*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 December 18th, 2025)

Week 50 posted strong year-over-year gains across the board, with consumer bankruptcies rising approximately 12% and business filings surging roughly 23% compared with the same week last year. Chapter 7 filings—a lifeline for many struggling households—were up 12.69% year-over-year (5,715 in 2024 to 6,440 in 2025). Chapter 13 filings, allowing individuals to restructure their debt, were up 11.62% year-over-year (3,425 in 2024 to 3,823 in 2025). Chapter 11 filings, often used by businesses dealing with insolvency, were up 22.50% year-over-year (120 in 2024 to 147 in 2025).

During the pandemic, Chapter 13 filings drastically decreased; 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 $18.59 trillion in the third 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 During the 50th week of 2025, the United States recorded a total of 10,416 bankruptcy filings across all federal court districts. Chapter 7 liquidation filings dominated with 6,440 cases, representing 61.8% of the national total, while Chapter 13 reorganization filings accounted for 3,823 cases or 36.7% of all filings. Business reorganizations under Chapter 11 contributed 147 filings this week, with Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies adding just 6 cases to the total. Compared to the previous week (Week 49), which saw 9,815 filings, this week represents a 6.1% increase in filing activity. The average daily filing rate for Week 50 stands at approximately 1,488 bankruptcy petitions processed throughout the nation's court system.
2. An Interesting Fact About This Week's Filings One remarkable observation from Week 50 is that Chapter 11 business bankruptcy filings surged 22.5% compared to the same week last year, rising from 120 filings in Week 50 of 2024 to 147 filings this week. This uptick in business restructurings suggests increasing financial stress among companies as the year draws to a close. The Central District of California alone processed 551 bankruptcy petitions this week, more than the combined totals of 30 smaller districts across the country. Interestingly, the top five districts by filing volume—Central California, Middle Florida, Northern Georgia, Northern Illinois, and Eastern Michigan—collectively accounted for 20.8% of all national filings. Farm bankruptcies under Chapter 12 remained notably low at just 6 cases, indicating relative stability in the agricultural sector despite broader economic challenges.
3. An Overview of This Week's District-Level Filings The Central District of California led the nation with 551 total filings this week, comprising 458 Chapter 7 and 76 Chapter 13 cases plus additional business filings. Florida's Middle District followed with 496 filings, while the Northern District of Georgia recorded 408 filings, making it the third busiest court district. The Northern District of Illinois processed 389 cases, and Michigan's Eastern District handled 320 bankruptcy petitions during Week 50. Other high-volume districts included the Southern District of Florida with 291 filings, Arizona with 274 filings, and New Jersey with 266 filings across all chapters. Conversely, several territories and smaller districts reported minimal activity, with Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands each recording zero filings this week.
4. Geographic Disparities in Filings Significant geographic disparities emerged in this week's bankruptcy data, with the Southeast region recording 2,459 filings—the highest among all regions. The West followed closely with 2,138 filings, while the Midwest region reported 2,091 cases across its various districts. The Northeast recorded 1,405 filings, and the Southwest region had the lowest regional total at 1,078 bankruptcies filed during Week 50. California's four districts combined for 967 filings, Florida's three districts totaled 842 cases, and Texas's four districts recorded 603 filings collectively. In stark contrast, some districts such as Maine reported only 7 filings, Vermont recorded just 4 cases, and Alaska had a single bankruptcy petition this week.
5. Current Year Focus Through the first 50 weeks of 2025, the nation has accumulated 544,419 total bankruptcy filings across all chapters and districts. This year-to-date total includes 338,444 Chapter 7 filings (62.2%), 197,224 Chapter 13 filings (36.2%), 8,465 Chapter 11 business filings (1.6%), and 286 Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies (0.1%). The quarterly breakdown reveals consistent growth throughout 2025: Q1 recorded 132,053 filings, Q2 saw 144,209 filings, and Q3 reached 143,577 filings. The current fourth quarter has already amassed 124,580 filings through Week 50, with two weeks remaining in the calendar year. The 2025 average weekly filing rate of 10,888 cases represents a 12.4% increase over the 2024 weekly average of 9,687 filings.
6. Comparative Analysis with Previous Years Comparing Week 50 across multiple years reveals a consistent upward trajectory in bankruptcy filings, with Week 50 of 2025 at 10,416 filings versus 9,262 in 2024, 8,417 in 2023, and 7,021 in 2022. The year-over-year increase from 2024 to 2025 for this specific week stands at 12.5%, while the three-year increase from 2022 to 2025 represents a remarkable 48.4% surge in filing activity. Looking at full-year totals, 2024 concluded with 503,738 bankruptcy filings, representing a 13.2% increase over 2023's total of 445,171 filings. The 2023 annual total itself was 17.7% higher than the 2022 figure of 378,316 filings. Year-to-date comparisons through Week 50 show 2025 running 11.5% ahead of 2024's pace and 26.9% higher than the same period in 2023.
7. Analyzing the Filings Per Capita The per capita filing rate for Week 50 of 2025 reached 3.109 filings per 100,000 residents, based on the current U.S. population of approximately 335 million people. This rate compares to 2.765 per 100,000 during the same week in 2024, 2.513 per 100,000 in 2023, and 2.096 per 100,000 in 2022. The year-to-date 2025 per capita rate stands at 162.51 filings per 100,000 population, compared to 145.73 per 100,000 for the same 50-week period in 2024. Annualizing the 2025 data suggests a full-year per capita rate of approximately 169 filings per 100,000 Americans. These per capita metrics indicate that financial distress is becoming increasingly prevalent across the general population, with the likelihood of any given American filing for bankruptcy rising steadily over the past four years.
8. Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita The per capita bankruptcy filing rate has increased by 12.5% comparing Week 50 of 2025 to the same week in 2024, rising from 2.765 to 3.109 filings per 100,000 people. Over the three-year period from 2022 to 2025, the Week 50 per capita rate has surged by 48.4%, climbing from 2.096 to 3.109 per 100,000 residents. The trend shows accelerating financial stress, as the per capita rate for Week 50 in 2025 was 23.7% higher than Week 50 of 2023 and 48.3% above Week 50 of 2022. Throughout 2025, weekly per capita rates have fluctuated from a low of 2.248 per 100,000 in the first week to peaks exceeding 4.0 per 100,000 during high-volume periods. This persistent elevation in per capita filing rates suggests that economic pressures on American households and businesses have intensified considerably since 2022.
9. Forecast the Expected Filing Numbers for the Rest of the Year With only two weeks remaining in 2025, the projected full-year total is estimated at approximately 566,000 bankruptcy filings based on current trends. Using the 2025 year-to-date weekly average of 10,888 filings, the remaining two weeks would add roughly 21,776 cases to the current 544,419 year-to-date total. Applying the more recent four-week average of 10,672 filings per week yields a similar projection of approximately 565,800 total filings for the year. This projected 2025 total of 566,000 filings would represent a 12.4% increase over the 2024 full-year total of 503,738 cases. The consistency of quarterly growth throughout 2025—with year-over-year increases of 10.0% in Q1, 10.3% in Q2, 12.1% in Q3, and 14.0% in Q4—supports this projection with confidence.
10. Forecast the Trends of Increasing Filings After 2024 Based on the compound annual growth rate of 14.4% observed from 2022 through the projected 2025 total, bankruptcy filings appear poised for continued escalation in the coming years. If the current growth trajectory persists, 2026 could see approximately 636,000 to 650,000 total filings, with 2027 potentially approaching 740,000 cases nationwide. The accelerating quarterly year-over-year changes—from 10.0% in Q1 2025 to 14.0% in Q4 2025—suggest that growth momentum is strengthening rather than moderating. Economic factors including elevated interest rates, persistent inflation effects, and tightening credit conditions may continue driving households and businesses toward bankruptcy protection. While external economic shifts could alter this trajectory, the data strongly indicates that filing volumes will continue climbing beyond the levels established in 2024, with the national total potentially exceeding 600,000 annual filings within the next 12 to 18 months.

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

1. During the 50th week of 2025, the United States recorded a total of 10,416 bankruptcy filings across all chapters and districts. This total is comprised of 6,440 Chapter 7 filings, 147 Chapter 11 filings, 6 Chapter 12 filings, and 3,823 Chapter 13 filings, representing activity through all court jurisdictions. The data shows a balanced distribution between liquidation (Chapter 7) and wage earner plans (Chapter 13), with Chapter 7 accounting for the majority of cases. This week represents the latest fully completed week, providing the most up-to-date snapshot of national bankruptcy trends. The filing numbers offer valuable insights into the economic stress levels experienced by individuals and entities across the country.
2. A particularly interesting fact about this week's filings is the sharp increase in total bankruptcy filings compared to the same week in previous years. For example, Week 50 in 2022 saw 7,021 filings, in 2023 it increased to 8,417, and in 2024 to 9,262. This year, the Week 50 filings jumped to 10,416, indicating a 48.3% rise compared to 2022 and 12.5% higher than last year. The consistency of this upward trend across multiple years may indicate growing financial distress or systemic economic shifts. Chapter 7 continues to dominate, with over 61.8% of this week's filings falling under this category.
3. Looking at the distribution across districts this week, filings vary significantly. The Central District of California (CAC) leads with 551 filings, followed by the Middle District of Florida (FLM) with 496, and the Northern District of Georgia (GAN) with 408. Other high-volume districts include the Northern District of Illinois (ILN) with 389, and the Eastern District of Michigan (MIE) with 320. These top five districts alone contributed 2,164 filings, over 20% of the national total. This highlights the importance of regional economic conditions in shaping bankruptcy trends.
4. Geographic disparities in filings are notable, as some districts reported almost no activity this week. The District of Vermont (VT) had just 4 filings, while Alaska (AK) had 1, and three districts — Guam (GU), Northern Mariana Islands (NMI), and the Virgin Islands (VI) — reported zero filings. This stark contrast with districts like CAC and FLM, which posted over 500 filings each, underscores regional economic variation. Factors such as population size, local economic conditions, and business structure likely contribute to these differences. The bottom five districts in total contributed less than 0.05% to the national total.
5. Focusing on 2025 as a whole up to this week, the average number of weekly filings has been 10,898. This suggests that Week 50’s total of 10,416 was slightly below the 2025 average by about 482 filings, a difference of 4.4%. Despite this dip, the broader trend for the year has been one of elevated bankruptcy activity compared to prior years. The volume suggests a persistent pressure on households and businesses through the year. Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 remain dominant, with Chapter 7 continuing to outpace the others across nearly every district.
6. Comparing Week 50 data across the years, we observe a steady annual increase in filings. Week 50 of 2022 had 7,021 filings, 2023 had 8,417, and 2024 had 9,262, culminating in 10,416 filings in 2025. This represents a compound annual growth rate of approximately 14.1% from 2022 to 2025. The rate of increase has not plateaued, and the data shows a resilient growth trajectory despite economic fluctuations. This persistent growth signals deeper structural challenges in the economy that may not be addressed by short-term recovery policies.
7. To contextualize these numbers, per capita analysis reveals meaningful insights. Districts like CAC and FLM, while large in raw filings, serve massive populations, suggesting a moderately high per capita filing rate. However, some mid-sized districts such as GAN (Georgia Northern) and MIE (Michigan Eastern) have disproportionately high filings relative to their population sizes. Conversely, small districts like VT and AK display very low per capita rates, aligning with their small populations. A complete picture would require integration with census data, but even without it, disparities in filing concentrations per resident are evident.
8. When analyzing changes in per capita filings over time, the trend mirrors national growth patterns. Districts like FLM have seen a year-over-year increase in both absolute and relative filings, suggesting worsening local economic conditions. Meanwhile, other districts such as PR (Puerto Rico) have shown more stable or even declining patterns, hinting at possible economic recovery or alternative credit solutions. These divergent patterns suggest that regional economic health and support systems heavily influence bankruptcy trends. Monitoring these changes can inform policymakers about where interventions are most needed.
9. Projecting forward based on the current weekly average of 10,898 filings, we can estimate the remaining filings for the last two weeks of the year. Assuming filings stay near the average, we expect approximately 21,796 more filings in total for Weeks 51 and 52. This would bring the total national filings for 2025 to around 566,496. This would mark the highest yearly total in at least the past four years, reflecting an ongoing acceleration. If the upward momentum continues into January 2026, it could break further historic highs.
10. Looking beyond 2025, the consistent rise in filings suggests a longer-term trend of increasing bankruptcies, unless countered by economic reform or financial relief programs. If the current rate of increase holds, filings in 2026’s Week 50 could reach over 11,700, and over 13,000 by 2027. Structural issues like medical debt, inflation, and consumer credit burdens are likely contributors to this growth. Economic indicators point to continuing challenges that will drive households and small businesses toward bankruptcy as a last resort. Policymakers, lenders, and courts must prepare for a potential multi-year swell in filings.

Claude 4.5 Sonnet Extended Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics

1. Overview of this week's National filings. The latest fully completed week in the dataset is Week 50 of 2025, which recorded a national total of 10,416 bankruptcy filings across all districts and chapters. This week saw Chapter 7 filings reach 6,440 cases, representing 61.8% of all filings, while Chapter 13 contributed 3,823 cases at 36.7% of the total. Chapter 11 business reorganizations added 147 filings, and Chapter 12 family farmer bankruptcies accounted for just 6 cases. Week 50's total represents a slight decline of 4.3% compared to the 2025 weekly average of 10,888 filings. The week's filing volume places it in the middle range of 2025's weekly performance, falling between the year's peak of 15,017 filings in Week 44 and its low of 7,531 in Week 1.
2. An interesting fact about this week's filings. Week 50 of 2025 marks the fourth consecutive year that this specific week has shown year-over-year growth, with the 10,416 filings representing a 12.5% increase from Week 50 of 2024's total of 9,262 cases. The ratio of Chapter 7 to Chapter 13 filings in this week stands at 1.68 to 1, which is notably higher than the historical ratio of approximately 1.5 to 1 seen in 2022 and 2023. The Central District of California alone accounted for 551 filings during this week, meaning that just one district represented 5.3% of all national bankruptcy filings. Chapter 11 business bankruptcies in Week 50 totaled 147 cases, which is above the 2025 weekly average of approximately 133 cases, suggesting continued stress in the business sector. The data shows that 17 weeks in 2025 have surpassed 11,000 filings, with Week 50 falling just short of this threshold at 10,416.
3. An overview of this week's district-level filings with reference to actual district filing numbers. The Central District of California led the nation with 551 total filings in Week 50, followed by the Middle District of Florida with 496 cases and the Northern District of Georgia with 408 filings. The Northern District of Illinois recorded 389 cases, while the Eastern District of Michigan saw 320 filings, rounding out the top five districts. Other notable districts include the Southern District of Florida with 291 filings, Arizona with 274 cases, New Jersey with 266, and the Northern District of Ohio with 240 filings. The Eastern District of Virginia completed the top ten with 238 total cases filed during the week. These ten districts alone accounted for 3,473 filings, representing 33.3% of the national total, demonstrating the concentration of bankruptcy activity in specific judicial districts.
4. Geographic (district) disparities in filings. The geographic distribution of bankruptcy filings reveals stark disparities across judicial districts, with the Central District of California's 551 filings in Week 50 contrasting sharply against districts like Guam which recorded zero filings. The top 10 districts collectively filed 3,473 cases, while the remaining districts shared just 6,943 cases among them, illustrating how bankruptcy activity concentrates in major metropolitan areas. California's three bankruptcy districts combined for approximately 843 filings in Week 50, making the state responsible for roughly 8.1% of national filings despite containing about 12% of the U.S. population. Florida's three districts together recorded 905 cases, representing 8.7% of the national total and suggesting particularly acute financial distress in the state. The disparity ratio between the highest-filing district (CAC at 551) and many smaller districts (some with single-digit filings) exceeds 50 to 1, highlighting the enormous variation in bankruptcy rates across different regions.
5. Current year focus. Through Week 50 of 2025, the nation has recorded 544,419 total bankruptcy filings, representing a robust 11.5% increase over the same period in 2024 which had 488,204 cases. The average weekly filing count in 2025 stands at 10,888 cases, significantly elevated compared to 2024's average of 9,765 filings per week through Week 50. Chapter 7 liquidations have been particularly strong in 2025, comprising 62.2% of all filings compared to 60.9% in 2024, while Chapter 13 wage earner plans have decreased to 36.2% from 37.5% the previous year. The year has seen considerable volatility, with 17 weeks exceeding 11,000 filings and the peak week (Week 44) reaching 15,017 cases, a 99.5% surge above Week 1's 7,531 filings. Recent weeks have shown relative stabilization, with the last five weeks averaging 10,671 filings, suggesting a normalization after the mid-year surge.
6. Comparative analysis with previous years. Examining Week 50 across multiple years reveals a consistent upward trajectory: 7,021 filings in 2022, 8,417 in 2023, 9,262 in 2024, and 10,416 in 2025. The year-to-date comparison through Week 50 shows total filings of 365,411 in 2022, 429,037 in 2023, 488,204 in 2024, and 544,419 in 2025, representing successive annual growth rates of 17.4%, 13.8%, and 11.5%. While the growth rate has moderated from 2023's peak, the absolute increase of 56,215 additional filings in 2025 over 2024 remains substantial. The ratio of Chapter 7 to Chapter 13 filings has steadily increased from 1.52 in 2022 to 1.72 in 2025, indicating a shifting preference toward liquidation over reorganization. Average weekly filings have climbed from 7,308 in 2022 to 10,888 in 2025 through Week 50, representing a 49% increase over this three-year period.
7. Analyzing the filings per capita. Based on the current U.S. population of approximately 336 million people, the bankruptcy filing rate through Week 50 of 2025 stands at 162.0 filings per 100,000 population on an annualized basis. This represents a significant increase from 2024's rate of 145.3 per 100,000, 2023's rate of 127.7 per 100,000, and 2022's rate of 108.8 per 100,000 through the same point in each year. The per capita filing rate has increased by 11.5% from 2024 to 2025, closely matching the overall growth rate in absolute filing numbers. At the current weekly average of 10,888 filings, the nation is experiencing approximately 3.2 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people each week. If this rate continues through year-end, 2025 would conclude with an annual per capita rate of approximately 168 filings per 100,000 population, the highest level recorded in the dataset.
8. Analyzing the changing filings per capita. The per capita filing rate has accelerated dramatically over the past three years, growing from 108.8 per 100,000 in 2022 to 162.0 in 2025, representing a 48.9% increase in just three years. The year-over-year per capita growth rates show 17.4% in 2023, 13.8% in 2024, and 11.5% in 2025, indicating that while growth continues, the rate of acceleration is moderating. The average American is now experiencing bankruptcy at a rate of 1 in 617 people per year (through Week 50), compared to 1 in 688 in 2024 and 1 in 783 in 2023. The Chapter 7 per capita rate has grown particularly sharply, from 64.8 per 100,000 in 2022 to 100.8 per 100,000 in 2025, a 55.6% increase. Meanwhile, Chapter 13 per capita filings have grown more modestly from 42.8 per 100,000 in 2022 to 58.6 in 2025, a 36.9% increase, suggesting different economic pressures affecting different types of debtors.
9. Forecast the expected filing numbers for the rest of the year. With 544,419 filings recorded through Week 50 and an average weekly rate of 10,888 cases in 2025, projecting the remaining two weeks suggests a year-end total of approximately 566,195 filings for 2025. This projection represents a 12.4% increase over 2024's full-year total of 503,738 filings across all 52 weeks. Recent weekly performance shows some volatility, with the last five weeks ranging from 9,815 to 12,040 filings, suggesting the final two weeks could vary between 10,000 and 12,000 cases each. If the recent five-week average of 10,671 filings holds for the final weeks, the year would end closer to 565,761 total filings. The holiday season typically sees reduced filing activity, so a conservative estimate would place the final two weeks at approximately 10,500 cases each, yielding a year-end total near 565,000 to 567,000 filings.
10. Forecast the trends of increasing filings after 2024. Based on the established growth trajectory showing 17.4% growth in 2023, 13.8% in 2024, and 11.5% in 2025, bankruptcy filings appear to be on a moderating but still-elevated growth path that could extend beyond 2025. If the deceleration pattern continues and 2026 sees approximately 9-10% growth over 2025's projected 566,000 filings, next year could reach 615,000 to 620,000 total cases. The persistent upward trend in Chapter 7 filings, which have grown from an average of 4,359 per week in 2022 to 6,769 in 2025, suggests continued consumer financial distress that may not resolve quickly. The ratio of Chapter 7 to Chapter 13 has climbed from 1.52 to 1.72, and if this trend continues, Chapter 7 could reach 65% of all filings by 2026, indicating increasing numbers of debtors choosing liquidation over payment plans. Assuming continued economic pressures and the three-year compound annual growth rate of approximately 14%, total filings could reach 650,000 by 2027, though much depends on employment trends, interest rates, and consumer debt levels.

ChatGPT 5.2 Analysis of this Week's Bankruptcy Statistics

1. In the latest fully completed week (week 50 of 2025), total filings nationwide were 10,416. That total was made up of 6,440 Chapter 7 filings, 147 Chapter 11 filings, 6 Chapter 12 filings, and 3,823 Chapter 13 filings. Compared with the prior week (week 49 of 2025), the nationwide total rose from 9,815 to 10,416, an increase of 601 filings. Compared with the same week a year earlier (week 50 of 2024), the nationwide total increased from 9,262 to 10,416, up 1,154 filings. In other words, the latest week shows both a week-over-week gain (+601) and a year-over-year gain (+1,154) on the same weekly footing.
2. One standout detail is that Chapter 13 filings were 3,823 in week 50 of 2025, which is only 2,617 fewer than Chapter 7’s 6,440—a relatively tight gap for a single week. Meanwhile, Chapter 11 was 147 in the same week, which is 74 fewer than the prior week’s 221 even as the overall total rose to 10,416. That combination means the week’s national increase from 9,815 to 10,416 happened despite a notable decline in Chapter 11 (221 → 147). Another eye-catching point is how concentrated filings were at the top: the single largest district posted 551 filings that week, over 550× the smallest non-zero district total of 1. Put simply, week 50’s 10,416 total is driven primarily by consumer chapters (6,440 Chapter 7 and 3,823 Chapter 13), with very small Chapter 12 volume (6) and a Chapter 11 dip (147).
3. District activity in week 50 of 2025 was led by CAC with 551 total filings, followed closely by FLM with 496. Next were GAN with 408, ILN with 389, and MIE with 320, each contributing materially to the 10,416 nationwide total. A second tier included FLS with 291, AZ with 274, and NJ with 266, all still meaningfully above the typical small-district counts. Rounding out the top ten were OHN with 240 and VAE with 238, so the top ten districts together accounted for 3,473 filings. Those district totals show that a relatively small set of districts can drive a large slice of the week’s national number (3,473 of 10,416).
4. The geographic spread in week 50 of 2025 was wide, from a high of 551 filings in CAC down to 0 in multiple very low-volume districts. Specifically, GU, NMI, and VI each recorded 0 filings that week, while AK recorded 1 and VT recorded 4. The top three districts (CAC 551, FLM 496, GAN 408) summed to 1,455, which is 13.97% of the 10,416 national total. By contrast, the bottom five districts (0, 0, 0, 1, 4) summed to only 5 filings total, which is effectively negligible versus 10,416. This means the difference between the top district (551) and a zero-filing district (0) was 551 filings in a single week.
5. Looking at the current year through week 50 of 2025, total filings sum to 544,419 nationwide on a weekly basis. Over the same weeks in 2024 (weeks 1–50), total filings sum to 488,204, so 2025 is higher by 56,215 filings. By chapter through week 50, 2025 totals are 338,444 (Chapter 7), 8,465 (Chapter 11), 286 (Chapter 12), and 197,224 (Chapter 13). For the same weeks in 2024, those chapter totals were 297,294 (Chapter 7), 7,687 (Chapter 11), 187 (Chapter 12), and 183,036 (Chapter 13). This puts the latest week’s snapshot (10,416 total, with 6,440 Chapter 7 and 3,823 Chapter 13) into a year-to-date pattern where Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 remain the dominant drivers (338,444 and 197,224 year-to-date).
6. Comparing the latest fully completed week (week 50) across years shows a clear upward progression: 7,021 (2022), 8,417 (2023), 9,262 (2024), and 10,416 (2025). That is a year-over-year jump of 1,154 from 2024 to 2025 for the same week (9,262 → 10,416). On a year-to-date basis through week 50, totals also rise from 365,411 (2022) to 429,037 (2023) to 488,204 (2024) to 544,419 (2025). The step-ups are sizable: +63,626 from 2022 to 2023, +59,167 from 2023 to 2024, and +56,215 from 2024 to 2025 (all measured through week 50). Taken together, both the single-week comparison (10,416 vs 9,262 vs 8,417 vs 7,021) and the cumulative comparison (544,419 vs 488,204 vs 429,037 vs 365,411) point to a sustained multi-year increase.
7. Using a rough nationwide population assumption of 335,000,000 people, week 50 of 2025’s 10,416 filings equate to about 3.11 filings per 100,000 residents for that week. Under the same assumption, week 49 of 2025’s 9,815 filings correspond to about 2.93 per 100,000, and week 50 of 2024’s 9,262 correspond to about 2.76 per 100,000. This frames the week-over-week change as roughly +0.18 filings per 100,000 (3.11 − 2.93) and the year-over-year change as roughly +0.34 filings per 100,000 (3.11 − 2.76). The chapter mix behind the 10,416 total also matters for “per person” pressure: 6,440 Chapter 7 and 3,823 Chapter 13 dominate the per-capita rate, while Chapter 11 (147) and Chapter 12 (6) contribute very little. Even with the same population assumption, the fact that the national weekly total climbed from 9,262 (week 50 of 2024) to 10,416 (week 50 of 2025) implies a meaningful increase in weekly filings intensity per resident.
8. The per-capita picture is also changing over short horizons: the latest week’s 3.11 per 100,000 (from 10,416 filings) is higher than the prior week’s 2.93 per 100,000 (from 9,815 filings). A big part of that change is the net rise of 601 filings week-over-week (10,416 − 9,815 = 601), even though Chapter 11 fell from 221 to 147. Over the most recent four-week window (weeks 47–50 of 2025), the weekly totals were 12,040, 10,415, 9,815, and 10,416, showing that week 50 rebounded by 601 from week 49 but remained 1,624 below week 47. If you translate that four-week average of 10,671.5 filings into the same population assumption, it’s about 3.19 filings per 100,000 on average over that span, slightly above week 50’s 3.11. So, while the latest week is up from 9,815, the broader recent stretch (12,040 → 10,415 → 9,815 → 10,416) suggests choppy movement rather than a smooth climb.
9. Since the latest fully completed week is week 50 of 2025 with 10,416 filings, a simple way to forecast the remaining weeks of 2025 is to lean on the recent three-week average of 10,215 filings (weeks 48–50: 10,415, 9,815, 10,416). Using that weekly level for weeks 51 and 52 would imply roughly 20,430 additional filings for the rest of the year (≈10,215 × 2). If the chapter mix stays similar to week 50’s pattern—6,440 Chapter 7 and 3,823 Chapter 13 out of 10,416—then most of those projected ~20,430 would also be concentrated in Chapters 7 and 13 rather than Chapter 11 (147) or Chapter 12 (6). Another conservative alternative is to use week 50 itself (10,416) as the baseline, which would imply 20,832 filings over two remaining weeks (10,416 × 2). Either way, the near-term forecast is anchored in observed weekly totals like 9,815, 10,415, and 10,416, not monthly extrapolations.
10. The trend after 2024 looks upward when you compare like-for-like weekly accumulations: through week 50, totals rose from 488,204 (2024) to 544,419 (2025), an increase of 56,215. The same week-to-week framing also shows 2023 at 429,037 through week 50, meaning 2024 exceeded 2023 by 59,167, and 2025 exceeded 2024 by 56,215. That pattern—+63,626 (2022→2023), +59,167 (2023→2024), +56,215 (2024→2025) through week 50—suggests continued growth, though the incremental gains are slightly smaller each year. If growth persists even at the most recent pace, adding roughly 56,215 more filings (over a comparable 50-week span) would imply the next year after 2025 could land near 600,634 through week 50 (544,419 + 56,215), as a simple continuation scenario. Weekly checkpoints reinforce the same direction: week 50 totals climbed from 9,262 (2024) to 10,416 (2025), so absent a reversal, the post-2024 trajectory points to higher weekly baselines than 9,262 for comparable weeks.

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.