*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 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.

What We Are Reading

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

• 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.
• 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.

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 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.

Claude 4.5 Sonnet Extended Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.

ChatGPT 5.2 Analysis of this Week's Bankruptcy Statistics

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.

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.