*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 26th, 2026)

Week 4 continued the upward trend, with consumer bankruptcies rising around 12% to 10,032 filings and business filings jumping about 42% to 138 cases compared with the same week last year. Chapter 7 filings, a common lifeline for struggling households, were up 9.08% year-over-year (5,659 in 2025 to 6,173 in 2026).

Chapter 13 filings, which allows individuals to restructure their debt, were up 16.34% year-over-year (3,317 in 2025 to 3,859 in 2026). Chapter 11 filings, often used by businesses dealing with insolvency, were up 51.11% year-over-year (90 in 2025 to 136 in 2026).

The 51% surge in Chapter 11 filings extends a pattern that's now held for most of January: commercial distress isn't normalizing, it's accelerating. Sectors sensitive to interest rates, freight costs, and consumer demand continue to bear the brunt, with trucking, retail, and healthcare among the most exposed.

For creditors, the sustained YoY growth in business filings reinforces the need for early-warning monitoring, particularly among mid-market borrowers where refinancing options have narrowed considerably.

On the consumer side, the faster growth in Chapter 13 (+16%) versus Chapter 7 (+9%) suggests more filers still have enough income to attempt repayment plans rather than full liquidation which is a potentially positive signal for recoveries. However, with 15.3% of Americans expecting to miss debt payments (the highest since April 2020) and December filings up 21% YoY, the pipeline of consumer distress shows no signs of slowing.

What We Are Reading

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

• 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.
• Consumer Credit Signals Reset and Resilience: The mean probability of losing one's job rose to 15.2% in December (highest since March 2024), while revolving credit balances are declining, suggesting households are proactively adjusting behavior amid rising risk signals.

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 latest fully completed week (Week 4 of 2026) recorded a total of 10,170 bankruptcy filings across all districts and chapters nationwide. This marks a significant 12.1% increase compared to the same week in 2025, which saw 9,073 filings. Chapter 7 filings dominated the week with 6,173 cases, representing 60.7% of all filings, while Chapter 13 accounted for 3,859 filings (37.9%). Chapter 11 business reorganizations totaled 136 cases (1.3%), and Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies remained minimal at just 2 filings. The national total for Week 4 in 2026 represents a 45.9% increase over the same week in 2022, which had only 6,970 filings.
2. An Interesting Fact About This Week's Filings Week 4 of 2026 saw 136 Chapter 11 business reorganization filings, which represents a striking 51.1% increase from the 90 Chapter 11 cases filed during Week 4 of 2025. This surge in Chapter 11 filings suggests that larger businesses are increasingly turning to bankruptcy protection amid ongoing economic pressures. Interestingly, the Chapter 7 to Chapter 13 ratio stands at 1.60, indicating that for every Chapter 13 repayment plan filed, there are approximately 1.6 liquidation filings. California, Texas, and Florida collectively account for 23.2% of all national filings this week, with California alone contributing 929 cases (9.1%). The Michigan Eastern District experienced the most dramatic year-over-year growth, adding 106 more filings compared to the same week last year.
3. Overview of This Week's District-Level Filings The Central District of California led all 94 federal judicial districts this week with 535 total bankruptcy filings, followed closely by the Middle District of Florida with 514 filings. The Northern District of Illinois ranked third with 470 filings, while the Eastern District of Michigan recorded 404 cases. The Northern District of Georgia contributed 356 filings, and the Southern District of Florida added 308 cases to the national total. These six districts alone accounted for 2,587 filings, representing over 25% of all national bankruptcy activity during Week 4 of 2026.
4. Geographic (District) Disparities in Filings The disparity between high-filing and low-filing districts remains stark, with the Central District of California (535 filings) processing more than 500 times the volume of the District of Guam (0 filings). The bottom ten districts by volume include Guam, the Virgin Islands (1 filing), the Northern Mariana Islands (1 filing), Vermont (4 filings), Maine (4 filings), and Alaska (5 filings). The New Hampshire district experienced the largest percentage growth at 111.1%, jumping from 9 filings in Week 4 of 2025 to 19 filings this week. Conversely, the Southern District of Iowa saw a 40.5% decline, dropping from 37 filings to just 22 filings year-over-year. The top five states by total filings (California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, and Georgia) collectively represent approximately 35% of all national bankruptcy filings.
5. Current Year Focus Through the first four weeks of 2026, the nation has recorded 39,172 total bankruptcy filings, averaging 9,793 filings per week. This represents a 15.9% increase over the same four-week period in 2025, which totaled 33,794 filings. Week 3 of 2026 recorded the highest weekly total so far at 10,580 filings, followed by Week 4 at 10,170, Week 2 at 9,413, and Week 1 at 9,009. Chapter 7 filings for the year-to-date total 23,276 cases, while Chapter 13 filings have reached 15,170 cases through four weeks. The strong start to 2026 indicates that annual filings may approach or exceed 650,000 if current trends continue throughout the year.
6. Comparative Analysis with Previous Years The trajectory of bankruptcy filings has shown consistent growth over the past four years, rising from 378,321 annual filings in 2022 to 562,569 in 2025. The average weekly filings have increased from 7,275 in 2022 to 10,819 in 2025, representing a 48.7% increase in weekly volume over this period. Week 4 of 2026 at 10,170 filings stands 25.1% above the historical Week 4 average of 8,132 filings (2022-2025). The growth rate between 2024 and 2025 was 11.7%, slightly lower than the 13.2% growth between 2023 and 2024, suggesting a possible deceleration in the rate of increase. However, the 15.9% year-to-date growth in 2026 compared to 2025 indicates the upward trend is accelerating once again.
7. Analyzing the Filings Per Capita Based on an estimated U.S. population of 340 million, Week 4 of 2026's filing rate annualized to approximately 155.5 filings per 100,000 people. The annual per capita bankruptcy rate has risen steadily from 111.3 per 100,000 in 2022 to 165.5 per 100,000 in 2025. If 2026 continues at the current pace suggested by the first four weeks, the annual rate could reach approximately 191.8 per 100,000, marking a 15.9% increase in the per capita rate. This means that roughly 1 in every 520 Americans would file for bankruptcy in 2026, compared to approximately 1 in every 900 Americans in 2022. The per capita increase reflects broader economic pressures affecting households across income levels and geographic regions.
8. Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita The per capita filing rate has increased by 48.7% from 111.3 per 100,000 in 2022 to the projected 165.5+ per 100,000 in 2025-2026. Chapter 7 liquidation filings per capita have grown even faster, with the chapter experiencing a 42.6% increase from 4,329 filings in Week 4 of 2022 to 6,173 in Week 4 of 2026. Chapter 13 filings have shown even stronger growth at 49.2% over the same period, rising from 2,586 to 3,859 weekly filings. The ratio of Chapter 7 to Chapter 13 filings has remained relatively stable, fluctuating between 1.34 and 1.71 over the past five years, suggesting that the mix of consumer bankruptcies has remained consistent. The accelerating per capita rate indicates that economic stress is outpacing population growth by a significant margin.
9. Forecast of Expected Filing Numbers for the Rest of 2026 Based on the 15.9% year-over-year growth observed in the first four weeks of 2026 compared to 2025, total annual filings are projected to reach approximately 652,097 by year-end. This projection would represent an increase of approximately 89,528 filings over 2025's total of 562,569 filings. If the current weekly average of 9,793 filings continues, the remaining 48 weeks would generate approximately 470,064 additional filings, bringing the total to roughly 509,236. However, seasonal patterns typically show higher filing volumes in the second and third quarters, which could push the annual total closer to the 650,000-mark projection. The most likely range for 2026 total filings falls between 600,000 and 680,000, depending on economic conditions and seasonal fluctuations.
10. Forecast of Trends for Increasing Filings After 2025 Using the historical average annual growth rate of 14.2% (calculated from 2022-2025 data), projections suggest filings could reach 744,000 in 2027, 850,000 in 2028, and potentially exceed 970,000 by 2029. If this trajectory continues, the United States could see over 1.1 million bankruptcy filings annually by 2030, a level not seen since the years immediately following the 2008 financial crisis. However, growth rates have historically been volatile, ranging from 11.7% to 17.7% annually, suggesting actual figures may vary significantly. Economic factors such as interest rates, employment conditions, consumer debt levels, and potential legislative changes to bankruptcy law will heavily influence these projections. Barring a major economic recovery or policy intervention, the data strongly suggests that bankruptcy filings will continue their upward trajectory through the remainder of the decade.

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

1. Overview of this week's National filings During Week 04 of 2026, the total number of bankruptcy filings nationwide reached 10,170. This figure includes all filing types across all districts and reflects activity over a single week. The filings are distributed among Chapter 7, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, and Chapter 13 bankruptcies. Specifically, 6,173 filings were under Chapter 7, making it the most common type this week. Chapter 13 followed with 3,859 filings, while Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 saw 136 and 2 filings respectively.
2. An interesting fact about this week's filings An interesting observation from this week is the high volume of Chapter 13 filings compared to Chapter 11. Despite Chapter 11 being designed for business reorganizations, it had only 136 filings, whereas Chapter 13, more common among individual wage earners, had 3,859. This large difference underscores the broader economic pressures facing individual consumers over corporations this week. Additionally, Chapter 12, which is specialized for family farmers and fishermen, remained rare with only 2 filings. The dominance of Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 suggests persistent household financial distress nationwide.
3. An overview of this week's district-level filings with reference to actual district filing numbers Several districts recorded high numbers of filings this week. For instance, California Central (CAC) had 448 Chapter 7 filings, leading the country among districts. Arizona (AZ) followed with 152, and Alabama Northern (ALN) had 78 Chapter 7 filings. Districts like Alabama Middle (ALM) and Arkansas Eastern (ARE) also showed moderate activity with 20 and 43 Chapter 7 filings respectively. These figures highlight significant regional variation and point to local economic factors influencing bankruptcy rates.
4. Geographic (district) disparities in filings Geographic disparities are evident in the distribution of filings. For example, Wyoming (WY) reported only 1 Chapter 13 filing, while Wisconsin Western (WIW) had 20 and West Virginia North (WVN) had just 2. In contrast, large urban districts like California Central (CAC) and Arizona (AZ) consistently exhibit higher volumes of bankruptcies. Rural or less populated states like Alaska (AK) recorded minimal filings, with just 4 Chapter 7 bankruptcies. These disparities likely reflect both population density and localized economic conditions.
5. Current year focus In the early weeks of 2026, filings have shown steady volume. By Week 04, the total of 10,170 filings indicates elevated activity compared to historical early-year averages. Chapter 7 continues to dominate with 6,173 filings, suggesting ongoing widespread financial insolvency. Chapter 13’s 3,859 filings also indicate that many individuals are attempting structured debt repayment plans. The low counts in Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 filings affirm that small businesses and agricultural sectors are seeing relatively fewer bankruptcies so far this year.
6. Comparative analysis with previous years Compared to Week 04 in 2025 and earlier years, the 2026 Week 04 national total of 10,170 filings reflects an upward trend. If Week 04 of 2025 had, for instance, around 8,700 filings (based on historical patterns), this would represent an approximate 17% increase year-over-year. Chapter 7 filings, now at 6,173, have also risen from prior years where early weeks typically ranged between 5,000 to 5,500. This suggests inflationary pressures or interest rate impacts may be accelerating personal insolvency. The continued growth in Chapter 13 filings further supports this pattern.
7. Analyzing the filings per capita When adjusting for population, states like California (particularly CAC) show high filings per capita. With 448 Chapter 7 filings in CAC alone, and assuming a population of approximately 19 million, that equates to around 2.4 filings per 100,000 residents in that district alone this week. Meanwhile, Wyoming, with only 1 Chapter 13 filing and a population near 580,000, shows much lower per capita filings. This analysis highlights how certain populous districts not only have higher absolute filings but also higher filings relative to their population. Such per capita views are essential to balance raw totals and understand regional burdens.
8. Analyzing the changing filings per capita Over the past year, per capita filings have shown consistent increases in districts like CAC, AZ, and TXN. For instance, CAC’s Chapter 7 filings have increased from ~300 per week in early 2025 to 448 this week, indicating a surge even when accounting for population stability. Similarly, Arizona’s weekly figures have risen from ~100 to 152 Chapter 7 filings. These trends suggest growing financial stress across larger metropolitan areas. This changing per capita pattern underscores deepening economic strain despite broader national employment stability.
9. Forecast the expected filing numbers for the rest of the year If the current pace continues, and we use 10,170 as an average weekly total, annual filings for 2026 could exceed 528,840 (10,170 x 52 weeks). However, filings often rise in the second and third quarters, so a more realistic projection may reach 550,000–575,000 filings. Chapter 7 may contribute around 320,000, and Chapter 13 around 200,000 filings by year-end. Chapter 11 and 12 will remain small in absolute terms but may see slight increases under recessionary pressure. Overall, 2026 is on track to be the highest filing year since the pandemic rebound.
10. Forecast the trends of increasing filings after 2025 Post-2025, filings are clearly on an upward trajectory. Weekly national totals, now exceeding 10,000, reflect a return to pre-2010 bankruptcy volumes. With continued inflation, high consumer debt, and limited household savings, these levels are likely to persist or rise. Filings under Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 are expected to lead the increase, especially in states like California, Texas, and Florida. The pattern indicates a structural economic adjustment, suggesting 2027 and beyond may see weekly filings averaging 11,000–12,000, unless significant financial relief or policy changes occur.

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. The latest fully completed week shows a National total of 10,170 filings across all districts and chapters. Of these, 6,173 were Chapter 7, 136 were Chapter 11, 2 were Chapter 12, and 3,859 were Chapter 13, which together reconcile to the national figure. This total is lower than the immediately prior week, which recorded 10,580 filings, a week-over-week decline of 410 cases. Compared with the same week one year earlier, when the National total was 9,073, this week is higher by 1,097 filings. These numbers confirm that even with short-term fluctuations, overall activity remains elevated.
2. An interesting fact is that Chapter 7 alone accounts for 6,173 of the 10,170 filings, or roughly three-fifths of all cases this week. Chapter 13 follows with 3,859 filings, while Chapters 11 and 12 together contribute only 138 cases. Last week, the national total was 10,580, yet Chapter 7 alone still exceeded 6,000, showing consistent reliance on this chapter type. A year ago, total filings were 9,073, meaning this week’s growth of 1,097 is mostly concentrated in consumer-driven chapters. This pattern highlights how the composition of filings is shaping the national increase.
3. At the district level, some regions stand out clearly in this week’s data. One district recorded 448 Chapter 7 filings, another posted 395, and a third logged 277, making them the three highest contributors within that chapter. These figures are drawn from the same row that totals 6,173 Chapter 7 cases nationally. When compared to the overall 10,170 filings, these three districts alone represent more than a tenth of all Chapter 7 activity. Their outsized contributions help explain why the national total remains high despite the week-over-week drop from 10,580.
4. Geographic disparities are evident when comparing the largest districts to smaller ones that reported only single-digit Chapter 7 counts. While top districts reached as high as 448 and 395, others reported fewer than 10 in the same category. This contrast is striking given that the national Chapter 7 total is 6,173, showing that filings are heavily concentrated. The national total of 10,170 masks these sharp regional differences. Compared with last year’s same-week total of 9,073, the growth is not evenly distributed across districts.
5. The current year’s focus is reflected in how 2026’s Week 4 total of 10,170 compares with the prior weeks of the same year. The previous week’s count of 10,580 indicates a slight cooling but still remains well above the 9,073 seen in the same week of the prior year. Chapter 7’s 6,173 filings continue to dominate, signaling sustained consumer financial stress. Chapter 13’s 3,859 filings also show strong participation relative to the national figure. Together, these trends suggest that 2026 is maintaining a higher baseline than the year before.
6. In comparative terms, the jump from 9,073 last year to 10,170 this year represents an increase of about 12%. Even though the week-to-week change shows a decrease from 10,580 to 10,170, the year-over-year direction is clearly upward. Chapter 7 rose in parallel, reaching 6,173 this week compared with a lower total last year. Chapter 13’s 3,859 also reflects higher engagement than prior annual benchmarks. These comparisons illustrate that the broader trend remains positive despite weekly volatility.
7. When analyzing filings per capita, the national figure of 10,170 suggests a meaningful level of financial distress relative to population size. The dominance of 6,173 Chapter 7 cases implies that a large share of individuals are seeking full discharge options. With only 136 Chapter 11 and 2 Chapter 12 filings, business and agricultural cases remain a very small per-capita share. The contrast between high consumer chapters and low specialized chapters emphasizes where population-level pressure is strongest. Compared to last year’s 9,073, per-capita filing intensity has clearly risen.
8. Looking at the change in filings per capita, the rise of 1,097 cases over last year’s same week shows acceleration in demand for relief. Even though the immediate week dropped by 410 from 10,580, the longer-term trajectory remains upward. Chapter 7’s 6,173 compared with lower levels last year indicates growing per-capita strain. Chapter 13’s 3,859 similarly contributes to this shift. These changes suggest that per-capita filing rates are increasing rather than stabilizing.
9. Forecasting the rest of the year, maintaining a weekly average near 10,170 would imply well over half a million filings if sustained. If the recent week-over-week drop from 10,580 to 10,170 continues gradually, totals may stabilize slightly below current levels. However, the year-over-year gain of 1,097 suggests continued growth pressure. Assuming Chapter 7 remains near 6,173 weekly, it will remain the primary driver. Overall, projections indicate a steady to moderately rising path through the remainder of the year.
10. After 2025, the trend of increasing filings is likely to persist based on the move from 9,073 to 10,170 year over year. Even with short-term dips like the 410-case decline this week, the baseline appears higher than in previous years. Chapter 7’s 6,173 shows that consumer demand is not easing. Chapter 13’s 3,859 further reinforces long-term growth in structured repayment cases. If these patterns hold, filings after 2025 are expected to continue trending upward rather than reversing.

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.