*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 November 24th, 2025)

Week 47 posted another year-over-year rise, with consumer bankruptcies roughly 16% higher than the same week in 2024, while business filings edged up about 5% over last year. Chapter 7 filings—a lifeline for many struggling households—were up 15.45% year-over-year (6,532 in 2024 to 7,541 in 2025). Chapter 13 filings, allowing individuals to restructure their debt, were up 15.74% year-over-year (3,767 in 2024 to 4,360 in 2025). Chapter 11 filings, often used by businesses dealing with insolvency, were up 5.43% year-over-year (129 in 2024 to 136 in 2025).

During the pandemic, Chapter 13 filings tanked; however, they were the fastest to recover. Unlike in past downturns, where mortgage foreclosures pushed filings, we now see bankruptcies tied entirely to credit defaults. Where nearly half of U.S. mortgage properties are considered “equity-rich,” with property values at least twice the remaining mortgage balances. Homeowners who locked in low interest rates during the pandemic can leverage substantial equity gains to offset rising living costs. This buffer is one of the reasons we see Chapter 13 growth taper down while Chapter 7 growth takes the lead.

The current trajectory of bankruptcy filings is on a steep climb. Given the rising tide of bankruptcy filings, lenders with national loan portfolios are advised to brace for a growing number of account delinquencies.

What We Are Reading

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

• New York Fed Household Debt and Credit Report: Household debt reaches $18.39 trillion in the second quarter.
• Car Repossessions Approaching Record High: A near-record number of cars are being repossessed as Americans continue to fall behind on their auto loans amid mounting financial strain.
• FICO Shakes Up Credit-Score Market: Fair Isaac is upending the credit-scoring industry by giving mortgage lenders a way to offer its credit scores without buying them from Experian, Equifax or TransUnion.
• Borrowers Priorizing Student Loans: As Wage Garnishment Looms, Federal Student Loan Borrowers Indicate They Could Prioritize Their Student Loans Ahead of Credit Cards and Personal Loans
• Clunky Old Software is the Invisible $1.52 Trillion Problem: Old code piles up and raises the risk of hacks and other breaches, even on new devices. ‘Technical debt' has a compounding effect.

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

1. Overview of This Week's National Filings Week 47 of 2025 recorded a National Total of 12,040 bankruptcy filings across all federal districts, comprising 7,541 Chapter 7 liquidation cases, 4,360 Chapter 13 wage-earner reorganizations, 136 Chapter 11 business reorganizations, and 3 Chapter 12 family farmer cases. The week's filings represent a strong week-over-week increase of 1,369 cases (about 13 percent) compared to the previous week's 10,671 filings. Year-to-date through Week 47, the nation has accumulated 513,763 total filings, already surpassing the entire year totals for both 2022 (378,314) and 2023 (445,168). The weekly average for 2025 now stands at 10,931 filings, substantially higher than the 2024 weekly average of 9,808 filings through the same period. This sustained elevation in weekly filings confirms that 2025 is on track to be a record-breaking year for bankruptcy volume.
2. An Interesting Fact About This Week's Filings The 12,040 filings in Week 47 of 2025 represent an astonishing 140 percent increase compared to the same week in 2022, which recorded only 5,023 filings. Chapter 7 filings have grown to represent nearly 63 percent of all cases this week, marking a multi-year high in the proportion of liquidation bankruptcies versus reorganization plans. The Central District of California alone accounted for over five percent of all national filings with 638 cases, making it the single most active district in the country. Only two districts—the Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands—recorded zero filings during the week. Remarkably, the 15,017 filings recorded in Week 44 of this year set the highest single-week total in the entire dataset spanning 2022 through 2025.
3. An Overview of This Week's District-Level Filings with Reference to Actual District Filing Numbers The Central District of California led all districts with 638 filings, followed closely by the Middle District of Florida with 606 filings, while the Northern District of Illinois recorded 439 filings. The Northern District of Georgia posted 415 cases and the Eastern District of Michigan logged 396 filings, while the Southern District of Florida contributed 355 filings and the Northern District of Ohio reported 326 cases. New Jersey recorded 296 total filings, Arizona came in with 283 filings, and the Eastern District of Virginia rounded out the top ten with 276 bankruptcy cases. These top ten districts collectively accounted for approximately 36 percent of the national total, demonstrating significant geographic concentration. The remaining 84 districts shared the balance of filings, with most contributing fewer than 200 cases each.
4. Geographic (District) Disparities in Filings Geographic disparities in bankruptcy filings remain stark, with California's four districts contributing 1,068 combined filings while territories like the Virgin Islands and Northern Mariana Islands reported zero cases. Florida's three districts generated 1,020 filings total, followed by Texas's four districts with 721 combined cases, Georgia's three districts with 636 filings, Ohio's two districts with 580, and Illinois's three districts with 514. Conversely, smaller jurisdictions such as Wyoming (14 filings), Vermont (9 filings), Alaska (3 filings), and Guam (1 filing) contributed minimally to the national total. The disparity ratio between the highest district (Central California at 638) and the lowest non-zero district (Guam at 1) exceeds 600 to 1. Urban, population-dense districts in the Sun Belt and Midwest continue to dominate filing volumes, while rural and territorial districts remain significantly underrepresented.
5. Current Year Focus The year 2025 has already accumulated 513,763 filings through Week 47, representing about 12 percent increase over the same period in 2024 when 460,979 filings were recorded. Chapter 7 filings total 319,610 cases year-to-date, Chapter 13 filings stand at 185,864, Chapter 11 business reorganizations have reached 8,015, and Chapter 12 farmer cases number 274. Week 44 of 2025 established the year's peak with 15,017 filings, while Week 1 recorded the year's low at 7,531 filings. The fourth quarter of 2025 (weeks 40-47) has averaged 11,742 filings per week, representing the highest quarterly rate of the year. The progressive quarterly increases throughout 2025 suggest that financial distress has intensified as the year has progressed.
6. Comparative Analysis with Previous Years Week 47 of 2025 with 12,040 filings represents a 15 percent increase over Week 47 of 2024's 10,430 filings and a dramatic 140 percent increase over Week 47 of 2022's 5,023 filings. Full-year totals have grown from 378,314 in 2022 to 445,168 in 2023 (up 18 percent) to 503,736 in 2024 (up 13 percent), demonstrating consistent double-digit annual growth. The Middle District of Florida showed the most dramatic year-over-year increase among top districts, jumping 29 percent from 469 filings in Week 47 of 2024 to 606 filings this week. Chapter 7 filings in Week 47 grew from 6,532 in 2024 to 7,541 in 2025 (up 15 percent), while Chapter 13 filings grew from 3,767 to 4,360 (up 16 percent). The consistency of double-digit year-over-year growth across all major categories suggests a sustained structural increase in financial distress across the economy.
7. Analyzing the Filings Per Capita The Week 47 per capita filing rate stands at approximately 3.6 filings per 100,000 Americans, up from about 3.1 per 100,000 in the same week of 2024. Year-to-date through Week 47, the cumulative per capita rate is approximately 152 filings per 100,000, compared to about 137 per 100,000 for the same period in 2024. The average weekly per capita rate for 2025 is about 3.2 per 100,000, representing a 12 percent increase over 2024's average of about 2.9 per 100,000. On an annualized basis, 2025 is tracking toward approximately 168 filings per 100,000 Americans, the highest rate in the four-year dataset. These per capita figures adjust for the U.S. population of approximately 338 and a half million in 2025.
8. Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita Per capita filing rates have risen steadily each year, from about 103 per 100,000 year-to-date through Week 47 in 2022, to 120 in 2023, to 137 in 2024, to 152 in 2025. This represents cumulative per capita growth of nearly 48 percent over the three-year period from 2022 to 2025, vastly outpacing population growth of just under two percent during the same timeframe. The quarterly trend within 2025 shows acceleration, with the first quarter averaging three filings per 100,000 weekly, the second and third quarters at about 3.3, and the fourth quarter partial at about 3.5. Year-over-year per capita growth has decelerated slightly from 16 percent (2022 to 2023) to 14 percent (2023 to 2024) to 11 percent (2024 to 2025), though absolute levels continue rising. The widening gap between filing growth and population growth indicates increasing financial stress per household rather than merely population-driven increases.
9. Forecast the Expected Filing Numbers for the Rest of the Year Based on 2024's pattern for Weeks 48-52 scaled by the current 12 percent year-over-year growth rate, the remaining five weeks of 2025 are projected to generate approximately 48,000 additional filings. This would bring the full-year 2025 total to approximately 561,000 filings, representing about an 11 percent increase over 2024's full-year total of 503,736. An alternative projection using the 2025 weekly average of 10,931 filings suggests approximately 55,000 filings for Weeks 48-52, yielding a full-year total of around 568,000. Either projection would establish 2025 as the highest filing year in the dataset, exceeding 2024 by approximately 57,000 to 65,000 cases. Holiday-shortened weeks in late December may moderate actual figures slightly below these projections.
10. Forecast the Trends of Increasing Filings After 2024 The three-year compound annual growth rate from 2022 to 2025 stands at approximately 14 and a half percent, suggesting continued upward pressure on filing volumes into 2026 and beyond. If this growth rate persists, 2026 could see year-to-date filings through Week 47 reach approximately 588,000, with full-year totals potentially approaching 650,000 cases. The increasing share of Chapter 7 liquidations (from 60 percent in 2022 to 62 percent in 2025) suggests that more filers are choosing full discharge over restructuring, indicating deeper financial distress. Economic factors including elevated interest rates, persistent inflation, and growing consumer debt loads point toward continued filing increases in 2026 and beyond. However, any economic stabilization, policy interventions, or improvement in consumer finances could moderate this growth trajectory from its current double-digit pace.

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

1. Overview of this week's National filings
   In Week 47 of 2025, the national total of bankruptcy filings reached 12,040, marking one of the highest weekly totals recorded in recent years. Chapter 7 filings led the volume with 7,541 cases, while Chapter 13 followed with 4,360. Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 filings remained much lower, with 136 and 3 cases respectively. This distribution reflects the typical pattern in bankruptcy filings, where Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 account for the vast majority. Overall, this week reflects a strong uptick in filings relative to prior weeks.
2. An interesting fact about this week's filings
   A notable detail this week is that Chapter 13 filings made up over 36% of the total national filings. While Chapter 7 continues to dominate with over 62% of filings, Chapter 13’s share represents a rise from the typical 25–30% seen in many previous weeks. For comparison, in Week 52 of 2024, Chapter 13 filings were only 1,795, while this week it has surged to 4,360, a 143% increase. This could signal growing reliance on debt repayment plans among consumers rather than liquidation. Such a sharp rise in Chapter 13 activity deserves closer monitoring in the coming weeks.
3. Overview of district-level filings
   Across all U.S. districts, the total national filing count of 12,040 was the combined output of hundreds of district-level chapter submissions. For example, some of the more active districts in Chapter 7 include Central California (CAC), Northern Illinois (ILN), and Southern Florida (FLS), each historically filing between 200–400 cases per week. In contrast, smaller districts like Wyoming or the Northern Mariana Islands contribute just a handful of filings each. The distribution remains heavily skewed toward populous districts with high consumer debt burdens. Such disparities help explain the national total and highlight regional economic pressures.
4. Geographic disparities in filings
   Filings vary widely by geography. Southern states like Georgia, Texas, and Alabama traditionally report elevated Chapter 13 filings due to local legal and economic factors. For instance, Alabama Middle (ALM) posted 19 Chapter 7 filings and 18 Chapter 13 filings in one recent week, showing the state's balanced distribution between liquidation and repayment filings. On the other hand, states like Arizona and Nevada lean heavily toward Chapter 7, driven by housing and consumer credit dynamics. These geographic differences are stable over time but can fluctuate with regional economic shocks.
5. Current year focus
   In 2025, bankruptcy filings have generally trended upward week-over-week. Comparing Week 47 of 2025 (12,040 filings) with the same week in 2024 shows a substantial rise—Week 52 of 2024 had only 5,458 filings, which is 121% less than this week. Chapter 7 filings rose from 3,624 to 7,541, and Chapter 13 doubled from 1,795 to 4,360. This strong growth in filings reflects mounting economic pressure in the current year, potentially tied to inflation, interest rates, and reduced pandemic-era financial support. The upward slope of filings is one of the key trends defining 2025.
6. Comparative analysis with previous years
   When comparing this week's numbers to Week 52 of both 2022 and 2023, the growth is clear. In Week 52 of 2022, national filings were only 6,441, with Chapter 7 at 3,950 and Chapter 13 at 2,452. Week 52 of 2023 showed some increase with 7,289 filings, but still significantly below this week’s 12,040. This represents a nearly 66% increase over two years. The persistent upward trend may be driven by the lagging effects of economic instability and the unwinding of COVID-related relief programs.
7. Analyzing the filings per capita
   While the dataset lacks population data, we can infer per capita trends using known high-population districts. For example, Central California often reports over 250 Chapter 7 filings weekly, contributing a significant share to the total. In contrast, states with smaller populations, such as Vermont or Alaska, report fewer than 10 filings per week on average. This creates a per capita rate that can be normalized by comparing filings to Census-based population estimates. Nationally, per capita filings are on the rise as the national total increases faster than population growth.
8. Analyzing the changing filings per capita
   Compared to previous years, the filings per capita rate has clearly escalated. The national total in Week 52 of 2022 was 6,441, meaning roughly 19.3 filings per million residents assuming a 333 million U.S. population. This week’s total of 12,040 puts filings at about 36.2 per million, nearly doubling the per capita rate in two years. This increase reflects not just economic stress, but also a possible shift in public attitudes toward bankruptcy as a financial reset tool. The change in per capita filings is a critical indicator of broad-based economic vulnerability.
9. Forecast of expected filing numbers for rest of year
   With five weeks remaining in 2025, and assuming a continued weekly average near 12,000 filings, we can project an additional 60,000 filings this year. That would bring the estimated year-end total to well above 600,000, depending on fluctuations in the final weeks. If filings accelerate during the holiday and post-holiday period—as they often do—the actual number could exceed 625,000. This would mark a substantial increase over 2024’s estimated filings, aligning with year-long upward trends. The next few weeks will confirm whether this rise sustains or stabilizes.
10. Forecast of trends beyond 2024
    If the pattern of increases continues, 2026 may see average weekly filings exceeding 13,000. Projecting conservatively at 650,000 to 675,000 filings annually, the system could return to pre-2008 financial crisis volumes. Continued economic strain, student loan repayments, and rising interest rates could all contribute. If Chapter 13 growth persists at its current rate—up over 140% year-over-year—it may rival Chapter 7 in volume by mid-decade. These forecasts underscore a potentially prolonged period of heightened bankruptcy activity nationwide.

Claude 4.5 Sonnet Extended Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics

1. Overview of This Week's National Filings Week 47 of 2025 recorded a total of 12,040 bankruptcy filings across all chapters nationwide, representing a significant milestone in the year's filing activity. Chapter 7 liquidations dominated the landscape with 7,541 filings, accounting for 62.6% of all cases filed during this week. Chapter 13 wage earner plans contributed 4,360 filings, representing 36.2% of the weekly total and serving as the second most common filing type. Chapter 11 reorganizations added 136 cases while Chapter 12 family farmer filings contributed just 3 cases, demonstrating the relative rarity of these specialized bankruptcy types. This comprehensive weekly total reflects the ongoing financial pressures facing American households and businesses as the year approaches its conclusion.
2. An Interesting Fact About This Week's Filings The most striking characteristic of Week 47's filing data is the dramatic 15.4% year-over-year increase compared to the same week in 2024, when only 10,430 filings were recorded. Even more remarkable is the comparison to Week 47 of 2023, which saw just 5,881 filings—meaning 2025's figures represent a staggering 104.7% increase over two years. This acceleration becomes even more apparent when considering that Week 47 of 2022 recorded only 5,023 filings, indicating that bankruptcy filings have more than doubled in just three years. The surge in Chapter 7 filings specifically tells a story of increased financial distress, with this week's 7,541 Chapter 7 cases far exceeding the 6,482 filed in the comparable week of 2024. These escalating numbers suggest a fundamental shift in the economic pressures facing American consumers and businesses.
3. Overview of This Week's District-Level Filings At the district level, Week 47 revealed substantial filing activity concentrated in several major jurisdictions across the United States. The Central District of California led the nation with 638 total filings for the week, combining 350 Chapter 7 cases, 6 Chapter 11 cases, 1 Chapter 12 case, and 281 Chapter 13 cases. The Middle District of Florida followed closely with 606 filings, including 333 Chapter 7 cases and 253 Chapter 13 cases, demonstrating the continued financial challenges in the state's population centers. The Northern District of Illinois recorded 439 filings with a notable mix of 255 Chapter 7 and 194 Chapter 13 cases, while the Northern District of Georgia contributed 415 total filings to the national count. These four districts alone accounted for approximately 17.4% of all national filings during Week 47, highlighting the geographic concentration of bankruptcy activity in major metropolitan areas.
4. Geographic Disparities in Filings The geographic distribution of bankruptcy filings in Week 47 reveals stark disparities between high-volume and low-volume districts across the nation. While the Central District of California's 638 filings represented 5.3% of all national filings, several territories and smaller jurisdictions recorded minimal activity, with the Virgin Islands and Northern Mariana Islands each reporting zero filings for the week. Alaska recorded just 3 total filings, Guam reported only 1 filing, and West Virginia's Northern District logged just 9 cases, illustrating how bankruptcy filing patterns closely correlate with population density and regional economic conditions. The disparity becomes even more pronounced when considering that the top 10 districts accounted for 4,321 filings—representing 35.9% of all national filings despite comprising only a fraction of the 94 federal bankruptcy court districts. This concentration pattern persists across all bankruptcy chapters, with high-population districts like Central California, Middle Florida, and Northern Illinois consistently ranking among the busiest jurisdictions for both consumer and business bankruptcies.
5. Current Year Focus The 2025 filing year has demonstrated consistently elevated bankruptcy activity, with year-to-date totals through Week 47 reaching 513,763 cases nationwide. This represents a substantial 11.5% increase compared to the 460,979 filings recorded during the same 47-week period in 2024, indicating sustained upward pressure on bankruptcy rates throughout the year. The average weekly filing rate for 2025 stands at 10,931 cases per week, significantly exceeding 2024's average of 9,687 cases and 2023's average of 8,561 cases per week. Week 47's total of 12,040 filings exceeded the yearly average by 10.1%, suggesting that filing activity has actually accelerated as the year has progressed rather than following typical seasonal patterns. With five weeks remaining in the calendar year, 2025 is positioned to exceed half a million total bankruptcy filings, a threshold that would mark a significant milestone in post-pandemic bankruptcy trends.
6. Comparative Analysis with Previous Years Comparing Week 47 across multiple years reveals a clear and concerning upward trajectory in bankruptcy filings that has accelerated dramatically since 2022. The 12,040 filings in Week 47 of 2025 represent a 15.4% increase over 2024's Week 47 total of 10,430 cases, building upon the previous year's extraordinary 77.4% surge from the 5,881 filings recorded in Week 47 of 2023. When examining the full year-to-date picture through Week 47, 2025's 513,763 filings surpass 2024's 460,979 by 52,784 cases, while 2024 had already exceeded 2023's 401,495 by 59,484 cases during the comparable period. The growth rate from 2022 to 2025 is even more striking, as Week 47 of 2022 recorded just 5,023 filings—meaning current filing volumes are 139.7% higher than they were three years ago. This sustained multi-year growth pattern suggests underlying economic structural changes rather than temporary disruptions, with each successive year establishing new benchmarks for bankruptcy filing activity.
7. Analyzing the Filings Per Capita When adjusted for the current United States population of approximately 341 million people, Week 47's filing data reveals that 3.53 individuals or businesses per 100,000 population filed for bankruptcy during this single week. Projecting this rate across the full calendar year using 2025's average weekly filing rate of 10,931 cases suggests an annual total of approximately 568,400 filings, which translates to 166.7 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 population annually. This per capita rate provides important context for understanding the true scale of financial distress in the nation, indicating that roughly 1 in every 600 Americans will file for bankruptcy in 2025 if current trends continue. The Chapter 7 filing rate of 2.21 per 100,000 per week and Chapter 13 rate of 1.28 per 100,000 per week demonstrate that consumer liquidation bankruptcies remain significantly more common than reorganization plans on a per capita basis. These rates, while concerning, still remain below the historical peaks seen in the mid-2000s before the financial crisis, though they represent substantial increases from the unusually low filing rates observed during the pandemic years of 2020-2021.
8. Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita The per capita bankruptcy filing rate has undergone dramatic changes over the past three years, with Week 47 comparisons revealing the magnitude of this shift. In 2025, the per capita rate of 3.53 filings per 100,000 population per week represents a 15.4% increase from 2024's rate of 3.06 per 100,000, which had itself surged from 2023's rate of just 1.72 per 100,000 during the same week. This means the current per capita filing rate is 105.2% higher than it was in Week 47 of 2023, effectively doubling in just two years even after accounting for population growth. The year-to-date per capita filing rate for 2025 stands at approximately 150.7 filings per 100,000 population through Week 47, compared to 135.2 per 100,000 for the same period in 2024 and 117.7 per 100,000 in 2023. This accelerating per capita trend indicates that rising bankruptcy filings are not simply a function of population growth but reflect genuine increases in financial distress rates across the American population, with each person now facing higher bankruptcy risk than in recent years.
9. Forecast the Expected Filing Numbers for the Rest of the Year With five weeks remaining in 2025 following Week 47, forecasting models based on the year's established patterns project substantial additional filing activity before year-end. Using the year-to-date average of 10,931 filings per week, the remaining five weeks are expected to generate approximately 54,655 additional cases, bringing the projected 2025 total to approximately 568,418 filings nationwide. However, historical patterns suggest that filing activity typically accelerates in the final weeks of the year, particularly around the holidays when financial pressures intensify and strategic timing considerations influence filing decisions, which could push the total even higher. If Week 47's elevated rate of 12,040 filings represents the new baseline for the year's conclusion, the final five weeks could contribute up to 60,200 cases, potentially bringing the annual total closer to 573,963 filings. Either scenario would represent a significant increase over 2024's projected full-year total of approximately 503,700 cases, marking 2025 as a pivotal year in post-pandemic bankruptcy trends. The forecast confidence remains high given the consistency of elevated filing rates throughout 2025, with no significant indicators suggesting a reversal of the established upward trend in the final weeks.
10. Forecast the Trends of Increasing Filings After 2024 The filing trends observed from 2022 through 2025 suggest that bankruptcy rates will continue their upward trajectory into 2026 and potentially beyond, driven by persistent economic pressures. The compound annual growth rate of approximately 46.8% from 2022 to 2024, followed by the sustained 11.5% increase in 2025, indicates strong momentum in filing activity that is unlikely to reverse without significant policy interventions or economic improvements. If 2026 experiences even a conservative 8-10% growth rate matching the later part of 2025's trend, annual bankruptcy filings could exceed 615,000 cases, while a continuation of recent acceleration patterns could push totals beyond 640,000 filings. The factors driving this growth—including elevated inflation rates, high interest rates increasing debt service burdens, depleted pandemic-era savings, and normalized lending practices following emergency forbearance periods—show little sign of abating in the near term. Consequently, bankruptcy filings are forecast to remain elevated through at least mid-2026, with potential for continued year-over-year increases until significant economic conditions change or household balance sheets stabilize through reduced debt burdens or wage growth exceeding inflation rates.

ChatGPT 5.1 Analysis of this Week's Bankruptcy Statistics

1. In week 47 of 2025, total national bankruptcy filings reached 12,040 cases. Of these, 7,541 were under chapter 7, 136 under chapter 11, 3 under chapter 12, and 4,360 under chapter 13. This week 47 total of 12,040 stands about 10.1 percent above the year-to-date weekly average of roughly 10,931 filings for 2025. Compared with week 46 of 2025, when there were 10,671 filings, week 47 added 1,369 more cases at the national level. Within the first 47 weeks of 2025, cumulative filings have reached 513,763, so this latest week alone contributed about 2.3 percent of the year-to-date total.
2. One striking feature of week 47 is that the 12,040 filings in 2025 are 1,610 higher than the 10,430 filings recorded in week 47 of 2024. Relative to week 47 of 2023, which saw only 5,881 filings, the latest week is higher by 6,159 cases, more than doubling in two years. Week 47 of 2022 had 5,023 filings, so the 2025 figure is 7,017 cases higher than three years ago. The national chapter 13 count has climbed from 3,767 in week 47 of 2024 and 2,296 in week 47 of 2023 to 4,360 in week 47 of 2025, an increase of 593 and 2,064 cases respectively. Meanwhile chapter 7 filings in this same week rose from 6,532 in 2024 and 3,550 in 2023 to 7,541 in 2025, so chapter 7 alone added 1,009 cases year over year and 3,991 cases over two years while chapter 11 ticked up from 129 and 34 to 136.
3. At the district scale in week 47 of 2025, total filings across all 94 districts range widely yet together they sum exactly to the national total of 12,040 cases. The busiest district this week is Central California with 638 filings, followed closely by Middle Florida with 606 filings. Northern Illinois records 439 cases, Northern Georgia 415, and Eastern Michigan 396, so these five districts alone account for 2,494 filings. On the other end of the spectrum, districts such as Maine and North Dakota see 15 filings each, Wyoming reports 14, New Hampshire 12, and Vermont and Northern West Virginia only 9 each. Two territories, the Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands, record 0 filings this week, while Guam reports just 1 case, illustrating how a small number of districts contribute a large share of the 12,040 national total.
4. Geographic disparities are significant, with the 10 highest-volume districts contributing 4,030 of the 12,040 national filings in week 47, or about 33.5 percent of the total. By contrast, the 10 lowest-volume districts together account for only 78 filings, which is less than 0.7 percent of the national total this week. Central California’s 638 cases are roughly 6.4 times the median district count of 99 cases, underscoring how concentrated activity is in a few high-volume areas. Middle Florida’s 606 filings alone exceed the combined 74 filings from Maine, North Dakota, Wyoming, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Northern West Virginia in this week. If we compare these district figures with the national weekly average of 10,931 filings and the year-to-date total of 513,763, it is clear that a handful of large districts are driving a disproportionate share of the national increase.
5. Looking only at 2025 through week 47, the country has recorded 513,763 filings, compared with 460,979 filings in the same 47 weeks of 2024. That represents an 11.5 percent increase year over year, on top of the 14.8 percent increase seen from 401,495 filings in 2023 to 460,979 in 2024 for the first 47 weeks. The average weekly volume has climbed from 9,808 filings in 2024 to 10,931 in 2025, an increase of about 1,123 cases per week. In 2022, the comparable 47-week total was 342,585 with an average of 7,289 filings per week, so the 2025 weekly average is about 50 percent higher than just three years ago. Within week 47 itself, the 12,040 filings are roughly 10.1 percent higher than the 2025 weekly average of 10,931, signalling that current momentum is slightly above the already elevated pace for the year.
6. Comparing the first 47 weeks across years, total filings rose from 342,585 in 2022 to 401,495 in 2023, then to 460,979 in 2024, and finally to 513,763 in 2025. That sequence implies year-over-year growth rates of about 17.2 percent from 2022 to 2023, 14.8 percent from 2023 to 2024, and 11.5 percent from 2024 to 2025, so growth is strong but gradually decelerating. Chapter 7 year-to-date totals increased from 205,014 in 2022 to 237,323 in 2023, 280,642 in 2024, and 319,610 in 2025, which translates to average weekly levels rising from 4,362 to 6,800 over this period. Chapter 13 totals over the first 47 weeks moved from 133,824 in 2022 to 158,071 in 2023, 172,933 in 2024, and 185,864 in 2025, with the corresponding weekly averages increasing from 2,847 to roughly 3,955 cases. Even the smaller chapters have grown, as chapter 11 year-to-date totals climbed from 3,609 in 2022 to 8,015 in 2025 and chapter 12 totals rose from 138 to 274 over the same span, showing that all four chapters contribute to the rising national total.
7. To place week 47 of 2025 in context, we can relate the 12,040 national filings to an estimated United States population of about 344,234,000 people, which yields roughly 3.50 filings per 100,000 residents for this week. In week 47 of 2024, there were 10,430 filings against an estimated population of 340,110,988, equivalent to around 3.07 filings per 100,000 residents for that week. Week 47 of 2023 saw 5,881 filings with a population near 336,806,231, or about 1.75 filings per 100,000 residents, while week 47 of 2022 had 5,023 filings and a population near 334,017,321, or about 1.50 per 100,000. So over these four years the weekly per person rate for this late November week has more than doubled, rising from about 1.50 to 3.50 filings per 100,000 residents as the absolute counts increased from 5,023 to 12,040. Given that year-to-date filings rose from 342,585 in 2022 to 513,763 in 2025 while the population grew only modestly, the per person burden of bankruptcy filings has clearly shifted upward even after accounting for population growth.
8. Looking at the cumulative first 47 weeks, the 342,585 filings in 2022 translate into about 102.6 filings per 100,000 residents, rising to 119.2 per 100,000 for the 401,495 filings in 2023. By 2024, the 460,979 filings over the first 47 weeks correspond to roughly 135.5 filings per 100,000 residents, based on a population estimate of 340,110,988. In 2025, with 513,763 filings already recorded by week 47 and a projected population of about 344,234,000, the year-to-date rate reaches about 149.2 filings per 100,000 residents. That means the cumulative per person rate for the year has risen by around 46.7 filings per 100,000 residents since 2022, even though population grew by only about 10,216,679 people over that period. Because the year-to-date national total increased by 171,178 filings between 2022 and 2025, the upward movement in per person rates reflects a genuine intensification of financial distress rather than simply more people in the population.
9. If we use the recent four-week average of about 11,957 filings, based on weeks 44 through 47 with totals of 15,017, 10,098, 10,671, and 12,040, we can project filings for the remaining five weeks of 2025. Multiplying this average by the 5 remaining weeks yields a projected additional 59,783 filings on top of the 513,763 already recorded through week 47. That would give an estimated full-year national total of about 573,546 filings for 2025, compared with 460,979 filings in the first 47 weeks of 2024 and 401,495 filings in the first 47 weeks of 2023. Under this simple continuation of recent trends, chapter 7 filings would be expected to rise from their current year-to-date total of 319,610 to roughly 353,611 by year end, while chapter 13 would likely increase from 185,864 to around 205,637. Similarly, chapter 11 filings could grow from 8,015 to about 8,868 and chapter 12 filings from 274 to about 303, implying that all four chapters will close 2025 well above their 2024 year-to-date levels even if weekly volumes remain near recent averages.
10. The step up from 460,979 filings in the first 47 weeks of 2024 to 513,763 filings in the same span of 2025 indicates that the post-2024 uptrend is already well established. However, the annual growth rate in these first 47-week totals has eased from 17.2 percent between 2022 and 2023 to 14.8 percent between 2023 and 2024 and 11.5 percent between 2024 and 2025, suggesting future increases may continue but at a gradually slower pace. If the average weekly volume in 2026 were to grow by a further 9 percent from the 2025 average of 10,931 filings, it would reach roughly 11,915 filings per week. Applied over 52 weeks, that would correspond to about 619,600 filings in 2026, which would still be roughly 46,000 more cases than the 573,546 projected for all of 2025. In this scenario, chapters 7 and 13, which together already account for 7,541 and 4,360 cases respectively in week 47 of 2025, would remain the primary drivers of rising post-2024 filings even as the overall growth rate slows.

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.