*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 19th, 2026)

Week 3's 128% spike in Chapter 11 filings (126 in 2025 → 288 in 2026) marks a sharp reversal from the prior week's decline and signals that commercial distress is accelerating, not normalizing. High-profile filings like Saks Global underscore a pattern emerging across sectors: debt-fueled acquisitions made during easier credit conditions are now colliding with elevated refinancing costs and softening demand. For creditors, the uptick reinforces the need for proactive portfolio monitoring, particularly among mid-market borrowers in retail, healthcare, and real estate where structural pressures remain acute.

On the consumer side, the continued growth in Chapter 7 (+17%) and Chapter 13 (+11%) filings reflects persistent household strain. Notably, 2025 marked the highest annual consumer filing total since the pandemic, up 12% YoY to nearly 534,000, a trend that shows no signs of slowing as sticky inflation and elevated debt service costs continue to erode household balance sheets.

What We Are Reading

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

• Saks Global Files for Chapter 11: Saks Global, parent of Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman, filed for Chapter 11 after an unsustainable debt pile from its $2.7B Neiman acquisition.
• Where Inflation Has Hit the Hardest (2000–2025): Hospital services have risen 275% since 2000, with college tuition up 196% and housing up 111%, all outpacing overall U.S. inflation of 92%, putting growing strain on consumer budgets.
• JPMorgan Says 'Everything' on Table to Fight 10% Credit Card Cap (Bloomberg): JPMorgan warned Trump's proposed 10% rate cap would "significantly change" its card business and harm consumers, with CFO Jeremy Barnum saying "everything's on the table" to push back
• 15.3% of Americans Expect to Miss Debt Payments: The NY Fed's January 2026 survey shows 15.3% of Americans expect to miss a minimum debt payment, the highest since April 2020, with the hardest hit being those over 60, without college degrees, and households under $50K.

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 third week of 2026 recorded a total of 10,580 bankruptcy filings nationwide, representing a significant increase compared to both the prior week and the same period last year. Chapter 7 liquidations dominated with 6,267 filings, accounting for 59.2% of all cases, while Chapter 13 wage-earner plans contributed 4,016 filings at 38.0% of the total. Business reorganizations under Chapter 11 totaled 288 filings (2.7%), and Chapter 12 family farmer cases remained minimal at just 9 filings (0.1%). This week's total represents a 12.4% increase from the previous week's 9,413 filings, indicating a strong upward trajectory in early 2026. The year-over-year comparison shows a 16.2% jump from the 9,105 filings recorded in the same week of 2025.
2. An Interesting Fact About This Week's Filings Perhaps the most striking observation is the dramatic 128.6% surge in Chapter 11 business bankruptcy filings, which jumped from 126 cases in the third week of 2025 to 288 cases this week. This more than doubling of business reorganizations suggests growing financial distress among commercial enterprises that may be struggling with higher operating costs or economic headwinds. The week's 10,580 total filings ranks as the 48th highest out of 211 weeks in the dataset spanning 2022 through early 2026. For context, the highest single week on record was Week 44 of 2025 with 15,017 filings, demonstrating that recent peaks have been substantially higher. The consistent upward trajectory in third-week filings across all years—5,803 in 2022, 7,044 in 2023, 7,344 in 2024, 9,105 in 2025, and now 10,580 in 2026—represents an 82.3% increase over five years.
3. An Overview of This Week's District-Level Filings The Central District of California led all 94 federal bankruptcy districts with 552 total filings this week, followed closely by the Middle District of Florida at 506 filings. The Northern District of Illinois recorded 460 filings, while the Northern District of Georgia posted 402 filings, and the Southern District of Florida contributed 326 cases. New Jersey, operating as a single district, saw 312 filings, and the Eastern District of Michigan reported 309 cases, with the Southern District of Texas adding 265 filings. Maryland's district recorded 263 filings, Arizona had 257, and the Eastern District of Virginia posted 255 cases. The bottom of the distribution included Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands with zero filings, while Alaska, South Dakota, and Vermont each had only 7 filings. These top 10 districts alone accounted for 3,652 filings, representing 34.5% of the national total.
4. Geographic (District) Disparities in Filings Striking geographic disparities emerge when examining the data, with the Central District of California's 552 filings dwarfing Vermont's 7 filings by a factor of nearly 79 to 1. Southern states demonstrate particularly elevated filing rates, with the Middle and Southern Districts of Florida combining for 832 filings, and Georgia's three districts contributing 440 total cases. The concentration is remarkable: just ten districts generate over one-third of all national bankruptcy filings despite representing only about 10% of the 94 districts. Western territories remain virtually inactive, with Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands recording zero filings this week. Meanwhile, traditionally lower-filing regions like Maine, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia each posted fewer than 15 cases, highlighting the uneven distribution of financial distress across the country.
5. Current Year Focus The year 2026 has begun with considerable momentum, accumulating 29,002 total filings in just its first three weeks. This compares favorably to the 24,721 filings recorded during the same three-week period in 2025, representing a 17.3% year-over-year increase in year-to-date volume. The weekly average for 2026 currently stands at 9,667 filings per week, though this figure is influenced by historically lower first-week totals following the holiday period. All four bankruptcy chapters have shown increases compared to 2025, with Chapter 11 exhibiting the most dramatic growth at 128.6% year-over-year for this specific week. If early-year trends continue, 2026 is positioned to substantially exceed 2025's record-setting annual total of 562,569 filings.
6. Comparative Analysis with Previous Years Annual bankruptcy filings have increased steadily from 378,321 in 2022 to 445,173 in 2023 (+17.7%), then to 503,747 in 2024 (+13.2%), and finally to 562,569 in 2025 (+11.7%). When comparing the third week specifically across years, filings rose from 5,803 in 2022 to 7,044 in 2023, then to 7,344 in 2024, 9,105 in 2025, and 10,580 in 2026. The weekly average filings per year climbed from 7,275 in 2022 to 8,561 in 2023, 9,687 in 2024, and 10,819 in 2025, demonstrating consistent escalation. The year-over-year growth rate for annual totals has gradually moderated from 17.7% to 13.2% to 11.7%, though early 2026 data suggests this deceleration may not continue. The four-year compounded growth translates to approximately a 14.2% average annual increase in bankruptcy filings.
7. Analyzing the Filings Per Capita The national per capita filing rate for the third week of 2026 stands at 3.16 filings per 100,000 residents, up substantially from 2.72 in 2025 and 1.73 in 2022. The Middle District of Alabama leads all districts with an exceptionally high rate of 14.60 filings per 100,000, followed by the Western District of Louisiana at 8.85 and the Western District of Tennessee at 8.20. Other high-rate districts include the Southern District of Alabama at 7.40 per 100,000, the Northern District of Alabama at 6.93, and the Middle District of Georgia at 6.30. In stark contrast, the Eastern District of Washington recorded only 0.95 per 100,000, Vermont 1.08, and Maine just 0.36 per 100,000 residents. These disparities—with Alabama's middle district posting rates more than 40 times higher than Maine—reveal profound regional differences in financial distress and bankruptcy utilization patterns.
8. Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita Per capita filing rates have undergone dramatic shifts since 2022, with the District of Columbia experiencing a 900% increase from 0.1 to 1.0 filings per 100,000 by the third week of 2026. Alaska similarly saw a 600% increase, while the Middle District of Louisiana jumped 420% and the Southern District of Texas rose 381.8%. The Middle District of Florida's per capita rate climbed from 2.35 in 2022's third week to 5.06 in 2026's third week, more than doubling over four years. Nevada's rate increased from 2.59 to 5.41 per 100,000 over the same period, reflecting ongoing financial pressures in that state. Only a handful of districts—including Puerto Rico, Northern West Virginia, and New Mexico—showed minimal change or slight decreases in per capita rates, suggesting their financial conditions remained relatively stable.
9. Forecast the Expected Filing Numbers for the Rest of the Year Using linear regression analysis with an R-squared value of 0.9989, the projected annual total for 2026 is approximately 625,282 filings, representing an 11.1% increase over 2025's 562,569 filings. An exponential growth model suggests a slightly higher estimate of 649,160 filings for 2026, reflecting the possibility of accelerating trends. Based on the current three-week average of 9,667 filings per week, a simple extrapolation would yield approximately 502,701 annual filings, though this likely underestimates given typical seasonal patterns. The linear model projects approximately 686,414 filings for 2027 and 747,546 for 2028, suggesting continued escalation. Given the strong year-over-year increases observed in early 2026 data, the actual total may fall between 600,000 and 650,000 filings by year-end.
10. Forecast the Trends of Increasing Filings After 2025 The data strongly supports a continuation of elevated filing trends beyond 2025, with the exponential model projecting 740,312 filings in 2027 and 844,263 by 2028. Several factors suggest this upward trajectory will persist, including accumulated consumer debt, higher interest rates affecting variable-rate obligations, and the substantial growth in Chapter 11 business filings indicating commercial sector distress. The consistent pattern of each year's third week exceeding the prior year's—rising from 5,803 in 2022 to 10,580 in 2026—demonstrates structural rather than temporary pressure on household and business finances. If the average 14.2% annual growth rate from 2022-2025 continues, filings could approach 700,000 by 2027 and potentially exceed 800,000 by 2028. However, economic policy changes, interest rate adjustments, or other macroeconomic shifts could moderate or accelerate these projections depending on their direction and magnitude.

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

1. Overview of This Week's National Filings
   During the week beginning January 19, 2026 (Week 03), a total of 1,300 bankruptcy filings were recorded nationwide. These include 798 Chapter 7, 14 Chapter 11, 0 Chapter 12, and 488 Chapter 13 filings. Chapter 7 filings continue to dominate, making up 61.4% of the weekly total. Chapter 13 filings follow at 37.5%, indicating a strong trend toward restructured repayment plans. The total activity this week reinforces the ongoing rise in bankruptcies as economic pressures persist.
2. An Interesting Fact About This Week's Filings
   A notable aspect this week is that Chapter 12 filings remained at zero, reflecting a persistent lack of activity among family farmers and fishermen. Although Chapter 11 filings were modest at 14, they suggest steady restructuring efforts in the corporate or high-debt individual sectors. Meanwhile, Chapter 13 filings were relatively high at 488, likely influenced by household debt levels and tighter credit conditions. Chapter 7 remains the most used route for those seeking liquidation, totaling 798 filings. The zero Chapter 12 activity contrasts sharply with the broader uptick in filings across other chapters.
3. Overview of District-Level Filings
   Some districts recorded significantly more filings than others. For instance, the California Central District (CHAPTER_7_CAC) reported 43 Chapter 7 filings, marking it as a major contributor. The Alabama Northern District (CHAPTER_7_ALN) posted 11 filings, and Arizona (CHAPTER_7_AZ) added 17 filings under Chapter 7. These three alone accounted for over 9% of the national Chapter 7 total. High-volume districts like these continue to drive national bankruptcy trends.
4. Geographic (District) Disparities in Filings
   There is a clear regional imbalance in the distribution of filings. For example, districts like Wyoming (CHAPTER_13_WY) reported zero Chapter 13 filings, while Wisconsin Western (CHAPTER_13_WIW) had 4. On the other hand, California Central’s 43 Chapter 7 filings illustrate intense activity in urbanized areas. Rural or sparsely populated districts often record minimal to no filings, showing limited impact or underreporting. This geographic spread suggests varying economic pressures across the country, with some regions hit much harder.
5. Current Year Focus
   Up through Week 03 of 2026, the cumulative total bankruptcy filings reached 3,919. This includes 2,354 Chapter 7, 37 Chapter 11, 0 Chapter 12, and 1,528 Chapter 13 filings. The week of January 19 alone contributed 1,300 filings, about 33.2% of the year-to-date total. This high weekly contribution indicates a sudden early-year surge in financial distress. If this trend continues, 2026 may set post-pandemic records for bankruptcy volumes.
6. Comparative Analysis with Previous Years
   Compared to Week 03 of 2025, which had 998 filings, the current week’s 1,300 filings represent a 30.3% increase year over year. Chapter 7 filings grew from 612 to 798, and Chapter 13 from 336 to 488, reflecting rising insolvency and financial stress. Chapter 11 filings were nearly identical, with a marginal increase from 13 to 14. Chapter 12 again showed no activity in both years, indicating stagnation in that segment. This upward trajectory suggests deepening financial pressure among individuals and households.
7. Analyzing the Filings Per Capita
   With an estimated U.S. population of 330 million, this week’s 1,300 filings equate to 3.94 filings per 100,000 people. Broken down, Chapter 7 filings make up 2.42 per 100,000, while Chapter 13 accounts for 1.48 per 100,000. Chapter 11 remains negligible at 0.004 per 100,000. Although this is still far below the 2010 peak, the trend is clearly on the rise. Densely populated states like California and Texas disproportionately affect the national average.
8. Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita
   Comparing per capita rates year-over-year, Week 03 of 2025 had approximately 3.02 filings per 100,000, while Week 03 of 2026 reached 3.94, marking a 30.5% increase. Chapter 13’s per capita rate rose from 1.02 to 1.48, a sign that more individuals are pursuing structured repayment. Chapter 7 similarly increased, driven by rising job losses and tighter personal finances. The sharp climb in per capita filings emphasizes growing financial instability in the population. It is particularly telling that this rise occurred despite low unemployment, hinting at deeper debt-related issues.
9. Forecast the Expected Filing Numbers for the Rest of the Year
   With an average of 1,306 filings per week over the first three weeks, a projection for the entire 2026 year estimates over 67,000 filings (assuming consistent pace). This would represent a significant increase from 2025’s approximate 52,000 filings, suggesting accelerating bankruptcy rates. Chapter 7 could reach around 40,000 filings, while Chapter 13 may surpass 23,000. Chapter 11 might cross 700, given current trends. These forecasts assume no major shifts in policy or economic recovery during the year.
10. Forecast the Trends of Increasing Filings After 2025
    If bankruptcy filings continue growing at 15–20% annually, the U.S. could see over 80,000 total filings by 2027. Chapter 13 may experience the sharpest rise due to persistent consumer debt and mortgage pressures. Chapter 7 will likely follow as credit card and medical debt defaults rise. Structural economic stress—like stagnant wages and high living costs—will continue pushing individuals toward insolvency. Post-2025, the data strongly indicates a multi-year upward trend in bankruptcy filings across all major chapters.

Claude 4.5 Sonnet Extended Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics

1. Week 3 of 2026 recorded a total of 10,580 bankruptcy filings nationally, representing a substantial increase in financial distress across America. Chapter 7 liquidation cases dominated the landscape with 6,267 filings, comprising 59.2% of all cases filed during this week. Chapter 13 reorganization cases accounted for 4,016 filings or 38.0% of the total, while Chapter 11 business reorganizations contributed 288 cases at 2.7% of weekly filings. Chapter 12 family farmer bankruptcies remained minimal with only 9 cases, representing just 0.1% of total filings. This distribution reflects the continued prevalence of individual consumer bankruptcies over business-related filings in early 2026.
2. A striking development in Week 3 was the dramatic 12.4% surge from the previous week, with filings jumping from 9,413 in Week 2 to 10,580 in Week 3. This represents an increase of 1,167 additional cases in a single week, suggesting an acceleration in financial pressures facing American households and businesses. The week-over-week growth rate of 12.4% far exceeds typical seasonal variations and points to potential economic stressors emerging in the early weeks of 2026. This sharp uptick breaks from more moderate weekly fluctuations typically observed in bankruptcy filing patterns. The magnitude of this increase warrants close monitoring as it may signal broader economic headwinds affecting consumer and business solvency.
3. District-level analysis reveals significant concentration of bankruptcy activity in major metropolitan areas, with the Central District of California leading all districts with 552 total filings, including 464 Chapter 7 cases. The Middle District of Florida ranked second with 506 total filings, while the Northern District of Illinois posted 460 filings, demonstrating the continued impact on large urban centers. The Northern District of Georgia and Southern District of Florida rounded out the top five districts with 402 and 326 filings respectively, all reflecting substantial consumer financial distress. These five highest-volume districts alone accounted for 2,246 filings, representing over 21% of the national total for the week.
4. Geographic disparities in bankruptcy filings reveal extreme variations across federal judicial districts, with the highest-volume district (Central California at 552 filings) contrasting sharply against several districts with zero filings including the Virgin Islands, Guam, and Northern Mariana Islands. The median district recorded 82 filings, while the standard deviation of 110 filings demonstrates substantial variation around this central tendency. Districts in populous states like California, Florida, Illinois, and Georgia consistently rank among the highest, while smaller jurisdictions and territories show minimal activity. This geographic concentration reflects both population density and regional economic conditions, with urban commercial centers bearing disproportionate bankruptcy caseloads. The disparity ratio between the highest and lowest active districts exceeds 100:1, highlighting the uneven distribution of financial distress across American communities.
5. Through the first three weeks of 2026, cumulative bankruptcy filings have reached 29,002 cases, establishing an aggressive pace for the new year. The year-to-date weekly average of 9,667 filings significantly exceeds historical norms and suggests 2026 could witness unprecedented bankruptcy volumes. Chapter 7 liquidations have dominated early 2026 activity with 17,103 year-to-date cases, while Chapter 13 reorganizations have contributed 11,311 cases through Week 3. Chapter 11 business reorganizations total 570 cases year-to-date, indicating elevated business financial distress in the early weeks of 2026. This aggressive filing pace suggests annual totals could reach 500,000 to 650,000 cases if current trends persist throughout the year.
6. Comparative analysis reveals accelerating bankruptcy filing growth across multiple years, with Week 3 of 2026 showing 10,580 filings compared to 9,105 in the same week of 2025, representing a concerning 16.2% year-over-year increase. The previous year had shown similar acceleration, with Week 3 of 2025 posting 24.0% growth over the comparable 2024 period, which itself had grown 4.3% over 2023. Year-to-date totals through Week 3 show 2026 at 29,002 filings versus 24,721 in 2025, marking a 17.3% increase in early-year bankruptcy activity. The consistent year-over-year acceleration from 2022 through 2026 demonstrates a sustained upward trend in American financial distress. This pattern suggests underlying economic pressures have intensified rather than stabilized, despite various economic recovery measures implemented in recent years.
7. Per capita bankruptcy filing rates have reached 3.11 cases per 100,000 population in Week 3 of 2026, representing the highest weekly rate in recent years and indicating widespread financial stress affecting American households. This rate substantially exceeds the 2.69 per capita rate observed in the comparable week of 2025 and nearly doubles the 2019 per capita rate of 2.11 in Week 3 of 2023. The steady increase in per capita filing rates suggests that population growth alone cannot explain the rising bankruptcy volumes, as the rate of financial distress per citizen continues climbing. Urban districts show per capita rates well above national averages, with metropolitan areas experiencing disproportionate financial pressures. The current per capita rate trajectory indicates that bankruptcy filings are outpacing population growth by significant margins, reflecting deteriorating household financial conditions across diverse demographic segments.
8. The per capita filing rate increased by 0.42 cases per 100,000 population between Week 3 of 2025 and 2026, continuing an upward trend that saw a 0.51 increase in the previous year comparison. This acceleration in per capita bankruptcy rates indicates that financial distress is intensifying faster than demographic changes would suggest, pointing to systemic economic pressures rather than isolated regional issues. The consistent year-over-year increases in per capita rates across multiple years demonstrate that more Americans are facing severe financial challenges requiring bankruptcy protection. Regional variations in per capita changes show urban areas experiencing sharper increases than rural districts, suggesting metropolitan economic pressures may be driving national trends. These per capita increases, sustained across multiple measurement periods, indicate that bankruptcy filing growth represents genuine deterioration in American household financial stability rather than administrative or procedural changes.
9. Forecasting models project 2026 bankruptcy filings could range from 502,701 cases using current weekly averages to 659,990 cases if year-to-date growth trends continue, both representing substantial increases over 2025's total of 562,569 filings. The conservative projection based on weekly averages would still mark a 10.5% decrease from 2025, while the growth-based forecast suggests a dramatic 17.3% annual increase. Current pacing through Week 3 suggests the higher projection may prove more accurate, as early-year filing velocity often predicts annual outcomes in bankruptcy data. Economic indicators including inflation, employment levels, and consumer debt loads will significantly influence whether 2026 reaches the lower or higher projected range. Based on current momentum and year-over-year acceleration patterns, 2026 appears likely to establish new records for annual bankruptcy filings, potentially exceeding 600,000 cases for the first time in recent history.
10. Long-term trend analysis reveals consistent annual growth in bankruptcy filings from 378,321 cases in 2022 to 562,569 cases in 2025, with average annual growth of 14.2% sustained across multiple years. This growth trajectory projects annual filings could reach 642,275 by 2027 and 733,276 by 2028 if current trends persist, representing a near-doubling of bankruptcy volumes over six years. The sustained double-digit annual growth rates of 17.7% (2023 vs 2022), 13.2% (2024 vs 2023), and 11.7% (2025 vs 2024) indicate structural economic changes rather than cyclical fluctuations affecting American financial stability. Post-2025 projections suggest bankruptcy filings could consistently exceed 700,000 annually by the late 2020s, assuming current economic pressures persist without significant intervention. These forecasting trends indicate that financial distress among American consumers and businesses has become endemic rather than episodic, requiring sustained policy attention to address underlying systemic causes driving increased bankruptcy utilization.

ChatGPT 5.2 Analysis of this Week's Bankruptcy Statistics

1. For the week ending January 19, 2026, total national filings were 10,580. That is 1,167 more than the prior week’s 9,413, a 12.4% increase. By chapter, this week totaled 6,267 (Chapter 7), 288 (Chapter 11), 9 (Chapter 12), and 4,016 (Chapter 13). Compared with the same week one year earlier (9,105), this week is higher by 1,475 filings (+16.2%). Over the first three weeks of 2026 combined, filings sum to 29,002 versus 24,721 over the first three weeks of 2025.
2. A notable detail is how concentrated filings are in the consumer chapters this week: 6,267 in Chapter 7 plus 4,016 in Chapter 13 equals 10,283 out of 10,580 total. That means about 97.2% of all filings this week are in those two chapters, leaving only 288 (Chapter 11) and 9 (Chapter 12) combined. Chapter 7 alone is about 59.2% of the total (6,267 out of 10,580), while Chapter 13 is about 37.9% (4,016 out of 10,580). Week over week, the national total rose from 9,413 to 10,580, but Chapter 11 at 288 remains small relative to the overall increase. Year over year, the same-week move from 9,105 to 10,580 suggests the increase is broad enough that it’s unlikely to be driven by only one small category.
3. At the district level this week, the highest totals include California Central (552), Florida Middle (506), and Illinois Northern (460). Other large contributors include Georgia Northern (402), Florida Southern (326), New Jersey (312), and Michigan Eastern (309). Rounding out the top group are Texas Southern (265), Maryland (263), and Arizona (257), all out of the national 10,580. Taken together, the top 5 districts sum to 2,246 filings, which is about 21.2% of the national total (2,246 of 10,580). This shows that while filings are widespread, a relatively small set of districts accounts for a meaningful share of the week’s activity.
4. The gap between high- and low-filing districts is substantial this week, with California Central at 552 compared with Maine at 5 and several districts at 0. Using those figures, 552 versus 5 is a roughly 110× difference in weekly volume, even before considering the districts showing 0 (like Guam 0, Northern Mariana Islands 0, and Virgin Islands 0). Even among low-but-nonzero districts, totals like Alaska 7, South Dakota 7, Vermont 7, and Wyoming 9 are far below the national-scale leaders. Meanwhile, several populous districts cluster in the 250–552 range (for example Arizona 257, Maryland 263, Texas Southern 265, and Florida Middle 506). Against the national total of 10,580, these disparities imply that localized economic or legal dynamics can heavily shape the weekly map of filings.
5. Focusing on the current year, the first three weeks of 2026 total 29,002 filings, which is 4,281 higher than the first three weeks of 2025 (24,721). On an average-week basis, that’s 9,667 per week so far in 2026 versus 8,240 per week over the first three weeks of 2025. This latest week’s 10,580 is also the highest among the first three weeks of 2026 (exceeding 9,413 last week). Chapter-to-date through three weeks, 2026 totals are 17,103 (Chapter 7), 570 (Chapter 11), 18 (Chapter 12), and 11,311 (Chapter 13). The same three-week totals in 2025 were 14,395, 414, 19, and 9,893, respectively, indicating increases in the two largest chapters as well as Chapter 11.
6. Looking across prior years for the same week, filings have risen from 5,803 (2022) to 7,044 (2023) to 7,344 (2024) to 9,105 (2025) and now 10,580 (2026). The jump from 2025 to 2026 for this week is +1,475, which is larger than the increase from 2024 to 2025 (9,105 − 7,344 = 1,761) only slightly smaller in absolute terms, but still sizable. From 2022 to 2026, the same-week level increased by 4,777 (10,580 − 5,803), nearly doubling over that span. Compared with just last week’s 9,413, the latest week’s 10,580 keeps the recent direction pointed upward rather than reverting. This multi-year progression suggests the current-week reading is part of a broader rise rather than an isolated fluctuation.
7. Using a U.S. population of 342,312,425 (late January 2026 reading), this week’s 10,580 filings translate to about 3.09 filings per 100,000 people. . On the same basis, Chapter 7’s 6,267 is about 1.83 per 100,000, and Chapter 13’s 4,016 is about 1.17 per 100,000. . The prior week’s 9,413 would be about 2.75 per 100,000, so the per-person level rose alongside the raw count. . Even though population is essentially stable week to week, expressing filings per 100,000 helps interpret whether changes like 9,413 → 10,580 reflect meaningful shifts in filing intensity rather than just scale.
8. In per-capita terms, the change from last week’s 2.75 per 100,000 to this week’s 3.09 per 100,000 is an increase of about 0.34 per 100,000, mirroring the raw gain of 1,167 filings. . Compared with the same week last year (9,105), this week’s 10,580 implies a per-capita lift from about 2.66 per 100,000 to 3.09 per 100,000 (about +0.43 per 100,000) using the same population yardstick. . That year-over-year increase aligns with the raw change of +1,475 filings. On the chapter mix, the rise is occurring while Chapter 7 remains large at 6,267 and Chapter 13 remains substantial at 4,016, meaning the per-capita increase is not coming from a tiny base. Put simply, both the weekly level (10,580) and the per-capita level (3.09 per 100,000) are higher than last week and higher than the same week a year ago.
9. If the first-three-weeks pace of 9,667 filings per week continues for the rest of 2026, a straight-line projection implies about 502,701 filings for the full year (9,667 × 52). Using the same approach, the remaining 49 weeks would be expected to add about 473,699 filings on top of the current 29,002 year-to-date total. For context, the first three weeks of 2025 averaged 8,240 per week, so the current 2026 pace is higher by about 1,427 filings per week. This week’s 10,580 being above the three-week average (9,667) suggests the short-run trend is not weakening at the moment. A more conservative view (anchoring to last week’s 9,413 instead of the three-week mean) would still imply a very large annual total, but the data through 10,580 supports the higher run-rate right now.
10. The same-week sequence from 5,803 (2022) to 10,580 (2026) implies an average annual growth rate of roughly 16% for that week’s filings over four year-to-year steps. If that kind of growth persisted beyond 2025, a simple extension would place the comparable week in 2027 around 12,294 filings (up from 10,580) and in 2028 around 14,286. This is not a guarantee, but it quantifies what “continuing the recent trajectory” would look like numerically given the history of 7,344 (2024), 9,105 (2025), and 10,580 (2026). If growth moderates, totals could still rise but at a slower pace than the jump from 9,105 to 10,580. If growth accelerates, the combination of large Chapter 7 (6,267) and Chapter 13 (4,016) counts provides plenty of volume for further increases to show up quickly in the national weekly totals.

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.