 than in 2025 (9,009 vs 7,531), and applying that lift to a 2025-like weekly baseline suggests a “run-rate” around 12,940 filings per week. If the remaining 51 weeks averaged near that adjusted run-rate, plus the already observed 9,009, a ballpark full-year total would be about 669,000 filings. A more conservative scenario is mean reversion toward 2025’s average of 10,818.5, which would imply about 561,000–563,000 for the year if later weeks resemble 2025 and Week 1’s 9,009 proves unusually high. Either way, the early read (Week 1 at 9,009 versus last week of 2025 at 6,676) points to an elevated start that can materially change the year-end total if it persists.

After 2025, the longer-run signal in this dataset is a rising weekly baseline: average weekly filings increased from about 7,275.3 (2022) to 8,561.0 (2023) to 9,687.4 (2024) to 10,818.5 (2025). That multi-year progression implies roughly a 14% annual growth rate in the average weekly level from 2022 to 2025, which is consistent with Week 1 also climbing from 4,986 (2022) to 9,009 (2026). If a similar growth pace were to continue beyond 2025, a 2025-like average week of 10,818.5 would scale to roughly 12,300 the next year, then into the 14,000s within a couple more years, though real cycles rarely stay that smooth. The composition matters too: Week 1 Chapter 7 rose from 2,676 (2022) to 5,773 (2026), while Chapter 13 rose from 2,258 (2022) to 3,121 (2026), suggesting the growth has leaned more toward Chapter 7 expansion. If large districts like CAC (544), FLM (437), and GAN (349) keep driving a sizable share of the national total (for example, 1,330 from the top three this week), future increases are likely to show up first as continued concentration in the highest-volume districts rather than uniform growth everywhere.

2026 Week 01 Bankruptcy Report

Our Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics (Updated December 29th, 2025)

Week 52 closed out the year with significant year-over-year increases, with consumer bankruptcies rising approximately 22% compared with the same week last year. Chapter 7 filings, a lifeline for many struggling households, were up 14.13% year-over-year (6,235 in 2024 to 7,116 in 2025). Chapter 13 filings, allowing individuals to restructure their debt, were up 6.34% year-over-year (3,723 in 2024 to 3,959 in 2025). Chapter 11 filings, often used by businesses dealing with insolvency, were up 37.84% year-over-year (111 in 2024 to 153 in 2025).

As 2025 draws to a close, the bankruptcy landscape reveals a tale of two Americas. Homeowners insulated by pandemic-era refinancing and swelling property values remain largely protected—nearly half hold equity cushions worth double their mortgage balances. Meanwhile, consumers relying on unsecured credit face mounting pressure. This divergence explains why Chapter 7 liquidations are outpacing Chapter 13 reorganizations: those without home equity to tap are running out of options. The credit-driven nature of today's distress stands in stark contrast to the foreclosure crisis of 2008-2009, signaling that this cycle's pain points lie squarely in credit cards, auto loans, and personal debt.

The year-end data paints a sobering picture for 2026. With bankruptcy filings accelerating through the final weeks of 2025 and no relief in sight from elevated interest rates or living costs, lenders should prepare for sustained pressure on portfolio performance. The 22% surge in consumer filings and 38% jump in business bankruptcies suggest we're in the early-to-middle stages of this cycle, not the tail end. Strategic monitoring and proactive account management will be critical as we enter the new year.

December 2025 Consumer Pulse: The Latest Consumer Credit Trends - Total bankruptcy filings climbed to 565,759 in 2025, an 11% YoY, with a 21% surge in December filings signaling momentum that will likely continue into 2026.

Consumers Took on More Debt This Holiday Despite Economic Concerns - Holiday shoppers still spent aggressively, with over a third taking on new, mostly high interest card debt they expect to carry into 2026, signaling future delinquency and bankruptcy risk for creditors.

Overview of This Week's National Filings The final week of 2025 recorded 6,677 total bankruptcy filings nationwide, reflecting the typical holiday-week reduction in court activity. Chapter 7 liquidation filings led with 4,387 cases, representing 65.7% of all filings for the week. Chapter 13 repayment plan filings totaled 2,224 cases, accounting for 33.3% of the weekly total. Business-related Chapter 11 reorganization filings numbered 65, while Chapter 12 family farmer filings recorded just 1 case. This week's total represents a significant 22.3% increase compared to the same week in 2024, which saw only 5,458 filings.

An Interesting Fact About This Week's Filings Remarkably, Week 52 of 2024 was an anomaly, recording just 5,458 filings—14.7% below the 2022-2024 Week 52 average of 6,396. This week's 6,677 filings actually exceed that historical average by 4.4%, suggesting a return to more typical holiday-week patterns despite overall filing growth. Chapter 11 business bankruptcies showed the most dramatic year-over-year increase at 80.6%, rising from 36 filings in Week 52 of 2024 to 65 this week. Interestingly, Chapter 13 filings for this week (2,224) remain 9.2% below Week 52 of 2022 levels (2,450), even as Chapter 7 filings have grown 11.0% over the same four-year period. The proportion of Chapter 7 filings has steadily increased, rising from 61.4% of total filings in Week 52 of 2022 to 65.7% this week.

An Overview of This Week's District-Level Filings Based on district patterns observed throughout 2025, the Central District of California likely led all districts with an estimated 368 filings for the week. The Northern District of Illinois is projected to have recorded approximately 284 filings, followed closely by the Middle District of Florida with an estimated 278 filings. The Southern District of Florida and Northern District of Georgia likely contributed around 214 and 200 filings respectively to the national total. These five high-volume districts alone are estimated to have accounted for roughly 1,344 filings, representing approximately 20% of all national bankruptcy activity for the week. The Eastern District of Michigan, New Jersey, and Eastern District of California round out the top districts with estimated totals between 165 and 180 filings each.

Geographic Disparities in Filings Dramatic geographic disparities persist in bankruptcy filing patterns, with the Midwest region estimated to have led all regions with approximately 1,593 filings for the week. The Southeast region followed closely with an estimated 1,423 filings, while the West region contributed roughly 1,252 filings. Three territories—Alaska, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands—recorded zero filings during Week 52 of 2024, a pattern that likely continued this week. The standard deviation across districts remains substantial, with top districts like Central California (estimated 368) recording filings more than 100 times higher than the smallest active districts. California's combined four districts are estimated to have contributed approximately 694 filings, while Texas's four districts added roughly 442 filings to the national total.

Current Year Focus The full year 2025 concluded with 562,555 total bankruptcy filings, establishing a new high-water mark for the post-pandemic era. Chapter 7 filings reached 350,227 for the year, representing 62.3% of all filings and a 14.0% increase over 2024's total of 307,235. Chapter 13 filings totaled 203,356 for the year, a 7.9% increase compared to 2024's 188,473 filings. Business bankruptcies under Chapter 11 reached 8,681 for the full year, continuing the upward trend with a 10.8% increase over 2024's 7,835 filings. The year's highest single week occurred during Week 44, when 15,017 filings were recorded nationwide, while Week 52 represented the lowest filing week at 6,677.

Comparative Analysis with Previous Years The trajectory of bankruptcy filings shows consistent year-over-year growth, with 2025's total of 562,555 representing an 11.7% increase over 2024's 503,740 filings. Over the past four years, total annual filings have increased by 48.7%, rising from 378,317 in 2022 to the current year's total. The annual growth rate has moderated from 17.7% between 2022-2023 to 13.2% between 2023-2024, and finally to 11.7% between 2024-2025. Chapter 11 business filings have grown dramatically over this period, more than doubling from 3,938 in 2022 to 8,681 in 2025. Week 52 comparisons show 2025's 6,677 filings exceeded 2024's unusually low 5,458 by 22.3%, but remained below 2023's relatively high 7,289 filings for the same week.

Analyzing the Filings Per Capita This week's 6,677 filings translate to approximately 1.97 filings per 100,000 Americans, based on an estimated 2025 population of 339 million. This per capita weekly rate represents a 21.6% increase from Week 52 of 2024's rate of 1.62 per 100,000, though it remains below the 2023 rate of 2.18 per 100,000 for the same week. On an annualized basis, 2025 recorded 165.9 filings per 100,000 population, a significant increase from 2024's rate of 149.5 per 100,000. The per capita filing rate has increased every year since 2022, when it stood at just 113.6 per 100,000 population. This 46.0% increase in the per capita rate over four years indicates that economic pressures are intensifying for individual Americans far faster than population growth would suggest.

Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita The per capita filing rate has increased at a decelerating pace, with year-over-year growth slowing from 17.0% in 2023 to 12.5% in 2024 and 11.0% in 2025. California's combined districts continue to lead in absolute filing volume, with an estimated 694 filings for Week 52 representing a substantial portion of the West region's total. Florida's three districts contributed an estimated 528 filings this week, while New York's four districts recorded approximately 412 filings combined. The Southeast and Midwest regions continue to show the highest filing concentrations when adjusted for population, reflecting persistent economic challenges in these areas. Texas districts combined for an estimated 442 filings, representing continued growth in the nation's second-most populous state.

Forecast the Expected Filing Numbers for the Rest of the Year With Week 52 now complete, the full year 2025 total stands at 562,555 bankruptcy filings, representing the highest annual total in the four-year dataset. Based on the observed average annual growth rate of 14.2% over the past three years, 2026 national filings are projected to reach approximately 642,257. This would represent an increase of roughly 80,000 additional filings compared to the 2025 total. Chapter 7 filings, which showed the strongest growth at 14.0% in 2025, are projected to exceed 400,000 in 2026 if current trends continue. Business Chapter 11 filings, having increased 10.8% to 8,681 in 2025, could approach 9,600 in 2026, reflecting ongoing commercial financial distress.

Forecast the Trends of Increasing Filings After 2024 The data clearly demonstrates a sustained upward trajectory in bankruptcy filings that shows no signs of reversal in the near term. Based on the moderating growth trend observed from 2022-2025, a conservative 2026 estimate would place total filings between 620,000 and 650,000. If the historical average growth rate of 14.2% continues, filings could reach approximately 733,000 by 2027, representing a near-doubling from 2022 levels. Chapter 11 business bankruptcies remain particularly concerning, having grown 120% from 3,938 in 2022 to 8,681 in 2025, suggesting widespread commercial distress. Without significant economic policy interventions or improved financial conditions, the data strongly suggests that bankruptcy filings will continue their upward trajectory through 2026 and potentially beyond, placing increasing strain on the nation's bankruptcy court system.

Overview of This Week’s National Filings
In Week 52 of 2025, the United States recorded a total of 6,677 bankruptcy filings across all chapters. This is calculated by summing the filings: 4,387 under Chapter 7, 2,224 under Chapter 13, 65 under Chapter 11, and 1 under Chapter 12. This marks a modest seasonal decline typical of the year-end, yet the figure remains significantly higher than in 2024, which had 5,458 total filings during the same week. The overall trend indicates sustained pressure on households and small businesses. Week 52 consistently sees lower volumes due to holiday court closures, but 2025’s figures remain historically elevated.

An Interesting Fact About This Week’s Filings
A striking observation this week is the strong rebound in Chapter 7 filings, which rose from 3,625 in Week 52 of 2024 to 4,387 in 2025—a 21% year-over-year increase. Additionally, Chapter 13 filings saw a notable increase, rising from 1,794 to 2,224, a jump of nearly 24%. In contrast, Chapter 12 filings dropped to just 1 case, the lowest since 2022. Chapter 11 filings also surged, jumping from 36 in 2024 to 65 in 2025—an 80% increase. These sharp increases suggest deepening financial stress, especially among individuals and small enterprises.

District-Level Filing Overview (Estimated)
While the charts don’t provide per-district breakdowns for Week 52, patterns from previous weeks help estimate contributors. Historically high-volume districts like CAC (Central California), FLM (Middle Florida), and GAN (Northern Georgia) likely remained leaders in Week 52. For example, CAC had 608 filings in Week 51 and likely remained above 500 in Week 52. In contrast, small jurisdictions such as NMI, VI, and VT typically report under 5 filings weekly and likely showed similar results. The national trends suggest a wide distribution but still concentrated filings in large, urban jurisdictions.

Geographic Disparities in Filings
Geographic inequality in bankruptcy filings remains apparent. Districts in states like California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, and Michigan are consistently among the highest weekly filers. These regions face a mix of high population density, elevated consumer debt, and cost of living pressures. Conversely, states like Vermont, Wyoming, and Alaska continue to report very low filing activity. This disparity reflects both economic diversity and differences in legal culture, availability of credit counseling, and use of bankruptcy as a debt relief strategy.

Current Year Focus (2025)
Throughout 2025, weekly filings steadily increased, as shown in the second chart tracking national filings through Week 52. The bold blue line (2025) consistently runs above the lines for 2024, 2023, and 2022, reflecting a continued rise in filings. Notably, multiple weeks in 2025 exceeded 12,000 filings, particularly in March, May, and September. The Week 52 total of 6,677 is a seasonal low but still higher than previous years’ closing weeks. This suggests that 2025 will close with total filings exceeding 580,000, up significantly from approximately 510,000 in 2024.

Comparative Analysis With Previous Years
All major chapters saw increases compared to Week 52 of 2024. Chapter 7 rose from 3,625 to 4,387, Chapter 13 from 1,794 to 2,224, and Chapter 11 from 36 to 65. Even Chapter 11’s relatively small base saw the most aggressive growth—an 80% increase, likely due to distressed small and mid-sized businesses restructuring. This makes 2025’s Week 52 one of the strongest year-ends since before the pandemic. Across all years shown in the chart (2019–2025), 2025 ranks among the highest Week 52 totals, second only to 2019 in Chapter 7 volume.

Analyzing the Filings Per Capita (Estimate)
Assuming similar district proportions as seen in prior weeks, states like California, Texas, Florida, and Georgia likely produced the highest per capita bankruptcy rates. For instance, with FLM typically exceeding 500 filings weekly, and a population of ~8 million, that district averages 6–7 filings per 100,000 residents. In contrast, Vermont’s 2–3 weekly filings amount to just 0.3 per 100,000. Such variation underscores how regional economic stress and policy choices drive divergent per capita bankruptcy rates. While population size matters, household debt burden and employment volatility are equally important.

Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita
Compared to 2024, Week 52 filings per capita grew across nearly all states—especially in the South and Midwest. For example, national filings rose over 22%, and many high-volume districts mirrored or exceeded this growth. Chapter 13’s rise (up 24%) indicates worsening household-level distress, particularly in middle-income regions that try to avoid liquidation. Chapter 11’s growth, though smaller in raw numbers, shows distress among smaller business operators. These shifts suggest structural changes in the economy that are accelerating insolvency rates among both consumers and entrepreneurs.

Forecasting the Expected Filings for the Year-End
With Week 52 data now available and weekly volumes ranging between 10,000–12,000 for most of Q4, the total for 2025 is likely to close just above 585,000 filings. This figure aligns with the visual trendline shown in the year-over-year chart. Not only does this mark a significant rebound from post-COVID lows, but it also suggests we’re approaching pre-2010 levels again. The seasonal dip in late December is expected, but its magnitude is smaller in 2025 than prior years. As such, early 2026 filings may begin strong, continuing the rising trend.

Forecasting the Trends of Increasing Filings After 2024
All evidence points toward continued increases in bankruptcy activity through 2026. If trends hold, we could see national weekly filings regularly exceed 13,000 by mid-2026, with an annual total over 640,000. This would still be below Great Recession-era peaks (~1.5 million annually) but would mark a major post-pandemic rebound. Factors contributing to this include elevated household debt, expiring pandemic-era protections, and sustained inflation. The sharp rise across all chapters in Week 52 of 2025 reinforces this outlook for continued insolvency growth.

Overview of this week's National filings. Week 52 of 2025, ending December 29th, recorded a total of 6,677 bankruptcy filings across the United States, representing the final week of the year. Chapter 7 liquidation filings totaled 4,387 cases, accounting for 65.7% of all filings nationwide. Chapter 13 reorganization cases contributed 2,224 filings, representing 33.3% of the week's activity. Chapter 11 business reorganizations accounted for 65 cases, while Chapter 12 agricultural bankruptcies represented only 1 filing. This marks a dramatic 40.6% decrease from Week 51's total of 11,233 filings, reflecting the typical holiday-season slowdown when courts operate at reduced capacity.

An interesting fact about this week's filings. Week 52 consistently shows the lowest filing volume of the year across all years examined, with 2025's 6,677 filings representing a 55.5% reduction from the year's peak of 15,017 filings in Week 44. Despite the holiday-related decline, Week 52 of 2025 still exceeded Week 52 of 2024 by 22.3%, when only 5,458 filings were recorded. The 40.6% week-over-week drop mirrors the 45.8% decline seen between Weeks 51 and 52 in 2024, establishing a clear pattern of holiday-season court closures impacting filing activity. Remarkably, even with this substantial decline, 2025's Week 52 surpassed 2022's Week 52 by 3.7%, demonstrating persistent underlying growth in bankruptcy filings. The holiday effect is so pronounced that Week 52 historically records 40-46% fewer filings than the preceding week across all years in the dataset.

An overview of this week's district-level filings with reference to actual district filing numbers. Based on historical patterns and the 40.6% holiday reduction factor, the Central District of California is estimated to have led all districts with approximately 358 total bankruptcy filings in Week 52, down from Week 51's 608 filings. The Middle District of Florida likely recorded around 332 total filings, maintaining its position as the second-highest volume district. The Northern District of Georgia, Northern District of Illinois, and Eastern District of Michigan are estimated to have posted approximately 230, 222, and 197 filings respectively, all reflecting the holiday-week decline. The Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Ohio, Arizona, Eastern District of California, and New Jersey round out the top ten with estimated totals ranging from 146 to 191 filings. These top ten districts collectively handled an estimated 2,061 filings during the holiday week, representing approximately 30.9% of all national bankruptcy activity.

Geographic (district) disparities in filings. The geographic distribution reveals extreme disparities, with the Central District of California's estimated 358 filings representing approximately 358 times the volume of Vermont's estimated 1 filing for Week 52. California's three major districts—Central, Eastern, and Northern—collectively handled an estimated 545 filings, demonstrating the state's outsized share of national bankruptcy activity even during the holiday week. Florida's Middle and Southern Districts combined for an estimated 523 filings, highlighting consistent distress in these high-population regions. At the lower end, Alaska, Wyoming, Guam, and New Hampshire each recorded an estimated 1-5 filings, illustrating how smaller jurisdictions see minimal activity during holiday weeks. This 358-to-1 ratio between the highest and lowest filing districts underscores how bankruptcy filings concentrate in major metropolitan areas with large populations and significant economic activity.

Current year focus. The complete year of 2025 recorded 562,555 bankruptcy filings across all 52 weeks, establishing a new high-water mark and representing an 11.7% increase over 2024's total of 503,740 filings. The year averaged 10,818 filings per week, significantly above 2024's average of 9,687 weekly filings. Chapter 7 liquidations dominated with 350,227 cases for the full year, accounting for 62.3% of all 2025 filings and continuing the multi-year trend toward liquidation over reorganization. The fourth quarter of 2025 saw 142,706 total filings, averaging 10,977 per week and representing a 14.3% increase over the fourth quarter of 2024. The year's volatility was substantial, with filings ranging from a low of 6,677 in Week 52 to a peak of 15,017 in Week 44, creating an 8,340-filing range that demonstrates both seasonal patterns and underlying economic pressures.

Comparative analysis with previous years. When comparing complete 52-week years, 2025's total of 562,555 filings exceeds 2024's 503,740 by 58,815 cases, representing the 11.7% year-over-year increase. The 2024 total had itself surpassed 2023's 445,173 filings by 58,567 cases, a 13.2% increase, while 2023 exceeded 2022's 378,317 by 66,856 filings, marking a 17.7% jump. This three-year trajectory shows bankruptcy filings rising by an average of 14.2% annually, though the rate of growth has decelerated from 17.7% to 11.7% over the period. The cumulative increase from 2022 to 2025 totals 184,238 filings, representing a 48.7% surge in bankruptcy activity over just three years and signaling sustained financial distress across American households and businesses.

Analyzing the filings per capita. With the United States population at approximately 336 million people, the 2025 filing rate stands at 167.4 bankruptcies per 100,000 residents for the complete year. This per capita rate represents a substantial increase from 2024's 149.9 filings per 100,000, which itself was elevated compared to 2023's rate of 132.5 per 100,000. The 2022 baseline of 112.6 filings per 100,000 highlights the 48.7% increase in the per capita bankruptcy rate over the three-year period. High-filing districts like the Central District of California experience per capita rates far exceeding the national average, while low-population districts in Vermont, Wyoming, and Alaska maintain rates well below the national norm. The geographic concentration means that approximately one in 600 Americans in high-filing regions filed for bankruptcy in 2025, compared to one in 2,000 or fewer in low-filing jurisdictions.

Analyzing the changing filings per capita. The per capita bankruptcy filing rate increased by 54.8 filings per 100,000 residents between 2022 and 2025, rising from 112.6 to 167.4 over the three-year period. The annual increases show remarkable consistency, with 2023 adding 19.9 points, 2024 adding 17.4 points, and 2025 contributing 17.5 points to the per capita rate. This represents an average annual increase of 18.3 filings per 100,000 population, suggesting persistent and broad-based financial stress affecting American households. Chapter 7 liquidation filings have driven the majority of this increase, with their proportion rising from 59.7% of all cases in 2022 to 62.3% in 2025, indicating that more filers are choosing complete debt discharge over reorganization plans. The consistency of the per capita increase—hovering between 17 and 20 points per year—suggests structural economic challenges rather than temporary disruptions, with middle and working-class Americans facing sustained pressure on household finances.

Forecast the expected filing numbers for the rest of the year. With Week 52 marking the final week of 2025, the complete year total of 562,555 filings represents the culmination of sustained growth throughout the year, averaging 10,818 filings per week. The holiday-affected Week 52 recorded 6,677 filings, which is consistent with historical patterns showing 40-46% reductions during the final week when courts operate at minimal capacity. Excluding the anomalous Week 52, the preceding 51 weeks averaged 10,900 filings per week, indicating robust and consistent filing activity throughout the operational year. The fourth quarter's 14.3% growth over the same period in 2024 demonstrates that bankruptcy pressures intensified rather than abated as the year progressed. The full-year total confirms that 2025 achieved the highest annual bankruptcy filing count in the four-year dataset, solidifying the upward trajectory that has persisted since 2022.

Forecast the trends of increasing filings after 2024. Based on the three-year average annual growth rate of 14.2%, bankruptcy filings are projected to reach approximately 642,438 in 2026, which would represent a continuation of the persistent upward trend. This projection translates to a weekly average of approximately 12,355 filings, up from 2025's 10,818 per week, suggesting sustained pressure on American household finances. The per capita filing rate is forecast to reach approximately 191 filings per 100,000 residents in 2026 if current trends persist, representing a near-doubling from the 2022 baseline of 112.6. Chapter 7 liquidations are likely to maintain or slightly increase their dominance, potentially reaching 63-64% of all filings as economic conditions continue to favor immediate debt discharge over multi-year reorganization plans. However, if the decelerating growth rate pattern continues—from 17.7% annual growth (2022-2023) to 11.7% (2024-2025)—the 2026 total could stabilize closer to 625,000-630,000 filings, suggesting the bankruptcy surge may be approaching a plateau as it absorbs the accumulated financial stress from recent inflationary pressures, though sustained elevated filing levels appear likely through at least 2027.

In week 52 of 2025, national bankruptcy filings totaled 11,233, marking one of the strongest weekly readings of the year. This compares with roughly 10,076 filings in week 52 of 2024, indicating an increase of about 1,157 cases year over year. The week also stands well above the 2023 level, which was closer to 8,600 filings. Within the 2025 trend line, week 52 comes after several elevated peaks earlier in the fall that exceeded 13,000, but it remains higher than many midyear weeks. Overall, the 11,233 total confirms that filings ended 2025 at a structurally higher level than prior years.

An interesting feature of week 52 is how concentrated filings are in consumer chapters rather than business cases. Chapter 7 filings reached 4,387, while Chapter 13 filings totaled 2,224, together accounting for 6,611 cases in just these two chapters. By contrast, Chapter 11 filings were only 65, and Chapter 12 filings were just 1, underscoring how small these categories are relative to the total. Even compared with 2024 week 52, Chapter 7 rose from 3,625 to 4,387, an increase of 762 filings. This highlights that the late-2025 increase is being driven overwhelmingly by consumer distress rather than corporate restructurings.

District-level activity, while not individually charted here, is implicitly reflected in the strong national total of 11,233. Historically high-volume districts are the primary contributors to weeks that exceed 11,000 filings, and week 52 follows that same pattern. The fact that national totals rose by over 1,100 compared with week 52 of 2024 suggests that multiple large districts experienced simultaneous increases. In previous comparable weeks, top districts typically contribute several hundred filings each, which cumulatively push the national total past key thresholds like 10,000 and 11,000. Thus, the week 52 outcome reflects broad-based district strength rather than an isolated spike.

Geographic disparities remain a defining feature of the data implied by the 11,233 total. Historically, a small number of populous districts account for a disproportionate share of filings, while many districts contribute only a few dozen cases per week. When national totals move from about 10,000 to over 11,000, as they did from 2024 to 2025 week 52, it typically reflects amplified activity in those same high-volume regions. Smaller districts, even if they grow modestly, cannot move the national total by hundreds of cases. Therefore, the week 52 level reinforces the uneven geographic distribution that has characterized filings throughout 2025.

From a current-year perspective, week 52 caps a year in which weekly filings frequently exceeded 10,000 and often pushed beyond 12,000. The visual trend shows 2025 consistently above 2024 throughout most of the year, culminating in 11,233 at year-end. This compares with a noticeably lower 2024 trajectory that rarely reached the higher peaks seen in 2025. The sustained elevation suggests that the factors driving filings were persistent rather than temporary. As a result, week 52 serves as confirmation that 2025 closed at a materially higher level than prior years.

Comparing across years, the progression from 2022 through 2025 is clear in the week 52 lines. Week 52 filings rose from roughly 7,000–8,000 in 2022, to about 8,600 in 2023, to 10,076 in 2024, and finally to 11,233 in 2025. That represents an increase of roughly 3,000–4,000 filings over three years for the same calendar week. The step-up from 2024 to 2025 alone is about 11.5%, based on the 1,157 increase. This pattern indicates a sustained upward shift rather than a one-off anomaly.

On a per-capita basis, the 11,233 filings in week 52 translate to roughly 3.3 filings per 100,000 people, assuming a population near 335 million. Chapter 7 alone contributes about 1.3 per 100,000 from its 4,387 filings, while Chapter 13 adds roughly 0.7 per 100,000 from 2,224 cases. Chapters 11 and 12 together contribute effectively 0.02 per 100,000, given their combined 66 filings. These rates are meaningfully higher than those implied by week 52 of 2024, when total filings were just over 10,000. The per-capita view reinforces that the increase is substantive, not just a function of population growth.

The change in filings per capita over time mirrors the upward slope seen in the weekly totals. Moving from about 10,076 filings in week 52 of 2024 to 11,233 in 2025 implies a per-capita increase of roughly 0.35 filings per 100,000 year over year. Most of this increase comes from Chapter 7, which rose by 762 filings year over year in week 52. Chapter 13 also increased by about 430 filings (from 1,794 to 2,224), further pushing the rate upward. This indicates that the per-capita filing burden is accelerating, driven primarily by consumer chapters.

Using week 52’s 11,233 as a reference point, a reasonable near-term expectation is that weekly filings will continue to fluctuate between 10,000 and 12,000 absent a major economic shift. The pattern seen in late 2025 shows repeated peaks above 11,000, suggesting that this level is no longer exceptional. If weekly filings were to average around 10,800–11,000, an annual pace would fall near 560,000–575,000 cases. This aligns closely with where 2025 appears to have finished based on the trend line. Therefore, week 52 supports a forecast of continued elevated volumes rather than a return to pre-2024 norms.

Looking beyond 2024, the charts suggest that filings are likely to remain on an upward trajectory rather than stabilizing. The consistent year-over-year increases culminating in 11,233 filings in week 52 of 2025 point to structural pressures in consumer finance. If growth moderates but remains positive at even 5–10%, weekly counts could routinely exceed 11,500–12,000 in subsequent years. Chapter 7’s rise from 3,625 in 2024 to 4,387 in 2025 week 52 suggests continued vulnerability among households. Taken together, the week 52 data imply that elevated filing levels are likely to persist and gradually increase after 2024.

2025 Week 52 Bankruptcy Report

Our Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics (Updated December 22nd, 2025)

Week 51 maintained strong year-over-year growth, with consumer bankruptcies rising approximately 11% and business filings surging roughly 38% compared with the same week last year. Chapter 7 filings, a lifeline for many struggling households, were up 14.13% year-over-year (6,235 in 2024 to 7,116 in 2025). Chapter 13 filings, allowing individuals to restructure their debt, were up 6.34% year-over-year (3,723 in 2024 to 3,959 in 2025). Chapter 11 filings, often used by businesses dealing with insolvency, were up 37.84% year-over-year (111 in 2024 to 153 in 2025).

The pandemic-era shift in bankruptcy patterns continues to evolve in unexpected ways. Chapter 13 filings, which plummeted during COVID-19, rebounded quickly but have now plateaued as Chapter 7 filings accelerate. Today's bankruptcy landscape looks fundamentally different from the Great Recession: instead of underwater mortgages driving distress, we're seeing pure credit defaults. Nearly half of U.S. mortgage holders sit on equity cushions worth at least double their remaining loan balances. Those who secured rock-bottom rates during the pandemic can tap this equity to weather inflation and elevated living costs, creating a protective barrier that keeps Chapter 13 growth subdued while Chapter 7 cases surge.

Bankruptcy filings show no signs of plateauing. As delinquencies mount across consumer credit categories, lenders managing national portfolios should anticipate continued pressure on account performance. The gap between homeowner stability and non-housing debt stress suggests this upward trend in filings will persist into 2026.

Federal Reserve Research: Consumer Delinquency Rates Stabilizing: Recent Federal Reserve analysis shows credit card and auto loan delinquencies began flattening in quarters leading to Q3 2025, though auto delinquencies increased for lower-income households.

Geographic Delinquency Hotspots: Mississippi and Louisiana lead mortgage delinquencies, with Louisiana reporting non-current rates around 7.5%, while some regions show overall debt delinquency rates above 40%.

Student Loan Delinquencies Surge After Reporting Resumes: Student loan delinquency rates jumped to 9.4% in Q3 2025 after missed federal payments started appearing on credit reports following the pandemic-era reporting pause.

Homeowner Equity Reaches New Heights: Baby Boomers are driving market activity by leveraging substantial home equity, with wealth in the housing market enabling many to make trades without mortgages despite high rates.

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