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

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

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

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

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

What We Are Reading

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

• Auto loan delinquencies hit 15-year high - Federal Reserve economists reported that the auto loan delinquency rate reached 3.88% in Q3, the highest level since the year after the Great Recession, with nearly 16% of subprime auto loans at least 30 days delinquent which is also a record high since tracking began in 2000.
• Administration aims to increase home-buyer purchasing power - The $200B mortgage bond purchase could lower rates by ~25 basis points, but analysts warn constrained supply may push home prices higher, offsetting affordability gains.
• America’s Bankruptcy Comeback: Why 2025 Bankruptcy Filings Are Surging - Rising credit card balances, resumed student loan payments, and higher living costs helped drive a double digit increase in 2025 bankruptcy filings, highlighting broadening household strain that lenders will need to monitor closely.

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 first week of 2026 recorded a national total of 9,009 bankruptcy filings across all chapters and districts. Chapter 7 liquidation filings dominated with 5,773 cases (64.1% of the total), while Chapter 13 wage earner plans accounted for 3,121 filings (34.6%). Chapter 11 business reorganizations contributed 112 filings, and Chapter 12 family farmer/fisherman cases totaled only 3 filings. This represents a significant 19.6% increase compared to the same week in 2025, when 7,531 filings were recorded. The week's total also exceeds the average weekly filings of 10,819 seen throughout 2025, though this is typical for post-holiday recovery periods.
2. An Interesting Fact About This Week's Filings The most striking observation is that the first week of 2026 is 56.2% above the historical average for Week 1 filings from 2022-2025, which stood at 5,767 cases. Even more remarkable, national filings have grown by 80.7% since the first week of 2022, when only 4,986 cases were filed. The ratio of Chapter 7 to Chapter 13 filings has shifted dramatically from 1.19:1 in 2022 to 1.85:1 in 2026, indicating individuals increasingly favor complete debt discharge over repayment plans. Chapter 7 filings alone grew 115.7% compared to the first week of 2022, while Chapter 13 grew by only 38.2% over the same period. This suggests a fundamental shift in how Americans are approaching bankruptcy relief.
3. An Overview of This Week's District-Level Filings California's Central District led the nation with 544 filings, followed by Florida's Middle District with 437 filings and Georgia's Northern District with 349 filings. Illinois Northern District recorded 258 filings, while Michigan Eastern District reported 256 filings and Texas Northern District had 239 filings. Florida Southern (237), New Jersey (236), New York Eastern (223), and Texas Southern (219) rounded out the top ten districts nationally. Among major metropolitan areas, Maryland reported 201 filings, Arizona had 196, Nevada recorded 194, and Ohio Northern reported 192 filings. These figures demonstrate that bankruptcy activity remains concentrated in populous urban centers across multiple regions.
4. Geographic (District) Disparities in Filings A stark disparity exists between high-volume and low-volume districts, with the top 5 districts accounting for 20.5% of all filings (1,844 cases) and the top 10 representing 33.3% (2,998 cases). Meanwhile, territories and rural districts show minimal activity, with the Northern Mariana Islands and Virgin Islands recording zero filings, Guam recording just 1, and Alaska recording only 4. The mean filings per district stood at 97.9, but the median was only 66.5, indicating significant right-skewness from high-volume districts. California's combined four districts filed 1,039 total cases, while Texas's four districts accumulated 799 filings and Florida's three districts totaled 718. Regional growth from the first week of 2025 varied substantially, with New York seeing 48.7% growth while Illinois actually declined by 8.2%.
5. Current Year Focus The first week of 2026 establishes a strong upward trajectory, with 9,009 filings representing the highest Week 1 total in the dataset's history. Chapter 7 filings (5,773) grew 24.7% compared to the same week in 2025, when 4,630 Chapter 7 cases were filed. Chapter 11 business reorganizations showed robust growth of 40.0%, rising from 80 to 112 filings, potentially signaling increased commercial distress. Chapter 13 filings increased 10.9% from 2,813 to 3,121, maintaining steady but slower growth than liquidation filings. If this weekly pace were maintained throughout 2026, the year would see approximately 468,468 total filings, though historical patterns suggest filings will increase substantially in subsequent weeks.
6. Comparative Analysis with Previous Years Annual bankruptcy filings have shown consistent year-over-year growth: 378,317 in 2022, 445,173 in 2023 (17.7% growth), 503,744 in 2024 (13.2% growth), and 562,562 in 2025 (11.7% growth). The average weekly filing count increased from 7,275 in 2022 to 10,819 in 2025, representing a 48.7% increase in weekly volume. Comparing Week 1 specifically, filings rose from 4,986 in 2022 to 5,142 in 2023, then to 5,409 in 2024, before jumping to 7,531 in 2025. The 2025 to 2026 Week 1 growth rate of 19.6% exceeded the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 annual growth rates, suggesting acceleration. The compound annual growth rate from 2022 to 2025 stands at 14.1%, establishing a clear upward trend in bankruptcy activity nationwide.
7. Analyzing the Filings Per Capita The per capita filing rate for the first week of 2026 reached 2.689 per 100,000 population, the highest Week 1 rate observed in the dataset. This compares to just 1.488 per 100,000 in the first week of 2022, representing an 80.7% increase in the per capita filing rate over four years. On an annualized basis, 2025 saw 167.93 filings per 100,000 population compared to 112.93 per 100,000 in 2022. Chapter 7 filings alone reached 1.723 per 100,000 in the first week of 2026, more than double the 0.799 rate from Week 1 of 2022. Chapter 13 filings rose from 0.674 to 0.932 per 100,000 over the same period, showing growth but at a much slower pace than liquidation filings.
8. Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita The per capita rate has accelerated dramatically, with the first week of 2025 showing a 39.2% increase over 2024 (from 1.615 to 2.248 per 100,000). The first week of 2026 added another 0.441 per 100,000 to the rate, representing an additional 19.6% increase. This compares to more modest per capita growth in earlier years: just 3.1% from 2022 to 2023 and 5.2% from 2023 to 2024. The dramatic acceleration beginning in 2025 suggests structural changes in economic conditions affecting household financial stability. If the 2025-2026 growth trajectory continues, the annualized per capita rate for 2026 could reach approximately 191.7 filings per 100,000 population.
9. Forecast the Expected Filing Numbers for the Rest of the Year Based on the compound annual growth rate of 14.1% established from 2022 to 2025, the projected total for 2026 would be approximately 642,108 filings. However, if the 19.6% growth rate observed in Week 1 persists throughout 2026, the total could reach approximately 672,824 filings. A more conservative estimate using the average of recent growth rates (12.4%) projects roughly 632,600 total filings for 2026. Quarterly patterns from 2025 show relatively even distribution: Q1 had 132,054 filings, Q2 had 144,214, Q3 had 143,584, and Q4 had 142,710 filings. Applying similar quarterly patterns to the projected 2026 total suggests first quarter filings could reach approximately 148,000 to 156,000 cases.
10. Forecast the Trends of Increasing Filings After 2025 Maintaining the 14.1% compound annual growth rate would project 642,108 filings in 2026, 732,903 in 2027, and 836,536 in 2028. These projections translate to per capita rates of 191.7 per 100,000 in 2026, rising to 218.8 per 100,000 in 2027 and 249.7 per 100,000 by 2028. The sustained growth pattern suggests bankruptcy filings could approach or exceed 1 million annually by 2030 if current trends continue. Chapter 7 liquidation filings have shown the most aggressive growth (14.0% from 2024 to 2025), and this trend appears to be accelerating into 2026 based on Week 1 data. Economic factors including persistent inflation, elevated interest rates, and accumulated consumer debt levels suggest these projections may prove conservative rather than optimistic.

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

1. Overview of This Week’s National Filings
   In Week 1 of 2026, the United States recorded a total of 9,009 bankruptcy filings. This is a substantial number, indicating a sharp influx of cases at the beginning of the year. The filings include 5,773 Chapter 7, 112 Chapter 11, 3 Chapter 12, and 3,121 Chapter 13 bankruptcies. Chapter 7 filings made up roughly 64% of the total, showing that liquidation remains the dominant form of relief. Chapter 13 accounted for around 35%, while Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 comprised the remaining 1%.
2. An Interesting Fact About This Week’s Filings
   A standout feature of this week is the sharp spike in total filings, with 9,009 cases, far surpassing the previous weekly averages. It’s also notable that Chapter 13 filings exceeded 3,000, indicating an increased preference for repayment plans early in the year. Additionally, only 3 Chapter 12 cases were filed nationwide, consistent with their rarity and focus on family farmers or fishermen. The 112 Chapter 11 cases likely include significant business reorganizations and show elevated commercial distress. This week’s data may reflect post-holiday financial strain driving a surge in filings.
3. District-Level Filing Overview
   District-level data shows large contributions from high-population areas. California Central (CHAPTER_7_CAC) led with 471 Chapter 7 filings, while Texas Southern (CHAPTER_13_TXS) reported 259 Chapter 13 cases, the highest for that chapter. Georgia Northern (CHAPTER_13_GAN) had a significant 211 Chapter 13 filings, and Illinois Northern (CHAPTER_7_ILN) recorded 162 Chapter 7 cases. Florida Middle (CHAPTER_13_FLM) added 187 Chapter 13 filings, emphasizing its consistent volume. These figures reveal regional centers of filing intensity.
4. Geographic Disparities in Filings
   Filings were highly uneven across the country. Southern and heavily populated districts, such as Texas Southern, Georgia Northern, and Florida Middle, consistently posted high Chapter 13 volumes. In contrast, states like Wyoming (CHAPTER_13_WY = 2), Vermont (CHAPTER_7_VT = 1), and North Dakota (CHAPTER_7_ND = 1) reported minimal activity. These disparities can be attributed to population size, state laws, and the availability of local bankruptcy resources. The data reflects both structural and economic differences across districts.
5. Current Year Focus
   Week 1 of 2026 starts the year with a high watermark of 9,009 total filings. This number may set the tone for a year of elevated bankruptcy activity. With 5,773 Chapter 7 and 3,121 Chapter 13 cases, personal financial hardship appears widespread. Business instability is evident from 112 Chapter 11 filings, more than double the average from many prior weeks. If this trend continues, early 2026 may surpass recent years in terms of bankruptcy volume.
6. Comparative Analysis with Previous Years
   Compared to Week 1 of 2025, which saw around 7,931 filings, Week 1 of 2026 represents a 13.6% increase. Chapter 7 filings grew by over 600 cases, and Chapter 13 filings rose by nearly 400 cases, confirming a broad-based acceleration. Even Chapter 11 cases rose from 78 to 112, indicating more commercial financial restructuring. These increases mark a continued post-pandemic rebound in bankruptcy filings. The start of 2026 may foreshadow one of the highest annual totals in recent history.
7. Analyzing the Filings Per Capita
   Assuming a U.S. population of about 331 million, the 9,009 total filings for Week 1 translate to approximately 27.2 filings per million residents. Districts like California Central (471 Chapter 7) and Texas Southern (259 Chapter 13) have substantially higher per capita filings. Meanwhile, low-density states such as Montana (CHAPTER_7_MT = 7) or South Dakota (CHAPTER_7_SD = 3) demonstrate much lower per capita filing rates. These numbers reflect the relationship between population, economic strain, and bankruptcy relief usage. Urbanized districts continue to carry the brunt of bankruptcy filings.
8. Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita
   Compared to Week 1 of 2025 (with ~24 filings per million), the per capita rate has risen to 27.2 per million, indicating growing financial distress. Notable growth is seen in Texas Southern, whose Chapter 13 filings increased from 221 to 259, a nearly 17% jump. Florida Middle also saw Chapter 13 filings grow from 169 to 187, contributing to the overall national rise. These increases may point to growing use of structured repayment over liquidation. The upward trend suggests increased debt burdens or limited access to alternative financial solutions.
9. Forecast the Expected Filing Numbers for 2026
   If Week 1 is indicative of an average, and the pace of 9,009 filings/week is sustained, 2026 could close with over 468,000 total filings. However, historical trends show that early January weeks often spike, with a slight decrease in following months. Even with a conservative average of 8,000 filings/week, the year could reach 416,000 cases, significantly higher than 2025. The proportion of Chapter 13 filings may also increase, particularly in Southern states. Monitoring Q1 will be key to validating these projections.
10. Forecast the Trends of Increasing Filings After 2025
    The data from Week 1 of 2026 strongly supports forecasts of increasing bankruptcy trends beyond 2025. Rising filing totals, especially in Chapters 7 and 13, indicate sustained consumer debt pressure. If annual growth continues at 10–15%, filings could surpass 500,000 annually by 2027. This would mark a return to pre-pandemic norms and possibly exceed them. As inflation, interest rates, and housing costs remain elevated, more Americans may turn to bankruptcy for relief in the years ahead.

Claude 4.5 Sonnet Extended Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics

1. Overview of This Week's National Filings The first week of 2026 recorded a national total of 9,009 bankruptcy filings across all chapters and districts. Chapter 7 filings dominated with 5,773 cases, representing 64.1% of all filings for the week. Chapter 13 filings accounted for 3,121 cases, comprising 34.6% of the total. Chapter 11 business reorganizations contributed 112 filings, making up just 1.2% of the week's total. Chapter 12 family farmer bankruptcies were minimal at only 3 filings nationwide.
2. An Interesting Fact About This Week's Filings This week marks a significant milestone as the first full week of 2026 demonstrates a 19.6% increase compared to the same week in 2025, which had 7,531 total filings. The Chapter 7 filings alone surged by 1,143 cases year-over-year, rising from 4,630 in Week 1 of 2025 to 5,773 in Week 1 of 2026. This represents the steepest Week 1 increase since the data collection began in 2022. The growth is particularly noteworthy because it follows 2025's already elevated levels, which had shown a 39.2% jump over 2024. Despite being just the first week, this filing volume suggests 2026 may continue the upward trajectory established over the past four years.
3. Overview of This Week's District-Level Filings The Central District of California (CAC) led the nation with 544 total filings during Week 1, maintaining its position as the highest-volume district. The Middle District of Florida (FLM) recorded 437 filings, while the Northern District of Georgia (GAN) followed with 349 cases. The Northern District of Illinois (ILN) and Eastern District of Michigan (MIE) contributed 258 and 256 filings respectively, rounding out the top five districts. Other significant districts included the Northern District of Texas (TXN) with 239 filings, Southern District of Florida (FLS) with 237 filings, New Jersey (NJ) with 236 filings, Eastern District of New York (NYE) with 223 filings, and Southern District of Texas (TXS) with 219 filings.
4. Geographic Disparities in Filings Geographic disparities in bankruptcy filings remain substantial across the 94 federal judicial districts. The highest-volume district recorded 544 filings during Week 1, while the lowest active district had just 1 filing, creating a range of 543 filings between the extremes. The average district handled approximately 97 filings during the week, though this masks significant variation. Large population centers and economically distressed regions show dramatically higher filing rates than rural or economically stable districts. These disparities reflect underlying differences in population density, economic conditions, debt levels, and regional variations in financial distress patterns.
5. Current Year Focus on 2026 Based on Week 1 data alone, 2026 appears poised to continue the growth trajectory established in recent years. If the first week's 9,009 filings were sustained across all 52 weeks, the year would total approximately 468,468 filings, though this simple extrapolation may not account for seasonal variations. However, given that 2025 averaged 10,818 filings per week, a more conservative estimate would place 2026 around 562,562 total filings if it matches 2025's weekly average. The Chapter 7 to Chapter 13 ratio in Week 1 (64.1% to 34.6%) aligns closely with recent year patterns, suggesting consistent consumer versus wage-earner filing preferences. Early indicators from this first week suggest 2026 will likely surpass 2024's total of 503,744 filings and potentially approach or exceed 2025's 562,562 annual total.
6. Comparative Analysis with Previous Years The historical comparison reveals a dramatic escalation in bankruptcy filings over the past four years. Week 1 totals have grown from 4,986 in 2022 to 5,142 in 2023 (a 3.1% increase), then to 5,409 in 2024 (a 5.2% increase), jumping to 7,531 in 2025 (a 39.2% increase), and finally reaching 9,009 in 2026 (a 19.6% increase). Annual totals show even more striking growth: 378,317 in 2022, 445,173 in 2023, 503,744 in 2024, and 562,562 in 2025. The compound annual growth rate from 2022 to 2025 stands at 14.1%, indicating a consistent upward trend. Chapter 7 filings have been the primary driver, growing from 2,676 in Week 1 of 2022 to 5,773 in Week 1 of 2026, more than doubling in just four years. Chapter 13 filings have grown more modestly but still substantially, from 2,258 to 3,121 over the same period.
7. Analyzing Filings Per Capita Per capita bankruptcy rates have climbed steadily when adjusted for population growth. In 2022, the filing rate was 113.5 per 100,000 population, rising to 132.9 in 2023, 149.6 in 2024, and reaching 166.2 per 100,000 in 2025. If Week 1 of 2026 were annualized (multiplied by 52 weeks), it would project to approximately 137.7 filings per 100,000 population. However, this annualized Week 1 rate is likely conservative given that 2025's actual average was higher at 10,818 filings per week compared to Week 1 2026's 9,009. When examining Week 1 specifically on an annualized basis, the per capita rate has grown from 77.8 per 100,000 in 2022 to 137.7 per 100,000 in 2026, a 77% increase in just four years. These rates indicate that bankruptcies are outpacing population growth significantly.
8. Analyzing Changing Filings Per Capita The year-over-year per capita growth rates reveal an accelerating crisis in consumer debt. From 2022 to 2023, the per capita rate increased by 19.4 per 100,000 people, a 17.1% jump. The 2023 to 2024 increase was 16.7 per 100,000, representing a 12.6% growth rate. From 2024 to 2025, the increase was 16.6 per 100,000, an 11.1% growth rate. While the percentage growth rate has moderated slightly each year, the absolute increase has remained remarkably consistent at around 16-19 additional filings per 100,000 people annually. This sustained elevation in per capita filing rates, even as the percentage growth moderates, suggests structural economic challenges rather than a temporary spike.
9. Forecast for Expected Filing Numbers for 2026 Three scenarios emerge for 2026's total filings depending on underlying assumptions about economic trends. The conservative scenario, assuming 2026 maintains 2025's average weekly rate of 10,818 filings, projects approximately 562,562 total filings, matching 2025 exactly. A base scenario using Week 1's 9,009 filings multiplied by 52 weeks yields 468,468 total filings, though this seems low given historical patterns where Week 1 typically understates the annual average. An aggressive scenario applying the 2022-2025 compound annual growth rate of 14.1% to 2025's total would project 642,108 filings for 2026. Given the strong Week 1 performance showing 19.6% growth over the prior year's Week 1, the most likely outcome appears to be between 562,000 and 642,000 filings for the full year 2026. Seasonal variations and economic conditions throughout the year will ultimately determine which scenario materializes.
10. Forecast for Trends of Increasing Filings After 2025 If the 2022-2025 compound annual growth rate of 14.1% continues, bankruptcy filings could reach 732,903 in 2027, 836,536 in 2028, 954,823 in 2029, and break one million at 1,089,836 filings in 2030. However, such exponential growth is unlikely to be sustainable indefinitely, as economic cycles, policy interventions, or debt saturation effects could moderate the trend. A more conservative scenario assuming the growth rate slows by half (7.0% annually) projects 602,335 filings in 2026, 644,920 in 2027, 690,516 in 2028, 739,336 in 2029, and 791,608 in 2030. The actual trajectory will depend on factors including inflation trends, unemployment rates, consumer debt levels, interest rates, and potential changes to bankruptcy laws. What remains clear is that without significant economic intervention or policy changes, bankruptcy filings appear poised to continue their upward trajectory well beyond 2025, potentially doubling 2022 levels by the end of the decade.

ChatGPT 5.2 Analysis of this Week's Bankruptcy Statistics

1. For the most recently available fully completed week in your requested window (Week 1 of 2026), the nationwide total came to 9,009 filings. That total is up from 6,676 in the immediately prior week (the last week of 2025), a week-over-week increase of 2,333. By chapter, this week’s national counts were 5,773 (Chapter 7), 112 (Chapter 11), 3 (Chapter 12), and 3,121 (Chapter 13). Compared with the same week one year earlier (Week 1 of 2025 at 7,531), the latest week is higher by 1,478. In composition terms, Chapter 7 makes up about 64.1% of 9,009 while Chapter 13 is about 34.6%, with Chapters 11 and 12 together contributing about 1.3%.
2. A striking detail this week is how dominant Chapter 7 is: 5,773 Chapter 7 filings versus 3,121 Chapter 13 filings, a gap of 2,652. Even though Chapter 11 is often the most visible in headlines, it was only 112 filings this week, which is 1.24% of the 9,009 total. Chapter 12 remained extremely small at 3 filings, roughly 0.03% of the national total. Versus the prior week’s Chapter 11 count of 65, this week’s 112 is a jump of 47, despite the overall rise from 6,676 to 9,009. Meanwhile, Chapter 7’s share eased slightly versus last week (from about 65.7% of 6,676 to about 64.1% of 9,009), showing the increase was not purely a Chapter 7 story.
3. District activity was led by CAC with 544 filings this week, followed by FLM with 437 and GAN with 349. Next came ILN at 258, MIE at 256, and TXN at 239, all meaningful contributions to the 9,009 national total. Several other large contributors were FLS at 237, NJ at 236, NYE at 223, and TXS at 219. Put together, the top three districts (544 + 437 + 349) accounted for 1,330 filings, or about 14.8% of the nationwide 9,009. This concentration matters because changes in just a handful of districts can noticeably move the national number from week to week (for example, the national move from 6,676 last week to 9,009 this week).
4. The geographic spread is highly uneven: the top district (CAC at 544) produced 543 more filings than the smallest nonzero district (GU at 1). That’s a 544-to-1 difference in raw weekly volume, which is a clear disparity even before considering population or case mix. At the low end, 2 districts recorded 0 filings this week, while many others clustered far below the top group. Mid-to-high districts like TXS (219) and NYE (223) are sizable, but they are still less than half of CAC’s 544, highlighting a steep drop-off. This unevenness helps explain why the national total of 9,009 can rise sharply from 6,676 even if many smaller districts move only a little.
5. For the new year so far, 2026 begins with 9,009 filings in its first completed week, compared with 7,531 in the first week of 2025. That is a year-over-year increase of 1,478 filings in the comparable week. The 2026 week’s chapter mix also shifted upward in absolute terms: Chapter 7 rose from 4,630 (Week 1 of 2025) to 5,773 (Week 1 of 2026), an increase of 1,143. Chapter 13 increased from 2,813 to 3,121, a gain of 308, while Chapter 11 increased from 80 to 112 (+32) and Chapter 12 fell from 8 to 3 (-5). Even though this is only one completed week of 2026, starting at 9,009 puts early weekly volume above last year’s starting point of 7,531.
6. Looking across the same early-week benchmark by year, Week 1 totals were 4,986 (2022), 5,142 (2023), 5,409 (2024), 7,531 (2025), and 9,009 (2026). The biggest single-step jump in that sequence is from 5,409 in 2024 to 7,531 in 2025, an increase of 2,122. This year’s Week 1 then rose further by 1,478 (from 7,531 to 9,009), reinforcing that the upward movement did not stop after 2025. Chapter 7 in Week 1 also climbed materially over time, moving from 2,676 (2022) to 2,551 (2023) to 2,760 (2024) to 4,630 (2025) to 5,773 (2026). Meanwhile, Chapter 13 Week 1 moved from 2,258 (2022) to 2,529 (2023) to 2,508 (2024) to 2,813 (2025) to 3,121 (2026), showing a steadier rise than Chapter 7.
7. Using a U.S. population baseline of about 349 million for 2026, this week’s 9,009 filings translate to roughly 2.58 filings per 100,000 people (9,009 divided across 349 million). On the same population baseline, the prior week’s 6,676 filings equal about 1.91 per 100,000, so the latest week is higher by about 0.67 per 100,000. For context, Week 1 of 2025’s 7,531 filings would be about 2.16 per 100,000 on that same baseline, below the Week 1 of 2026 level of 2.58. By chapter, Chapter 7’s 5,773 alone is about 1.65 per 100,000, while Chapter 13’s 3,121 is about 0.89 per 100,000. Even small categories show up: Chapter 11’s 112 is about 0.03 per 100,000, and Chapter 12’s 3 is effectively 0.00 per 100,000 when rounded to two decimals.
8. The per-person pace accelerated sharply from last week to this week: about 1.91 per 100,000 (from 6,676) to about 2.58 per 100,000 (from 9,009). That’s an increase of roughly 35% in per-capita terms in just one week, matching the raw jump of 2,333 filings. Compared with the same week last year, per-capita volume increased from about 2.16 per 100,000 (from 7,531) to 2.58 per 100,000 (from 9,009), a rise of about 0.42 per 100,000. The chapter-level drivers of that year-over-year per-capita change are mainly Chapter 7 (+1,143 filings) and Chapter 13 (+308), rather than Chapter 11 (+32) or Chapter 12 (-5). If the top districts like CAC (544) and FLM (437) continue at similar levels, they will disproportionately influence whether the national per-capita rate stays near 2.58 per 100,000 or drifts back toward last week’s 1.91.
9. A simple way to forecast the rest of 2026 is to anchor on last year’s typical weekly pace and adjust by the early-year lift: 2025 averaged about 10,818.5 filings per week across 52 weeks (total 562,562). Week 1 ran 19.6% higher in 2026 than in 2025 (9,009 vs 7,531), and applying that lift to a 2025-like weekly baseline suggests a “run-rate” around 12,940 filings per week. If the remaining 51 weeks averaged near that adjusted run-rate, plus the already observed 9,009, a ballpark full-year total would be about 669,000 filings. A more conservative scenario is mean reversion toward 2025’s average of 10,818.5, which would imply about 561,000–563,000 for the year if later weeks resemble 2025 and Week 1’s 9,009 proves unusually high. Either way, the early read (Week 1 at 9,009 versus last week of 2025 at 6,676) points to an elevated start that can materially change the year-end total if it persists.
10. After 2025, the longer-run signal in this dataset is a rising weekly baseline: average weekly filings increased from about 7,275.3 (2022) to 8,561.0 (2023) to 9,687.4 (2024) to 10,818.5 (2025). That multi-year progression implies roughly a 14% annual growth rate in the average weekly level from 2022 to 2025, which is consistent with Week 1 also climbing from 4,986 (2022) to 9,009 (2026). If a similar growth pace were to continue beyond 2025, a 2025-like average week of 10,818.5 would scale to roughly 12,300 the next year, then into the 14,000s within a couple more years, though real cycles rarely stay that smooth. The composition matters too: Week 1 Chapter 7 rose from 2,676 (2022) to 5,773 (2026), while Chapter 13 rose from 2,258 (2022) to 3,121 (2026), suggesting the growth has leaned more toward Chapter 7 expansion. If large districts like CAC (544), FLM (437), and GAN (349) keep driving a sizable share of the national total (for example, 1,330 from the top three this week), future increases are likely to show up first as continued concentration in the highest-volume districts rather than uniform growth everywhere.

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.