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Year-Over-Year National Bankruptcy Filings

Chapter 7 Statistics

Chapter 13 Statistics

Chapter 11 Statistics

Chapter 12 Statistics

Weekly District Filings

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

Our Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics (Updated December 18th, 2025)

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

During the pandemic, Chapter 13 filings drastically decreased; however, they were the fastest to recover. Unlike in past downturns, where mortgage foreclosures pushed filings, we now see bankruptcies tied entirely to credit defaults. Where nearly half of U.S. mortgage properties are considered “equity-rich,” with property values at least twice the remaining mortgage balances. Homeowners who locked in low interest rates during the pandemic can leverage substantial equity gains to offset rising living costs. This buffer is one of the reasons we see Chapter 13 growth taper down while Chapter 7 growth takes the lead.

The current trajectory of bankruptcy filings is on a steep climb. Given the rising tide of bankruptcy filings, lenders with national loan portfolios are advised to brace for a growing number of account delinquencies. 

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

New York Fed Household Debt and Credit Report: Household debt reaches $18.59 trillion in the third quarter.

Car Repossessions Approaching Record High: A near-record number of cars are being repossessed as Americans continue to fall behind on their auto loans amid mounting financial strain.

FICO Shakes Up Credit-Score Market: Fair Isaac is upending the credit-scoring industry by giving mortgage lenders a way to offer its credit scores without buying them from Experian, Equifax or TransUnion.

Borrowers Priorizing Student Loans: As Wage Garnishment Looms, Federal Student Loan Borrowers Indicate They Could Prioritize Their Student Loans Ahead of Credit Cards and Personal Loans

Clunky Old Software is the Invisible $1.52 Trillion Problem: Old code piles up and raises the risk of hacks and other breaches, even on new devices. ‘Technical debt' has a compounding effect.

AI Analysis of this Week's Bankruptcy Statistics 

We exported our dataset containing the daily filing numbers for every chapter and district to different AI models and asked for an analysis. Below are the exact results for each model.

Claude 4.5 Opus Extended Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics

Overview of This Week's National Filings During the 50th week of 2025, the United States recorded a total of 10,416 bankruptcy filings across all federal court districts. Chapter 7 liquidation filings dominated with 6,440 cases, representing 61.8% of the national total, while Chapter 13 reorganization filings accounted for 3,823 cases or 36.7% of all filings. Business reorganizations under Chapter 11 contributed 147 filings this week, with Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies adding just 6 cases to the total. Compared to the previous week (Week 49), which saw 9,815 filings, this week represents a 6.1% increase in filing activity. The average daily filing rate for Week 50 stands at approximately 1,488 bankruptcy petitions processed throughout the nation's court system.

An Interesting Fact About This Week's Filings One remarkable observation from Week 50 is that Chapter 11 business bankruptcy filings surged 22.5% compared to the same week last year, rising from 120 filings in Week 50 of 2024 to 147 filings this week. This uptick in business restructurings suggests increasing financial stress among companies as the year draws to a close. The Central District of California alone processed 551 bankruptcy petitions this week, more than the combined totals of 30 smaller districts across the country. Interestingly, the top five districts by filing volume—Central California, Middle Florida, Northern Georgia, Northern Illinois, and Eastern Michigan—collectively accounted for 20.8% of all national filings. Farm bankruptcies under Chapter 12 remained notably low at just 6 cases, indicating relative stability in the agricultural sector despite broader economic challenges.

An Overview of This Week's District-Level Filings The Central District of California led the nation with 551 total filings this week, comprising 458 Chapter 7 and 76 Chapter 13 cases plus additional business filings. Florida's Middle District followed with 496 filings, while the Northern District of Georgia recorded 408 filings, making it the third busiest court district. The Northern District of Illinois processed 389 cases, and Michigan's Eastern District handled 320 bankruptcy petitions during Week 50. Other high-volume districts included the Southern District of Florida with 291 filings, Arizona with 274 filings, and New Jersey with 266 filings across all chapters. Conversely, several territories and smaller districts reported minimal activity, with Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Virgin Islands each recording zero filings this week.

Geographic Disparities in Filings Significant geographic disparities emerged in this week's bankruptcy data, with the Southeast region recording 2,459 filings—the highest among all regions. The West followed closely with 2,138 filings, while the Midwest region reported 2,091 cases across its various districts. The Northeast recorded 1,405 filings, and the Southwest region had the lowest regional total at 1,078 bankruptcies filed during Week 50. California's four districts combined for 967 filings, Florida's three districts totaled 842 cases, and Texas's four districts recorded 603 filings collectively. In stark contrast, some districts such as Maine reported only 7 filings, Vermont recorded just 4 cases, and Alaska had a single bankruptcy petition this week.

Current Year Focus Through the first 50 weeks of 2025, the nation has accumulated 544,419 total bankruptcy filings across all chapters and districts. This year-to-date total includes 338,444 Chapter 7 filings (62.2%), 197,224 Chapter 13 filings (36.2%), 8,465 Chapter 11 business filings (1.6%), and 286 Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies (0.1%). The quarterly breakdown reveals consistent growth throughout 2025: Q1 recorded 132,053 filings, Q2 saw 144,209 filings, and Q3 reached 143,577 filings. The current fourth quarter has already amassed 124,580 filings through Week 50, with two weeks remaining in the calendar year. The 2025 average weekly filing rate of 10,888 cases represents a 12.4% increase over the 2024 weekly average of 9,687 filings.

Comparative Analysis with Previous Years Comparing Week 50 across multiple years reveals a consistent upward trajectory in bankruptcy filings, with Week 50 of 2025 at 10,416 filings versus 9,262 in 2024, 8,417 in 2023, and 7,021 in 2022. The year-over-year increase from 2024 to 2025 for this specific week stands at 12.5%, while the three-year increase from 2022 to 2025 represents a remarkable 48.4% surge in filing activity. Looking at full-year totals, 2024 concluded with 503,738 bankruptcy filings, representing a 13.2% increase over 2023's total of 445,171 filings. The 2023 annual total itself was 17.7% higher than the 2022 figure of 378,316 filings. Year-to-date comparisons through Week 50 show 2025 running 11.5% ahead of 2024's pace and 26.9% higher than the same period in 2023.

Analyzing the Filings Per Capita The per capita filing rate for Week 50 of 2025 reached 3.109 filings per 100,000 residents, based on the current U.S. population of approximately 335 million people. This rate compares to 2.765 per 100,000 during the same week in 2024, 2.513 per 100,000 in 2023, and 2.096 per 100,000 in 2022. The year-to-date 2025 per capita rate stands at 162.51 filings per 100,000 population, compared to 145.73 per 100,000 for the same 50-week period in 2024. Annualizing the 2025 data suggests a full-year per capita rate of approximately 169 filings per 100,000 Americans. These per capita metrics indicate that financial distress is becoming increasingly prevalent across the general population, with the likelihood of any given American filing for bankruptcy rising steadily over the past four years.

Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita The per capita bankruptcy filing rate has increased by 12.5% comparing Week 50 of 2025 to the same week in 2024, rising from 2.765 to 3.109 filings per 100,000 people. Over the three-year period from 2022 to 2025, the Week 50 per capita rate has surged by 48.4%, climbing from 2.096 to 3.109 per 100,000 residents. The trend shows accelerating financial stress, as the per capita rate for Week 50 in 2025 was 23.7% higher than Week 50 of 2023 and 48.3% above Week 50 of 2022. Throughout 2025, weekly per capita rates have fluctuated from a low of 2.248 per 100,000 in the first week to peaks exceeding 4.0 per 100,000 during high-volume periods. This persistent elevation in per capita filing rates suggests that economic pressures on American households and businesses have intensified considerably since 2022.

Forecast the Expected Filing Numbers for the Rest of the Year With only two weeks remaining in 2025, the projected full-year total is estimated at approximately 566,000 bankruptcy filings based on current trends. Using the 2025 year-to-date weekly average of 10,888 filings, the remaining two weeks would add roughly 21,776 cases to the current 544,419 year-to-date total. Applying the more recent four-week average of 10,672 filings per week yields a similar projection of approximately 565,800 total filings for the year. This projected 2025 total of 566,000 filings would represent a 12.4% increase over the 2024 full-year total of 503,738 cases. The consistency of quarterly growth throughout 2025—with year-over-year increases of 10.0% in Q1, 10.3% in Q2, 12.1% in Q3, and 14.0% in Q4—supports this projection with confidence.

Forecast the Trends of Increasing Filings After 2024 Based on the compound annual growth rate of 14.4% observed from 2022 through the projected 2025 total, bankruptcy filings appear poised for continued escalation in the coming years. If the current growth trajectory persists, 2026 could see approximately 636,000 to 650,000 total filings, with 2027 potentially approaching 740,000 cases nationwide. The accelerating quarterly year-over-year changes—from 10.0% in Q1 2025 to 14.0% in Q4 2025—suggest that growth momentum is strengthening rather than moderating. Economic factors including elevated interest rates, persistent inflation effects, and tightening credit conditions may continue driving households and businesses toward bankruptcy protection. While external economic shifts could alter this trajectory, the data strongly indicates that filing volumes will continue climbing beyond the levels established in 2024, with the national total potentially exceeding 600,000 annual filings within the next 12 to 18 months.

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

During the 50th week of 2025, the United States recorded a total of 10,416 bankruptcy filings across all chapters and districts. This total is comprised of 6,440 Chapter 7 filings, 147 Chapter 11 filings, 6 Chapter 12 filings, and 3,823 Chapter 13 filings, representing activity through all court jurisdictions. The data shows a balanced distribution between liquidation (Chapter 7) and wage earner plans (Chapter 13), with Chapter 7 accounting for the majority of cases. This week represents the latest fully completed week, providing the most up-to-date snapshot of national bankruptcy trends. The filing numbers offer valuable insights into the economic stress levels experienced by individuals and entities across the country.

A particularly interesting fact about this week's filings is the sharp increase in total bankruptcy filings compared to the same week in previous years. For example, Week 50 in 2022 saw 7,021 filings, in 2023 it increased to 8,417, and in 2024 to 9,262. This year, the Week 50 filings jumped to 10,416, indicating a 48.3% rise compared to 2022 and 12.5% higher than last year. The consistency of this upward trend across multiple years may indicate growing financial distress or systemic economic shifts. Chapter 7 continues to dominate, with over 61.8% of this week's filings falling under this category.

Looking at the distribution across districts this week, filings vary significantly. The Central District of California (CAC) leads with 551 filings, followed by the Middle District of Florida (FLM) with 496, and the Northern District of Georgia (GAN) with 408. Other high-volume districts include the Northern District of Illinois (ILN) with 389, and the Eastern District of Michigan (MIE) with 320. These top five districts alone contributed 2,164 filings, over 20% of the national total. This highlights the importance of regional economic conditions in shaping bankruptcy trends.

Geographic disparities in filings are notable, as some districts reported almost no activity this week. The District of Vermont (VT) had just 4 filings, while Alaska (AK) had 1, and three districts — Guam (GU), Northern Mariana Islands (NMI), and the Virgin Islands (VI) — reported zero filings. This stark contrast with districts like CAC and FLM, which posted over 500 filings each, underscores regional economic variation. Factors such as population size, local economic conditions, and business structure likely contribute to these differences. The bottom five districts in total contributed less than 0.05% to the national total.

Focusing on 2025 as a whole up to this week, the average number of weekly filings has been 10,898. This suggests that Week 50’s total of 10,416 was slightly below the 2025 average by about 482 filings, a difference of 4.4%. Despite this dip, the broader trend for the year has been one of elevated bankruptcy activity compared to prior years. The volume suggests a persistent pressure on households and businesses through the year. Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 remain dominant, with Chapter 7 continuing to outpace the others across nearly every district.

Comparing Week 50 data across the years, we observe a steady annual increase in filings. Week 50 of 2022 had 7,021 filings, 2023 had 8,417, and 2024 had 9,262, culminating in 10,416 filings in 2025. This represents a compound annual growth rate of approximately 14.1% from 2022 to 2025. The rate of increase has not plateaued, and the data shows a resilient growth trajectory despite economic fluctuations. This persistent growth signals deeper structural challenges in the economy that may not be addressed by short-term recovery policies.

To contextualize these numbers, per capita analysis reveals meaningful insights. Districts like CAC and FLM, while large in raw filings, serve massive populations, suggesting a moderately high per capita filing rate. However, some mid-sized districts such as GAN (Georgia Northern) and MIE (Michigan Eastern) have disproportionately high filings relative to their population sizes. Conversely, small districts like VT and AK display very low per capita rates, aligning with their small populations. A complete picture would require integration with census data, but even without it, disparities in filing concentrations per resident are evident.

When analyzing changes in per capita filings over time, the trend mirrors national growth patterns. Districts like FLM have seen a year-over-year increase in both absolute and relative filings, suggesting worsening local economic conditions. Meanwhile, other districts such as PR (Puerto Rico) have shown more stable or even declining patterns, hinting at possible economic recovery or alternative credit solutions. These divergent patterns suggest that regional economic health and support systems heavily influence bankruptcy trends. Monitoring these changes can inform policymakers about where interventions are most needed.

Projecting forward based on the current weekly average of 10,898 filings, we can estimate the remaining filings for the last two weeks of the year. Assuming filings stay near the average, we expect approximately 21,796 more filings in total for Weeks 51 and 52. This would bring the total national filings for 2025 to around 566,496. This would mark the highest yearly total in at least the past four years, reflecting an ongoing acceleration. If the upward momentum continues into January 2026, it could break further historic highs.

Looking beyond 2025, the consistent rise in filings suggests a longer-term trend of increasing bankruptcies, unless countered by economic reform or financial relief programs. If the current rate of increase holds, filings in 2026’s Week 50 could reach over 11,700, and over 13,000 by 2027. Structural issues like medical debt, inflation, and consumer credit burdens are likely contributors to this growth. Economic indicators point to continuing challenges that will drive households and small businesses toward bankruptcy as a last resort. Policymakers, lenders, and courts must prepare for a potential multi-year swell in filings.

Claude 4.5 Sonnet Extended Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics 

Overview of this week's National filings. The latest fully completed week in the dataset is Week 50 of 2025, which recorded a national total of 10,416 bankruptcy filings across all districts and chapters. This week saw Chapter 7 filings reach 6,440 cases, representing 61.8% of all filings, while Chapter 13 contributed 3,823 cases at 36.7% of the total. Chapter 11 business reorganizations added 147 filings, and Chapter 12 family farmer bankruptcies accounted for just 6 cases. Week 50's total represents a slight decline of 4.3% compared to the 2025 weekly average of 10,888 filings. The week's filing volume places it in the middle range of 2025's weekly performance, falling between the year's peak of 15,017 filings in Week 44 and its low of 7,531 in Week 1.

An interesting fact about this week's filings. Week 50 of 2025 marks the fourth consecutive year that this specific week has shown year-over-year growth, with the 10,416 filings representing a 12.5% increase from Week 50 of 2024's total of 9,262 cases. The ratio of Chapter 7 to Chapter 13 filings in this week stands at 1.68 to 1, which is notably higher than the historical ratio of approximately 1.5 to 1 seen in 2022 and 2023. The Central District of California alone accounted for 551 filings during this week, meaning that just one district represented 5.3% of all national bankruptcy filings. Chapter 11 business bankruptcies in Week 50 totaled 147 cases, which is above the 2025 weekly average of approximately 133 cases, suggesting continued stress in the business sector. The data shows that 17 weeks in 2025 have surpassed 11,000 filings, with Week 50 falling just short of this threshold at 10,416.

An overview of this week's district-level filings with reference to actual district filing numbers. The Central District of California led the nation with 551 total filings in Week 50, followed by the Middle District of Florida with 496 cases and the Northern District of Georgia with 408 filings. The Northern District of Illinois recorded 389 cases, while the Eastern District of Michigan saw 320 filings, rounding out the top five districts. Other notable districts include the Southern District of Florida with 291 filings, Arizona with 274 cases, New Jersey with 266, and the Northern District of Ohio with 240 filings. The Eastern District of Virginia completed the top ten with 238 total cases filed during the week. These ten districts alone accounted for 3,473 filings, representing 33.3% of the national total, demonstrating the concentration of bankruptcy activity in specific judicial districts.

Geographic (district) disparities in filings. The geographic distribution of bankruptcy filings reveals stark disparities across judicial districts, with the Central District of California's 551 filings in Week 50 contrasting sharply against districts like Guam which recorded zero filings. The top 10 districts collectively filed 3,473 cases, while the remaining districts shared just 6,943 cases among them, illustrating how bankruptcy activity concentrates in major metropolitan areas. California's three bankruptcy districts combined for approximately 843 filings in Week 50, making the state responsible for roughly 8.1% of national filings despite containing about 12% of the U.S. population. Florida's three districts together recorded 905 cases, representing 8.7% of the national total and suggesting particularly acute financial distress in the state. The disparity ratio between the highest-filing district (CAC at 551) and many smaller districts (some with single-digit filings) exceeds 50 to 1, highlighting the enormous variation in bankruptcy rates across different regions.

Current year focus. Through Week 50 of 2025, the nation has recorded 544,419 total bankruptcy filings, representing a robust 11.5% increase over the same period in 2024 which had 488,204 cases. The average weekly filing count in 2025 stands at 10,888 cases, significantly elevated compared to 2024's average of 9,765 filings per week through Week 50. Chapter 7 liquidations have been particularly strong in 2025, comprising 62.2% of all filings compared to 60.9% in 2024, while Chapter 13 wage earner plans have decreased to 36.2% from 37.5% the previous year. The year has seen considerable volatility, with 17 weeks exceeding 11,000 filings and the peak week (Week 44) reaching 15,017 cases, a 99.5% surge above Week 1's 7,531 filings. Recent weeks have shown relative stabilization, with the last five weeks averaging 10,671 filings, suggesting a normalization after the mid-year surge.

Comparative analysis with previous years. Examining Week 50 across multiple years reveals a consistent upward trajectory: 7,021 filings in 2022, 8,417 in 2023, 9,262 in 2024, and 10,416 in 2025. The year-to-date comparison through Week 50 shows total filings of 365,411 in 2022, 429,037 in 2023, 488,204 in 2024, and 544,419 in 2025, representing successive annual growth rates of 17.4%, 13.8%, and 11.5%. While the growth rate has moderated from 2023's peak, the absolute increase of 56,215 additional filings in 2025 over 2024 remains substantial. The ratio of Chapter 7 to Chapter 13 filings has steadily increased from 1.52 in 2022 to 1.72 in 2025, indicating a shifting preference toward liquidation over reorganization. Average weekly filings have climbed from 7,308 in 2022 to 10,888 in 2025 through Week 50, representing a 49% increase over this three-year period.

Analyzing the filings per capita. Based on the current U.S. population of approximately 336 million people, the bankruptcy filing rate through Week 50 of 2025 stands at 162.0 filings per 100,000 population on an annualized basis. This represents a significant increase from 2024's rate of 145.3 per 100,000, 2023's rate of 127.7 per 100,000, and 2022's rate of 108.8 per 100,000 through the same point in each year. The per capita filing rate has increased by 11.5% from 2024 to 2025, closely matching the overall growth rate in absolute filing numbers. At the current weekly average of 10,888 filings, the nation is experiencing approximately 3.2 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people each week. If this rate continues through year-end, 2025 would conclude with an annual per capita rate of approximately 168 filings per 100,000 population, the highest level recorded in the dataset.

Analyzing the changing filings per capita. The per capita filing rate has accelerated dramatically over the past three years, growing from 108.8 per 100,000 in 2022 to 162.0 in 2025, representing a 48.9% increase in just three years. The year-over-year per capita growth rates show 17.4% in 2023, 13.8% in 2024, and 11.5% in 2025, indicating that while growth continues, the rate of acceleration is moderating. The average American is now experiencing bankruptcy at a rate of 1 in 617 people per year (through Week 50), compared to 1 in 688 in 2024 and 1 in 783 in 2023. The Chapter 7 per capita rate has grown particularly sharply, from 64.8 per 100,000 in 2022 to 100.8 per 100,000 in 2025, a 55.6% increase. Meanwhile, Chapter 13 per capita filings have grown more modestly from 42.8 per 100,000 in 2022 to 58.6 in 2025, a 36.9% increase, suggesting different economic pressures affecting different types of debtors.

Forecast the expected filing numbers for the rest of the year. With 544,419 filings recorded through Week 50 and an average weekly rate of 10,888 cases in 2025, projecting the remaining two weeks suggests a year-end total of approximately 566,195 filings for 2025. This projection represents a 12.4% increase over 2024's full-year total of 503,738 filings across all 52 weeks. Recent weekly performance shows some volatility, with the last five weeks ranging from 9,815 to 12,040 filings, suggesting the final two weeks could vary between 10,000 and 12,000 cases each. If the recent five-week average of 10,671 filings holds for the final weeks, the year would end closer to 565,761 total filings. The holiday season typically sees reduced filing activity, so a conservative estimate would place the final two weeks at approximately 10,500 cases each, yielding a year-end total near 565,000 to 567,000 filings.

Forecast the trends of increasing filings after 2024. Based on the established growth trajectory showing 17.4% growth in 2023, 13.8% in 2024, and 11.5% in 2025, bankruptcy filings appear to be on a moderating but still-elevated growth path that could extend beyond 2025. If the deceleration pattern continues and 2026 sees approximately 9-10% growth over 2025's projected 566,000 filings, next year could reach 615,000 to 620,000 total cases. The persistent upward trend in Chapter 7 filings, which have grown from an average of 4,359 per week in 2022 to 6,769 in 2025, suggests continued consumer financial distress that may not resolve quickly. The ratio of Chapter 7 to Chapter 13 has climbed from 1.52 to 1.72, and if this trend continues, Chapter 7 could reach 65% of all filings by 2026, indicating increasing numbers of debtors choosing liquidation over payment plans. Assuming continued economic pressures and the three-year compound annual growth rate of approximately 14%, total filings could reach 650,000 by 2027, though much depends on employment trends, interest rates, and consumer debt levels.

ChatGPT 5.2 Analysis of this Week's Bankruptcy Statistics 

In the latest fully completed week (week 50 of 2025), total filings nationwide were 10,416. That total was made up of 6,440 Chapter 7 filings, 147 Chapter 11 filings, 6 Chapter 12 filings, and 3,823 Chapter 13 filings. Compared with the prior week (week 49 of 2025), the nationwide total rose from 9,815 to 10,416, an increase of 601 filings. Compared with the same week a year earlier (week 50 of 2024), the nationwide total increased from 9,262 to 10,416, up 1,154 filings. In other words, the latest week shows both a week-over-week gain (+601) and a year-over-year gain (+1,154) on the same weekly footing.

One standout detail is that Chapter 13 filings were 3,823 in week 50 of 2025, which is only 2,617 fewer than Chapter 7’s 6,440—a relatively tight gap for a single week. Meanwhile, Chapter 11 was 147 in the same week, which is 74 fewer than the prior week’s 221 even as the overall total rose to 10,416. That combination means the week’s national increase from 9,815 to 10,416 happened despite a notable decline in Chapter 11 (221 → 147). Another eye-catching point is how concentrated filings were at the top: the single largest district posted 551 filings that week, over 550× the smallest non-zero district total of 1. Put simply, week 50’s 10,416 total is driven primarily by consumer chapters (6,440 Chapter 7 and 3,823 Chapter 13), with very small Chapter 12 volume (6) and a Chapter 11 dip (147).

District activity in week 50 of 2025 was led by CAC with 551 total filings, followed closely by FLM with 496. Next were GAN with 408, ILN with 389, and MIE with 320, each contributing materially to the 10,416 nationwide total. A second tier included FLS with 291, AZ with 274, and NJ with 266, all still meaningfully above the typical small-district counts. Rounding out the top ten were OHN with 240 and VAE with 238, so the top ten districts together accounted for 3,473 filings. Those district totals show that a relatively small set of districts can drive a large slice of the week’s national number (3,473 of 10,416).

The geographic spread in week 50 of 2025 was wide, from a high of 551 filings in CAC down to 0 in multiple very low-volume districts. Specifically, GU, NMI, and VI each recorded 0 filings that week, while AK recorded 1 and VT recorded 4. The top three districts (CAC 551, FLM 496, GAN 408) summed to 1,455, which is 13.97% of the 10,416 national total. By contrast, the bottom five districts (0, 0, 0, 1, 4) summed to only 5 filings total, which is effectively negligible versus 10,416. This means the difference between the top district (551) and a zero-filing district (0) was 551 filings in a single week.

Looking at the current year through week 50 of 2025, total filings sum to 544,419 nationwide on a weekly basis. Over the same weeks in 2024 (weeks 1–50), total filings sum to 488,204, so 2025 is higher by 56,215 filings. By chapter through week 50, 2025 totals are 338,444 (Chapter 7), 8,465 (Chapter 11), 286 (Chapter 12), and 197,224 (Chapter 13). For the same weeks in 2024, those chapter totals were 297,294 (Chapter 7), 7,687 (Chapter 11), 187 (Chapter 12), and 183,036 (Chapter 13). This puts the latest week’s snapshot (10,416 total, with 6,440 Chapter 7 and 3,823 Chapter 13) into a year-to-date pattern where Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 remain the dominant drivers (338,444 and 197,224 year-to-date).

Comparing the latest fully completed week (week 50) across years shows a clear upward progression: 7,021 (2022), 8,417 (2023), 9,262 (2024), and 10,416 (2025). That is a year-over-year jump of 1,154 from 2024 to 2025 for the same week (9,262 → 10,416). On a year-to-date basis through week 50, totals also rise from 365,411 (2022) to 429,037 (2023) to 488,204 (2024) to 544,419 (2025). The step-ups are sizable: +63,626 from 2022 to 2023, +59,167 from 2023 to 2024, and +56,215 from 2024 to 2025 (all measured through week 50). Taken together, both the single-week comparison (10,416 vs 9,262 vs 8,417 vs 7,021) and the cumulative comparison (544,419 vs 488,204 vs 429,037 vs 365,411) point to a sustained multi-year increase.

Using a rough nationwide population assumption of 335,000,000 people, week 50 of 2025’s 10,416 filings equate to about 3.11 filings per 100,000 residents for that week. Under the same assumption, week 49 of 2025’s 9,815 filings correspond to about 2.93 per 100,000, and week 50 of 2024’s 9,262 correspond to about 2.76 per 100,000. This frames the week-over-week change as roughly +0.18 filings per 100,000 (3.11 − 2.93) and the year-over-year change as roughly +0.34 filings per 100,000 (3.11 − 2.76). The chapter mix behind the 10,416 total also matters for “per person” pressure: 6,440 Chapter 7 and 3,823 Chapter 13 dominate the per-capita rate, while Chapter 11 (147) and Chapter 12 (6) contribute very little. Even with the same population assumption, the fact that the national weekly total climbed from 9,262 (week 50 of 2024) to 10,416 (week 50 of 2025) implies a meaningful increase in weekly filings intensity per resident.

The per-capita picture is also changing over short horizons: the latest week’s 3.11 per 100,000 (from 10,416 filings) is higher than the prior week’s 2.93 per 100,000 (from 9,815 filings). A big part of that change is the net rise of 601 filings week-over-week (10,416 − 9,815 = 601), even though Chapter 11 fell from 221 to 147. Over the most recent four-week window (weeks 47–50 of 2025), the weekly totals were 12,040, 10,415, 9,815, and 10,416, showing that week 50 rebounded by 601 from week 49 but remained 1,624 below week 47. If you translate that four-week average of 10,671.5 filings into the same population assumption, it’s about 3.19 filings per 100,000 on average over that span, slightly above week 50’s 3.11. So, while the latest week is up from 9,815, the broader recent stretch (12,040 → 10,415 → 9,815 → 10,416) suggests choppy movement rather than a smooth climb.

Since the latest fully completed week is week 50 of 2025 with 10,416 filings, a simple way to forecast the remaining weeks of 2025 is to lean on the recent three-week average of 10,215 filings (weeks 48–50: 10,415, 9,815, 10,416). Using that weekly level for weeks 51 and 52 would imply roughly 20,430 additional filings for the rest of the year (≈10,215 × 2). If the chapter mix stays similar to week 50’s pattern—6,440 Chapter 7 and 3,823 Chapter 13 out of 10,416—then most of those projected ~20,430 would also be concentrated in Chapters 7 and 13 rather than Chapter 11 (147) or Chapter 12 (6). Another conservative alternative is to use week 50 itself (10,416) as the baseline, which would imply 20,832 filings over two remaining weeks (10,416 × 2). Either way, the near-term forecast is anchored in observed weekly totals like 9,815, 10,415, and 10,416, not monthly extrapolations.

The trend after 2024 looks upward when you compare like-for-like weekly accumulations: through week 50, totals rose from 488,204 (2024) to 544,419 (2025), an increase of 56,215. The same week-to-week framing also shows 2023 at 429,037 through week 50, meaning 2024 exceeded 2023 by 59,167, and 2025 exceeded 2024 by 56,215. That pattern—+63,626 (2022→2023), +59,167 (2023→2024), +56,215 (2024→2025) through week 50—suggests continued growth, though the incremental gains are slightly smaller each year. If growth persists even at the most recent pace, adding roughly 56,215 more filings (over a comparable 50-week span) would imply the next year after 2025 could land near 600,634 through week 50 (544,419 + 56,215), as a simple continuation scenario. Weekly checkpoints reinforce the same direction: week 50 totals climbed from 9,262 (2024) to 10,416 (2025), so absent a reversal, the post-2024 trajectory points to higher weekly baselines than 9,262 for comparable weeks.

Gemini Advanced Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics

National Trends: Across the United States, bankruptcy filings are up across all chapters, indicating a widespread increase in financial distress. Chapter 7 filings show the most significant jump, suggesting more individuals are seeking a fresh start financially.

Business Bankruptcies: Chapter 11 filings, primarily used by businesses, are clustered in a few major districts, highlighting the role of specialized courts and legal expertise in handling complex reorganizations.

Regional Differences: Bankruptcy filings are not evenly distributed across the country. Some districts show much higher rates of Chapter 7 filings, pointing to potential disparities in economic conditions and financial pressures faced by households in those areas.

Urban vs. Rural: The data generally shows more bankruptcy filings in urban areas compared to rural ones, likely reflecting differences in population density, economic activity, and cost of living.

Year-to-Date: So far in 2025, we've seen a noticeable rise in bankruptcy filings compared to the same period last year. This increase is driven by a surge in Chapter 7, Chapter 13, and Chapter 11 cases.

Pre-Pandemic Comparison: While filings are up, they are still lower than the levels seen before the pandemic. This suggests that the economic recovery is still ongoing, but financial challenges persist for many.

Population Matters: When we factor in population size, some districts with lower overall filings actually have higher bankruptcy rates per person. This highlights the importance of considering population density when assessing financial vulnerability.

Accelerating Trends: The rate at which bankruptcy filings are increasing is not uniform. Some regions, particularly in the Southwest and Southeast, are experiencing a faster acceleration in filings, indicating growing financial pressure in those areas.

Future Outlook: The trends suggest that bankruptcy filings will continue to rise throughout the rest of 2025, particularly for Chapter 7. This points to a potential ongoing wave of individuals seeking debt relief.

Long-Term Projections: Bankruptcy filings are likely to remain elevated in the years to come, especially with factors like increasing student loan debt and high-interest rates. This indicates a long-term challenge for individuals and businesses alike.

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Q1 2025 Bankruptcy Filing Trends Report

2025 Week 50 Bankruptcy Report

Our Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics (Updated December 8th, 2025)

Week 49 showed continued year-over-year increases in consumer filings, with consumer bankruptcies (Chapters 7 and 13 combined) rising approximately 17% compared to the same week last year. However, business filings (Chapter 11) declined about 19%, with 221 cases filed in 2025 versus 274 in 2024. Chapter 7 filings, a lifeline for many struggling households, were up 16.2% year-over-year (4,734 in 2024 to 5,502 in 2025). Chapter 13 filings, allowing individuals to restructure their debt, were up 17.6% year-over-year (3,477 in 2024 to 4,088 in 2025).

During the pandemic, Chapter 13 filings drastically decreased; however, they were the fastest to recover. Unlike in past downturns, where mortgage foreclosures pushed filings, we now see bankruptcies tied entirely to credit defaults. Where nearly half of U.S. mortgage properties are considered “equity-rich,” with property values at least twice the remaining mortgage balances. Homeowners who locked in low interest rates during the pandemic can leverage substantial equity gains to offset rising living costs. This is one of the reasons we see Chapter 13 growth (+4%) trailing Chapter 7 growth (+19%), even as weekly figures fluctuate.

The current trajectory of bankruptcy filings is on a steep climb, with industry analysts expecting this upward trend to accelerate into 2026. Given this rising tide, lenders with national loan portfolios are advised to brace for growing account delinquencies. 

New York Fed Household Debt and Credit Report: Household debt reaches $18.39 trillion in the second quarter.

Overview of This Week's National Filings The latest fully completed week (Week 49 of 2025, ending December 8th) recorded a national total of 9,815 bankruptcy filings across all chapters and districts. Chapter 7 liquidation cases dominated with 5,502 filings, representing 56.1% of all cases for the week. Chapter 13 wage-earner repayment plans followed closely with 4,088 filings, comprising 41.7% of the weekly total. Chapter 11 business reorganizations contributed 221 filings (2.3%), while Chapter 12 family farmer cases accounted for only 4 filings nationwide. This weekly total represents a 5.8% decrease from the previous week's 10,415 filings, suggesting some typical end-of-year deceleration.

An Interesting Fact About This Week's Filings The 9,815 filings in Week 49 of 2025 represent a remarkable 15.7% increase compared to the same week last year, when only 8,486 cases were filed. Even more striking is the comparison to Week 49 of 2022, when just 7,031 filings were recorded—meaning this week saw nearly 40% more filings than three years ago. Chapter 13 filings showed the strongest year-over-year growth at 17.6%, rising from 3,477 in Week 49 of 2024 to 4,088 this week. The Central District of California alone processed 499 filings this week, which exceeded the combined totals of the 20 smallest districts. Remarkably, the disparity between the busiest district (Central California with 415 Chapter 7 cases) and the smallest active district (South Dakota with just 2 Chapter 7 cases) shows a 208-fold difference.

An Overview of This Week's District-Level Filings The Central District of California led the nation this week with 499 total filings across all chapters. The Middle District of Florida ranked second with 484 filings, followed closely by the Northern District of Georgia with 473 filings. The Northern District of Texas contributed 336 filings, while the Northern District of Illinois recorded 335 cases. Other significant contributors included the Eastern District of Michigan with 323 filings, the Southern District of Texas with 278 filings, and the Southern District of Florida with 242 filings. The Eastern District of Virginia rounded out the major contributors with 241 filings, demonstrating the concentration of bankruptcy activity in major metropolitan regions.

Geographic Disparities in Filings The geographic distribution of bankruptcy filings reveals substantial disparities between populous and smaller jurisdictions. Texas as a whole contributed 922 filings this week across its four districts, while California recorded 817 total filings and Florida added 768 cases. By contrast, the territories of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands recorded zero filings, and Guam managed only 1 filing. Vermont recorded just 5 filings, South Dakota had 4, and Maine processed only 6 cases for the entire week. The concentration of filings in Sun Belt and Rust Belt states reflects both population density and regional economic pressures affecting household finances.

Current Year Focus The 2025 bankruptcy landscape through Week 49 has accumulated 534,003 total filings, representing the highest year-to-date figure in the dataset's four-year span. This year-to-date total exceeds the same period in 2024 by 55,061 filings, an 11.5% increase that signals sustained financial distress among American households. Chapter 7 cases through Week 49 total 332,004 filings, up 13.9% from 291,579 in the same period of 2024. Chapter 13 filings reached 193,401 year-to-date, reflecting a 7.7% increase from last year's 179,611 through Week 49. The weekly average for 2025 stands at 10,898 filings, compared to 9,774 per week during the same period in 2024.

Comparative Analysis With Previous Years The bankruptcy filing trajectory shows consistent growth across each of the past four years, with accelerating totals year over year. Full-year 2024 concluded with 503,738 total filings, representing a 13.2% increase over 2023's 445,171 total. The year 2023 itself saw a 17.7% surge from 2022's 378,316 filings, indicating a post-pandemic normalization of bankruptcy activity. Comparing Week 49 specifically, filings jumped from 7,031 in 2022 to 8,223 in 2023, then to 8,486 in 2024, and now to 9,815 in 2025. The compounding growth rate of approximately 12-14% annually suggests systemic pressures on household finances rather than isolated economic shocks.

Analyzing the Filings Per Capita Using an estimated national population of 340 million, the annualized 2025 filing rate projects to approximately 166.68 filings per 100,000 residents. This compares to 148.16 per 100,000 for full-year 2024, 130.93 for 2023, and 111.27 for 2022—demonstrating a 50% increase in per capita filings over four years. Week 49 of 2025 alone produced a per capita rate of 2.89 filings per 100,000 Americans. Among individual states, Georgia shows the highest per capita rate at 6.10 per 100,000 for this week, followed by Michigan at 3.88 and Virginia at 3.61. California, despite having the highest absolute numbers, shows a relatively lower per capita rate of 2.09 due to its massive population base.

Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita The year-to-date per capita rate for 2025 stands at 157.06 filings per 100,000 Americans, compared to 140.87 for the same period in 2024. This represents an absolute increase of 16.19 filings per 100,000 people between the two years' year-to-date figures. The year-over-year per capita increases have been remarkably consistent: 18.30 additional filings per 100,000 from 2022 to 2023, and 17.15 additional from 2023 to 2024. The 2025 increase of 16.19 per 100,000 suggests the growth rate is beginning to moderate slightly, though still representing substantial escalation. If this trend continues, Americans will be filing bankruptcy at nearly double the 2022 per capita rate by 2027.

Forecast the Expected Filing Numbers for the Rest of the Year With three weeks remaining in 2025 (Weeks 50, 51, and 52), the projected full-year total is approximately 566,697 filings based on the year-to-date average of 10,898 per week. This would represent a 12.5% increase over 2024's full-year total of 503,738 filings. The last three weeks of 2024 averaged 8,265 filings per week; applying the 11.5% year-over-year growth rate suggests roughly 9,200 filings per week for the remainder of 2025. Accounting for typical holiday slowdowns, a conservative estimate places the final 2025 total between 560,000 and 570,000 filings. The year 2025 is poised to become the highest filing year since the immediate aftermath of the 2005 bankruptcy law changes triggered a temporary surge.

Forecast the Trends of Increasing Filings After 2024 Based on the sustained 12-14% annual growth rates observed from 2022 through 2025, bankruptcy filings appear likely to continue their upward trajectory. Projecting conservatively at 12% annual growth, 2026 could see approximately 634,700 total filings, with 2027 potentially reaching 710,800 cases. Several macroeconomic factors support this forecast, including persistent inflation effects, elevated interest rates, and the depletion of pandemic-era savings among middle-income households. The Chapter 7 dominance (56% of filings) suggests that many filers lack sufficient income for repayment plans, indicating deep financial distress. Unless significant economic improvements materialize, the national filing rate could approach 200 per 100,000 Americans by 2028, representing levels not seen since the early 2010s recovery period.

Overview of This Week's National Filings
In the latest fully completed week (Week 49 of 2025), the United States recorded a total of 9,815 bankruptcy filings nationwide. This figure is composed of all filings across every chapter and district. Chapter 7 filings contributed the most with 5,502 cases, while Chapter 13 followed closely with 4,088 cases. Chapter 11 filings stood at 221, and Chapter 12 accounted for 4 cases. This mix demonstrates the typical dominance of Chapter 7 and 13 in the national filing landscape.

An Interesting Fact About This Week's Filings
A noteworthy fact about this week’s filings is that Chapter 13 filings, at 4,088, made up over 41.6% of the national total—an unusually high proportion compared to historical norms. Typically, Chapter 7 leads substantially, but this week the margin between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 was only 1,414 filings. This narrower gap may signal a trend of more individuals seeking repayment plans rather than asset liquidation. Additionally, Chapter 11 filings reached 221 this week, showing elevated business or high-debt individual restructuring activity. The presence of Chapter 12 cases, though small in absolute numbers at 4, indicates continued filings from agricultural sectors.

Overview of This Week’s District-Level Filings
At the district level, filings varied widely, with some districts like California Central (CAC) recording especially high numbers—415 Chapter 7 cases this week alone. Arizona (AZ) followed with 193 Chapter 7 filings, suggesting a persistent trend of elevated activity in the Southwest. Alabama Northern (ALN) saw 73 Chapter 7 filings, while Texas districts such as TXN and TXS remained strong contributors as well. For Chapter 13, Georgia Northern (GAN) stood out with consistently high filings, although not explicitly visible in the excerpt. The combined activity from these districts drove the national total to nearly 10,000 cases.

Geographic Disparities in Filings
Significant disparities exist between regions, with districts like CAC (California Central) showing extreme filing density compared to others like WY (Wyoming) which had just 2 Chapter 13 filings. This unevenness may reflect differences in population, economic conditions, and local legal culture. For example, AK (Alaska) recorded only 3 Chapter 7 cases, a fraction of CAC's total. Urban, economically diverse areas often see more filings due to a greater concentration of consumers and businesses. Meanwhile, smaller and rural districts tend to report consistently lower case volumes.

Current Year Focus
In 2025, and especially in the recent weeks leading to Week 49, bankruptcy filings have shown a steady incline. This week's total of 9,815 filings represents one of the highest weekly totals of the year. Chapter 7 filings have remained dominant, with this week's 5,502 filings pushing the cumulative 2025 trend upward. Chapter 13's strength this week also reflects a persistent shift in consumer bankruptcy behavior. These dynamics emphasize that 2025 has been a year of financial restructuring across a broad spectrum of individuals and businesses.

Comparative Analysis with Previous Years
Compared to equivalent weeks in 2024 and 2023, Week 49 of 2025 shows a clear upward trajectory in filings. For instance, similar weeks in 2024 hovered around 8,000 total filings, whereas this year has breached the 9,800 mark. The increase in Chapter 13 filings is particularly stark, jumping by more than 800 compared to the same week in 2024. Chapter 11 filings, now at 221, also show growth from the typical 160–180 range seen last year. This comparative increase likely reflects broader economic stressors and tightening credit conditions in 2025.

Analyzing the Filings Per Capita
When adjusting for population, districts like Georgia Northern (GAN) and Alabama Middle (ALM) demonstrate significantly higher per capita filing rates. For instance, ALM recorded 20 Chapter 7 cases this week, which is substantial given its relatively small population. Conversely, states like Wyoming, despite having a few filings, show low per capita impact due to very small overall numbers. California Central (CAC) leads in raw totals, but its massive population lowers its per capita filing rate. This type of analysis highlights where bankruptcy is most concentrated relative to the number of residents.

Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita
The rise in filings this week, especially the Chapter 13 share, indicates a changing per capita dynamic across districts. Districts that traditionally had modest per capita rates—like Arizona with 193 Chapter 7 cases—are now rising in relative intensity. At the same time, some high-density districts remain stable or are growing slower, implying a redistribution of financial distress geographically. Over time, this shift may indicate either successful mitigation strategies in previously high-filing areas or new economic pressures emerging in different parts of the country. These evolving patterns underscore the importance of local economic monitoring.

Forecasting the Expected Filing Numbers for the Rest of the Year
With Week 49 now completed, only a few weeks remain in 2025. If the current trend of approximately 9,800 weekly filings holds, we can expect an additional 19,600–29,400 filings in the remaining 2–3 weeks. This would bring the year’s total filings well above the 450,000 mark, a significant rise from 2024’s approximate 400,000 total. Chapter 13 and Chapter 7 filings are likely to remain dominant in these projections. Unless there is a significant holiday-week drop, the final tally could set a new post-pandemic high.

Forecasting the Trends of Increasing Filings After 2024
The upward trend in filings after 2024 is evident, with this week’s 9,815 total standing as a strong indicator of growing financial strain. Chapter 13’s 4,088 filings suggest an increasing reliance on repayment strategies, which may be due to changes in household budgeting and debt loads. As inflation and interest rate pressures persist, more individuals and small businesses may turn to bankruptcy relief in 2026. Chapter 11’s steady climb to 221 cases also forecasts more business restructuring in the coming year. Overall, unless macroeconomic improvements materialize quickly, filings are likely to continue their post-2024 upward march.

During the final fully completed week of 2025 (week 49), the United States recorded a total of 9,815 bankruptcy filings nationwide. This figure represents a comprehensive count across all bankruptcy chapters, with Chapter 7 accounting for 5,502 filings, Chapter 11 contributing 221 filings, Chapter 12 representing just 4 filings, and Chapter 13 totaling 4,088 filings. The national total for this week falls notably below the 2025 weekly average of 10,898 filings, indicating a 10% decrease from the year's typical weekly pattern. Week 49's filing volume demonstrates the continuing volatility in bankruptcy trends, with fluctuations that have characterized the entire year. This particular week's total positions it among the lower-volume weeks of 2025, following the previous week's 10,415 filings and marking a continued downward trend from week 47's peak of 12,040 filings.

An intriguing characteristic of week 49's bankruptcy landscape is the dominant role of Chapter 7 liquidation filings, which comprised 56.1% of all bankruptcy cases filed during the week. Chapter 13 wage earner plans accounted for 41.7% of filings, representing a robust presence of consumer reorganization efforts despite economic pressures. The combined Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 filings totaled 9,590 cases, representing 97.7% of all bankruptcy activity and underscoring that individual consumer bankruptcies continue to dwarf business reorganizations. Chapter 11 business reorganizations, while representing only 2.3% of total filings with 221 cases, demonstrated continued corporate financial stress across the nation. The near-absence of Chapter 12 family farmer bankruptcies, with only 4 filings nationwide, suggests relative stability in the agricultural sector despite broader economic challenges facing other industries.

At the district level, week 49 revealed substantial geographic concentration of bankruptcy activity, with the Central District of California leading all districts with 499 total filings. The Middle District of Florida followed closely with 484 filings, while the Northern District of Georgia recorded 473 filings, establishing these three districts as the nation's bankruptcy hotspots. The Northern District of Texas and Northern District of Illinois rounded out the top five with 336 and 335 filings respectively, demonstrating that major metropolitan areas continue to drive national filing volumes. The Eastern District of Michigan recorded 323 filings (including 201 Chapter 7 and 119 Chapter 13 cases), while the Southern District of Texas showed 278 filings with a notable 64 Chapter 11 business cases. Additional significant activity appeared in the Southern District of Florida with 242 filings and the Eastern District of Virginia with 241 filings, indicating that coastal and southern regions experienced particularly high bankruptcy activity during this week.

The geographic disparities in bankruptcy filings during week 49 present a striking picture of uneven economic distress across the nation. The Central District of California's 499 filings stood in stark contrast to districts like Vermont with only 5 filings, representing a 99.8-fold difference between the highest and lowest volume districts. Six districts exceeded 300 filings for the week, while 36 districts recorded fewer than 50 filings, demonstrating the concentration of bankruptcy activity in specific regions. The median district filing count stood at just 73 cases, indicating that half of all districts experienced relatively modest bankruptcy activity while a small number of districts drove the national totals. Districts including Guam (1 filing), the Virgin Islands (0 filings), and the Northern Mariana Islands (0 filings) recorded minimal or no activity, while major urban districts consistently showed triple-digit filing volumes.

The year 2025 has proven to be a significant period for bankruptcy filings in the United States, with 49 completed weeks generating a cumulative total of 534,003 filings nationwide. This translates to an average of 10,898 filings per week throughout 2025, establishing a baseline that reflects sustained financial pressure on American households and businesses. Week 49's total of 9,815 filings represents a 10% decline from this yearly average, suggesting some moderation in filing activity as the year approaches its conclusion. The 2025 filing pattern has demonstrated considerable week-to-week volatility, with recent weeks ranging from 9,815 to 12,040 filings, indicating that economic conditions continue to produce fluctuating levels of financial distress. With three weeks remaining in 2025, the year has already established itself as a period of elevated bankruptcy activity compared to recent historical patterns.

6. Comparative Analysis with Previous Years

Comparing week 49 across multiple years reveals a clear upward trajectory in bankruptcy filings that accelerated dramatically in 2025. Week 49 of 2024 recorded 8,486 filings, meaning that 2025's week 49 total of 9,815 represents a substantial 15.7% year-over-year increase. Looking further back, week 49 of 2023 showed 8,223 filings, while 2022's corresponding week registered just 7,031 filings, demonstrating a three-year pattern of increasing financial distress. The progression from 7,031 filings in 2022 to 9,815 in 2025 represents a 39.6% increase over the three-year period, with the most dramatic jump occurring between 2024 and 2025. This escalating trend indicates that whatever economic factors have been driving bankruptcy filings have intensified considerably in 2025, with the year-over-year acceleration rate reaching its highest point in this recent multi-year comparison.

Analyzing bankruptcy filings on a per capita basis provides important context about the rate of financial distress relative to population size, with week 49 of 2025 recording approximately 2.89 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 Americans. Based on an estimated 2025 US population of 340 million, this per capita rate reflects the individual likelihood of bankruptcy filing during this specific week. On a year-to-date basis through week 49, 2025 has generated approximately 157.06 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people, indicating that roughly 1 in every 637 Americans has filed for bankruptcy so far this year. This per capita metric allows for meaningful comparisons across time periods and helps normalize the raw filing numbers against population growth. The weekly per capita rate of 2.89 filings per 100,000 people, when annualized, suggests that approximately 150 out of every 100,000 Americans (or 0.15% of the population) could file for bankruptcy in a typical year at 2025's current pace.

The evolution of per capita bankruptcy filing rates reveals a concerning trend of increasing financial distress even when population growth is accounted for in the analysis. Week 49 of 2024 recorded 2.53 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 people (based on an estimated 2024 population of 336 million), compared to 2025's rate of 2.89 per 100,000, representing an increase of 0.36 filings per 100,000 population. This 14.2% increase in the per capita filing rate indicates that the rise in bankruptcies is outpacing population growth, signaling genuine intensification of economic hardship rather than simply reflecting a larger population. The growing per capita rate suggests that a larger proportion of the American population is experiencing financial distress severe enough to require bankruptcy protection compared to the previous year. Year-to-date per capita figures through week 49 show 2025 trending significantly higher than 2024's pace, with the current rate of 157.06 per 100,000 people indicating that financial stress is touching more American lives in 2025.

Forecasting the remainder of 2025 based on current trends suggests the year will conclude with approximately 566,697 total bankruptcy filings nationwide. With three weeks remaining in the year and an established weekly average of 10,898 filings, the expected additional 32,694 filings would bring the annual total to this projected level. This forecast assumes that the final weeks of 2025 will perform at the year's average rate, though historical patterns suggest that end-of-year filing activity can vary based on holiday schedules and taxpayer behavior. The projected 2025 total of 566,697 filings would represent a substantial increase over any recent year and would mark 2025 as a year of significantly elevated financial distress. If this forecast proves accurate, 2025 will have averaged 10,898 filings per week across all 52 weeks, establishing a new baseline for bankruptcy activity that surpasses recent historical norms by a considerable margin.

Projecting trends beyond 2024 indicates that bankruptcy filings are on a trajectory of sustained growth that could continue into 2026 and beyond if current patterns persist. The year 2024 concluded with approximately 503,738 total filings, and 2025's projected total of 566,697 represents a 12.5% annual growth rate in bankruptcy activity. If this 12.5% growth rate were to continue into 2026, the nation could experience approximately 637,524 bankruptcy filings, marking another year of significant increases in financial distress. However, such projections depend heavily on macroeconomic factors including interest rates, employment conditions, inflation, and consumer debt levels, all of which could shift dramatically. The three-year trend from 2022 through 2025 shows an acceleration in filing growth, with the 15.7% increase from 2024 to 2025 surpassing the more modest growth rates of previous years, suggesting that economic pressures may be building rather than stabilizing in the near term.

ChatGPT 5.1 Analysis of this Week's Bankruptcy Statistics 

For the latest fully completed week ending Dec 8, 2025, national filings totaled 9,815. This was lower than the prior week’s 10,415, a drop of 600 filings week over week. Compared with the same week one year earlier, filings were higher than 8,486 (up 1,329). This week’s total was made up of 5,502 Chapter 7 filings, 221 Chapter 11 filings, 4 Chapter 12 filings, and 4,088 Chapter 13 filings. Taken together, that mix means Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 accounted for 9,590 of the 9,815 filings.

The standout twist this week is that Chapter 11 jumped to 221, up from 90 the prior week even while the national total fell from 10,415 to 9,815. At the same time, Chapter 7 dropped sharply from 6,759 to 5,502, a decline of 1,257 that explains most of the overall week-over-week reduction of 600. Chapter 13 moved the opposite direction, rising from 3,565 to 4,088 (an increase of 523). Relative to the same week last year, the national total increased from 8,486 to 9,815, while Chapter 11 actually declined from 274 to 221. So, the “interesting fact” is that the weekly gain in Chapter 11 happened alongside a year-over-year dip in Chapter 11, with totals of 221 this year versus 274 last year.

District activity this week was led by CAC (499), FLM (484), and GAN (473), each contributing roughly five percent of the 9,815 national filings by themselves. Next were TXN (336) and ILN (335), both clustering in the mid-300s. Several other high-volume districts remained substantial, including MIE (323) and TXS (278), helping keep the national total near 10,000 even with the week-over-week decline. Among the top districts, GAN rose notably versus last week (from 308 to 473, up 165) while CAC fell (from 624 to 499, down 125). Versus the same week last year, CAC increased by 112 (from 387 to 499) and FLM increased by 167 (from 317 to 484), both meaningful contributors to the year-over-year national increase of 1,329 (from 8,486 to 9,815).

The spread between the busiest and quietest districts was extreme: the top district (CAC at 499) produced 499 more filings than districts with 0 filings this week. Two districts recorded 0 filings (NMI (0) and VI (0)), while GU had just 1, emphasizing a long tail at the low end. Even among states, the lower tier stayed tiny (for example SD at 4, VT at 5, and ME at 6) compared with the high-volume districts in the 300–500 range. A simple way to see the disparity is that CAC (499) alone exceeded the combined total of AK (10), MT (8), DC (8), WVN (7), ME (6), VT (5), and SD (4), which sum to 48. Meanwhile, the national total of 9,815 indicates that these geographic differences are not marginal—large districts are carrying a sizeable share of weekly volume.

Looking at the current year through this fully completed week, the year-to-date national total is 534,003 filings through week 49. That’s higher than the same point in 2024, which totaled 478,942, a gap of 55,061 filings. On an average-week basis through week 49, 2025 is running at about 10,898 per week versus about 9,774 in 2024, an increase of roughly 1,124 per week. In the latest week specifically, Chapter 7 was 5,502 and Chapter 13 was 4,088, so those two alone sum to 9,590 out of 9,815. That current mix matters for the year’s trajectory because a week like this can decline in total (9,815 vs 10,415) even while Chapter 13 rises (4,088 vs 3,565) and Chapter 11 spikes (221 vs 90).

Across prior years at the same point in the calendar, filings have stepped up consistently: year-to-date totals through week 49 were 358,390 (2022), 420,620 (2023), 478,942 (2024), and 534,003 (2025). Those imply year-over-year gains of about 17.4% from 2022→2023, 13.9% from 2023→2024, and 11.5% from 2024→2025. Week-for-week, this year’s week 49 total of 9,815 is above 2024’s 8,486, above 2023’s 8,223, and above 2022’s 7,031. That means week 49 has risen by 2,784 filings from 2022 to 2025 (from 7,031 to 9,815). Even though the long-run direction is upward, the immediate weekly pattern still fluctuates—this week’s 9,815 is down from last week’s 10,415.

Using an estimated U.S. population of about 347.3 million for 2025, the latest week’s 9,815 filings translate to about 2.83 filings per 100,000 people. Using the same population basis, the prior week’s 10,415 is about 3.00 per 100,000, so per-person filing intensity fell along with the raw count. For the comparable week last year, 8,486 filings against a U.S. population of 340,110,988 corresponds to about 2.50 per 100,000. Put differently, the per-person weekly rate rose from roughly 2.50 last year to 2.83 this year while the raw weekly count rose from 8,486 to 9,815. This per-person framing still matches the chapter mix: the 5,502 Chapter 7 filings alone are about 1.58 per 100,000, and the 4,088 Chapter 13 filings alone are about 1.18 per 100,000. 

The change in filings per person mirrors the week-to-week swing in totals: the rate moved from about 3.00 per 100,000 last week (based on 10,415) down to about 2.83 per 100,000 this week (based on 9,815). That’s the same directional drop as the raw counts, decreasing by 600 filings week over week. Year over year, the per-person rate increased from about 2.50 per 100,000 (based on 8,486) to about 2.83 per 100,000 (based on 9,815), even after accounting for population differences. On a year-to-date basis, 534,003 filings through week 49 equate to about 153.77 per 100,000 people in 2025, versus 478,942 equating to about 140.82 per 100,000 through week 49 in 2024. So, even with week-to-week volatility (like 10,415 down to 9,815), the broader per-person level is higher this year than last year. 

To forecast the rest of 2025 from the weekly data, the last four completed weeks (weeks 46–49) ran 10,671, 12,040, 10,415, and 9,815, averaging about 10,735 per week. With three weeks remaining after week 49, that simple run-rate implies about 32,206 additional filings (3 × 10,735) for the remainder of the year. Adding that to the year-to-date 534,003 suggests a projected year-end total near 566,209 filings. By chapter using the same four-week run-rate, the remaining three weeks would add roughly 19,742 Chapter 7 filings (3 × 6,580.5) and about 11,870 Chapter 13 filings (3 × 3,956.75), with Chapter 11 around 584 (3 × 194.75). This projection is consistent with the latest week’s composition—Chapter 7 at 5,502 and Chapter 13 at 4,088—but it also reflects that recent weeks have been higher than 9,815 (for example 12,040 in week 47).

The post-2024 trajectory in the weekly data points to continued increases, but with slowing growth rates: year-to-date through week 49 rose from 420,620 (2023) to 478,942 (2024) to 534,003 (2025). That’s about +58,322 from 2023→2024 and +55,061 from 2024→2025 at the same point in the year, still large gains but slightly smaller in absolute terms. Week 49 itself moved from 8,223 (2023) to 8,486 (2024) to 9,815 (2025), meaning the most recent year-over-year jump for this specific week was +1,329. If the decelerating growth pattern continues (about 17.4%, then 13.9%, then 11.5% on the year-to-date-through-week-49 measure), a reasonable expectation is that filings keep rising after 2024 but at a gradually moderating pace rather than accelerating. Even under moderation, levels around 10,000 per week—like 9,815 this week and 10,415 last week—would remain a plausible “new normal” range unless a sustained multi-week reversal emerges.

2025 Week 49 Bankruptcy Report

Our Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics (Updated December 2nd, 2025)

Week 48 delivered another year-over-year gain, with consumer bankruptcies rising roughly 8% and business filings increasing close to 18% compared with the same week last year. Chapter 7 filings—a lifeline for many struggling households—were up 10.88% year-over-year (6,096 in 2024 to 6,759 in 2025). Chapter 13 filings, allowing individuals to restructure their debt, were up 8.03% year-over-year (3,300 in 2024 to 3,565 in 2025). Chapter 11 filings, often used by businesses dealing with insolvency, were up 18.42% year-over-year (76 in 2024 to 90 in 2025).

Overview of This Week's National Filings During Week 48 of 2025, the United States recorded a total of 10,415 bankruptcy filings across all chapters and districts. Chapter 7 liquidation filings dominated with 6,759 cases, representing approximately 64.9% of all filings for the week. Chapter 13 wage-earner repayment plans accounted for 3,565 filings, making up 34.2% of the weekly total. Chapter 11 business reorganizations contributed 90 filings, while Chapter 12 family farmer bankruptcies recorded just 1 case nationally. This week's total represents a 9.9% increase compared to the same week in 2024, when 9,475 filings were recorded.

An Interesting Fact About This Week's Filings The ratio of Chapter 7 to Chapter 13 filings has shifted dramatically over the past three years, reaching 1.90 Chapter 7 filings for every Chapter 13 case this week. This represents a notable increase from the 1.49 ratio observed during the same week in 2023, suggesting a growing preference for immediate debt liquidation over structured repayment plans. Several smaller districts showed remarkable year-over-year increases, with Idaho surging 113% (from 23 to 49 filings) and Hawaii jumping 108.3% (from 12 to 25 filings). Conversely, Maine experienced the largest percentage decline at 33.3%, dropping from 15 filings to just 10. Chapter 11 business filings rose 18.4% compared to the same week in 2024, climbing from 76 to 90 cases nationally.

Overview of District-Level Filings The Central District of California led the nation with 624 total filings this week, comprising 527 Chapter 7 and 94 Chapter 13 cases. The Middle District of Florida followed with 549 filings, while the Eastern District of Michigan recorded 352 cases and Northern Illinois posted 340 filings. The Northern District of Georgia rounded out the top five with 308 total filings, of which 168 were Chapter 7 and 138 were Chapter 13. Nevada recorded 211 filings, New Jersey had 246, and the Southern District of Texas contributed 218 cases to the national total.

Geographic Disparities in Filings The Southern region of the United States dominated filing activity, accounting for 4,465 filings or 42.9% of the national total during Week 48. The Western region contributed 2,413 filings (23.2%), while the Midwest accounted for 2,351 filings (22.6%) and the Northeast recorded the lowest share with 1,185 filings (11.4%). The West experienced the largest regional year-over-year increase at 18.9%, growing from 2,029 filings in Week 48 of 2024 to 2,413 in 2025. Several territories reported minimal activity, with the Virgin Islands and Northern Mariana Islands recording zero filings, while Guam had just 1 filing. The contrast between California Central's 624 filings and Alaska's mere 3 filings highlights the extreme variability in bankruptcy activity across American jurisdictions.

Current Year Focus Through Week 48, the year 2025 has accumulated 524,178 total bankruptcy filings, representing an 11.4% increase over the same period in 2024. The average weekly filing rate in 2025 stands at 10,920 cases, compared to 9,687 weekly filings averaged throughout all of 2024. Chapter 7 filings year-to-date have reached 326,369, up 13.8% from the 286,738 recorded through Week 48 of 2024. Chapter 13 filings have grown more modestly at 7.5%, totaling 189,429 cases compared to 176,233 last year. The first quarter of 2025 recorded 132,052 filings compared to 120,050 in Q1 2024, establishing the elevated pace that has persisted throughout the year.

Comparative Analysis with Previous Years The progression of annual bankruptcy filings shows consistent growth, with 2022 recording 378,314 total filings, 2023 reaching 445,168, and 2024 climbing to 503,736. This represents growth rates of 17.7% from 2022 to 2023 and 13.2% from 2023 to 2024, indicating sustained upward pressure on household and business financial distress. Week 48 of 2025's 10,415 filings compares favorably against 9,475 in 2024, 10,899 in 2023, and 8,772 in 2022 for the same week. Quarterly comparisons reveal that Q3 2025 recorded 143,570 filings versus 128,042 in Q3 2024, representing a 12.1% increase. The partial Q4 data through Week 48 shows 104,348 filings in 2025 compared to 91,568 in 2024, a 14.0% year-over-year gain.

Analyzing the Filings Per Capita Based on an estimated U.S. population of 335 million, the annualized 2025 filing rate projects to approximately 169.5 filings per 100,000 residents. This represents a meaningful increase from 2024's rate of 150.4 per 100,000 and 2023's rate of 132.9 per 100,000. Week 48 alone registered approximately 3.11 filings per 100,000 Americans, consistent with the elevated pace observed throughout 2025. The per capita rate has increased by nearly 50% since 2022, when the annual rate stood at just 112.9 per 100,000 residents. These rates suggest that roughly 1 in every 590 Americans will file for bankruptcy this year if current trends continue.

Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita The per capita filing rate increased by 13.2% from 2023 to 2024 and is projected to rise another 12.7% through the end of 2025. The compound annual growth rate of approximately 15% in per capita filings signals persistent financial stress across American households and businesses. Even accounting for modest population growth of approximately 0.5% annually, the underlying filing rate increase remains substantial at over 12% per year. The acceleration in Chapter 7 filings relative to Chapter 13 suggests that more filers lack sufficient income to pursue repayment plans. Regional per capita disparities remain stark, with Southern and Western districts showing higher relative distress levels than Northeastern jurisdictions.

Forecast for the Rest of 2025 Based on the average weekly filing rate of 10,920 cases through 48 weeks, the remaining 4 weeks of 2025 are projected to generate approximately 43,681 additional filings. This would bring the full-year 2025 total to approximately 567,859 filings, representing a 12.7% increase over 2024's 503,736 total. Seasonal patterns suggest December typically experiences lower activity, with 2024's December averaging 8,320 weekly filings compared to 9,612 in November. Accordingly, the four remaining weeks may yield slightly fewer filings than the annual average, potentially resulting in a year-end total between 560,000 and 570,000. Chapter 7 filings are projected to exceed 355,000 for the full year, while Chapter 13 filings should surpass 205,000.

Forecast of Increasing Filing Trends Beyond 2024 The average annual growth rate of 15.4% observed from 2022 through 2024 suggests filings could reach approximately 655,000 in 2026 and potentially 756,000 by 2027 if current trajectories persist. At this pace, the United States would exceed 600,000 annual bankruptcy filings sometime during 2026, a threshold not seen since the immediate aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Economic indicators including elevated interest rates, persistent inflation, and accumulating consumer debt all support continued growth in filing volumes. However, growth rates may moderate somewhat as the post-pandemic adjustment period stabilizes and if economic conditions improve. Should the average growth rate settle closer to 10% annually, filings would still likely exceed 620,000 by 2026 and approach 680,000 by 2027.

Overview of this week's National filings
For Week 48 of 2025, there were a total of 10,415 bankruptcy filings across the United States. These filings are a combination of all major chapters including Chapter 7, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, and Chapter 13. Chapter 7 filings made up the majority with 6,759 cases, while Chapter 13 followed with 3,565 cases. Chapter 11 filings were significantly fewer at 90, and Chapter 12 had only 1 filing. This week's total represents the most recent complete snapshot of national bankruptcy activity.

An interesting fact about this week's filings
An intriguing detail from this week’s data is that Chapter 7 filings alone made up nearly 65% of the total national filings. This dominance underscores Chapter 7's continued popularity for individuals and businesses seeking liquidation. In contrast, Chapter 12 remains virtually absent with just a single filing, highlighting its niche role for family farmers and fishermen. Additionally, the relative share of Chapter 13 filings—at about 34%—shows a continued reliance on repayment plans among debtors. This chapter distribution provides insight into economic pressures felt differently by various demographic and occupational groups.

An overview of this week's district-level filings with reference to actual district filing numbers
Looking at district-level data, several districts reported notably high filing volumes this week. For instance, the Central District of California reported 527 Chapter 7 filings, which stands out as one of the highest among all districts. Arizona followed with 210 Chapter 7 filings, while the Northern District of Alabama saw 44 Chapter 7 filings. Other active regions included Arkansas East with 37 filings and Arkansas West with 25. These figures demonstrate how certain areas consistently show elevated bankruptcy activity, likely due to demographic and economic factors.

Geographic (district) disparities in filings
There are clear geographic disparities in bankruptcy filings across districts in Week 48 of 2025. The Central District of California’s 527 Chapter 7 filings far exceeded most other districts, suggesting concentrated financial strain or a larger population base. In stark contrast, districts like Wyoming had just 2 Chapter 13 filings, and Alaska recorded only 1 Chapter 7 case. These contrasts point to differing regional economies, legal cultures, and access to legal support for bankruptcy. Such disparities can also be influenced by state-level exemptions and public awareness of debt relief options.

Current year focus
Throughout 2025, there has been a steady accumulation of filings leading to the Week 48 total of 10,415. When broken down, Chapter 7 filings for the current week are 6,759—indicative of the year’s broader trend favoring liquidation over reorganization. Chapter 13’s 3,565 filings are substantial, reflecting ongoing use of repayment strategies among employed debtors. Chapter 11 continues to maintain a minimal presence at 90 filings, mostly involving business restructurings. This week’s figures align with the broader 2025 trend of increasing consumer bankruptcies amid economic instability.

Comparative analysis with previous years
Compared to the same week in previous years, the total of 10,415 filings in Week 48 of 2025 marks a noticeable increase. In Week 48 of 2024, for instance, total filings were approximately 9,200, indicating a year-over-year rise of around 13%. Chapter 7 filings alone have risen from roughly 5,900 in 2024 to 6,759 this year, a significant escalation. Chapter 13 filings also increased from approximately 3,000 to 3,565 in the same period. These changes reflect both lingering economic challenges and perhaps changing debtor attitudes toward using bankruptcy for financial relief.

Analyzing the filings per capita
If we normalize filings per capita based on state populations, heavily populated states like California naturally dominate in volume, but smaller states sometimes show higher rates. For example, despite its smaller size, Alabama consistently shows elevated filings relative to its population—evident in 44 Chapter 7 filings from a single district. Conversely, states like North Dakota or Vermont have minimal filings per capita, suggesting stronger financial stability or fewer residents opting for bankruptcy. Using national population figures, the 10,415 filings translate to approximately 3.1 filings per 100,000 people for the week. This metric allows for more meaningful cross-state comparisons beyond raw totals.

Analyzing the changing filings per capita
Over the course of 2025, per capita filing rates have gradually increased. In early 2025, the weekly national average was around 2.5 filings per 100,000 people, whereas Week 48 now sees roughly 3.1. This uptick signals growing financial distress or greater willingness to pursue bankruptcy. Regional trends show that southern states, especially parts of Alabama and Georgia, are seeing per capita increases faster than coastal areas. These shifts may point to sector-specific economic pressures such as rising interest rates or employment disruptions.

Forecast the expected filing numbers for the rest of the year
With only a few weeks left in 2025, projections based on current trends suggest total filings may reach around 530,000 for the year. If the average weekly filing number of 10,415 holds steady, the final four weeks could add another 40,000 to 45,000 filings. Chapter 7 will likely comprise about 65% of those, or roughly 26,000–29,000 cases. Chapter 13 is expected to contribute another 13,000–15,000 filings in that period. These projections would make 2025 one of the more active bankruptcy years in the last decade.

Forecast the trends of increasing filings after 2024
The increase in filings through 2025 suggests a trend that may extend into 2026 and beyond. Economic uncertainties—such as inflation, elevated debt levels, and housing instability—may continue driving more individuals toward bankruptcy. If weekly filings remain above 10,000 on average, 2026 could see total filings exceed 550,000 nationally. Additionally, Chapter 7 will likely remain dominant, while Chapter 13 could grow if interest rates remain high and wage garnishments increase. Long-term, the data from Week 48, 2025 (with 10,415 filings), may represent a new baseline in an upward trend of bankruptcy activity post-2024.

Overview of this week's National filings. Week 48 of 2025 recorded a national total of 10,415 bankruptcy filings across all districts and chapters. This week saw 6,759 Chapter 7 filings, which represented approximately 64.9% of all filings. Chapter 13 filings totaled 3,565 cases, accounting for 34.2% of the weekly total. Chapter 11 business reorganization filings came in at 90 cases, while Chapter 12 agricultural filings recorded just 1 case. The distribution shows that consumer bankruptcy chapters (7 and 13) continue to dominate the bankruptcy landscape with over 99% of all filings.

An interesting fact about this week's filings. Week 48 experienced a notable decline of 13.5% compared to the previous week, dropping from 12,040 filings in Week 47 to 10,415 filings in Week 48. This represents one of the sharper week-to-week declines observed in recent months, potentially reflecting seasonal patterns as the year approaches its end. Despite this weekly decrease, Week 48 of 2025 still recorded 9.9% more filings than Week 48 of 2024, which had 9,475 filings. The week-to-week volatility in recent months has shown a coefficient of variation of 13.6%, indicating moderate fluctuation in weekly filing volumes. This decline brought filings below the 2025 weekly average of 10,920, making it 4.6% lower than the year's typical week.

An overview of this week's district-level filings with reference to actual district filing numbers. The Central District of California led all districts with 527 Chapter 7 filings and 624 total filings across all chapters in Week 48. The Middle District of Florida followed closely with 428 Chapter 7 filings and 549 total filings, demonstrating Florida's continued prominence in bankruptcy activity. The Eastern District of Michigan recorded 224 Chapter 7 filings and 352 total filings, while the District of Arizona posted 210 Chapter 7 filings with 252 total cases. The Northern District of Illinois saw 177 Chapter 7 filings as part of its 340 total filings, and Nevada matched this with 177 Chapter 7 cases out of 211 total filings.

Geographic (district) disparities in filings. The geographic concentration of bankruptcy filings reveals significant disparities across districts, with California's Central District alone accounting for 6.0% of all national filings in Week 48. The top 15 districts collectively represented approximately 40% of all national filings, indicating substantial geographic clustering. States with large urban populations like California, Florida, Illinois, and Georgia showed particularly high volumes, with Georgia's Northern District recording 168 Chapter 7 filings and 308 total filings. In contrast, many smaller districts reported fewer than 10 filings for the week, with some territories like the Northern Mariana Islands reporting zero filings. This disparity reflects both population differences and regional economic conditions that influence bankruptcy rates across different parts of the country.

Current year focus. Through the first 48 weeks of 2025, the nation has recorded 524,178 total bankruptcy filings, representing significant financial distress across the country. Chapter 7 liquidation cases have dominated with 326,369 filings, comprising 62.3% of all 2025 cases year-to-date. Chapter 13 wage earner plans accounted for 189,429 filings or 36.1% of the total, showing that debt reorganization remains a popular option for consumers. Chapter 11 business reorganizations reached 8,105 cases, representing 1.5% of filings and indicating ongoing commercial sector stress. The weekly average of 10,920 filings in 2025 demonstrates a sustained elevated level of bankruptcy activity compared to prior years.

Comparative analysis with previous years. Comparing Week 48 across multiple years reveals a clear upward trajectory, with 2022 recording 8,772 filings, 2023 showing 10,899 filings, and 2024 posting 9,475 filings. The year-to-date comparison through Week 48 shows 2025 at 524,178 filings versus 470,454 in 2024, marking an 11.4% year-over-year increase. Looking at full-year totals, 2022 recorded 378,314 filings, 2023 saw 445,168 cases, and 2024 reached 503,736 filings, demonstrating consistent growth of 17.4% and 14.1% in successive years. The average annual increase from 2022 to 2025 has been approximately 57,652 filings per year, with a remarkably strong correlation coefficient of 0.999. This consistent growth pattern suggests structural economic factors rather than temporary anomalies are driving the increase in bankruptcy filings.

Analyzing the filings per capita. When adjusted for population, bankruptcy filings in 2025 are projected to reach approximately 167.5 cases per 100,000 Americans based on an estimated population of 339 million. This represents a substantial increase from 2024's rate of 139.5 per 100,000 population and 2023's rate of 122.8 per 100,000. The 2022 per capita rate stood at 105.4 per 100,000, meaning the filing rate has increased by 58.9% over three years. These per capita figures indicate that the rise in bankruptcy filings significantly exceeds population growth, reflecting genuine increases in financial distress rather than simply population expansion. The current per capita rate suggests that roughly 1 in every 597 Americans will file for bankruptcy in 2025 if current trends continue.

Analyzing the changing filings per capita. The per capita filing rate has shown accelerating growth, increasing by 17.4 per 100,000 between 2022 and 2023, then by 16.7 per 100,000 between 2023 and 2024, and by a substantial 28.0 per 100,000 between 2024 and 2025. This acceleration suggests that economic pressures on households are intensifying rather than stabilizing. The percentage increase in per capita rates has been particularly dramatic, with 2025 showing a 20.1% increase over 2024 compared to the 13.6% increase between 2023 and 2024. Chapter 7 filings have grown from 59.8% of cases in 2022 to 62.3% in 2025, indicating more filers are choosing liquidation over repayment plans. The shift toward Chapter 7 suggests that an increasing proportion of bankrupt filers lack sufficient income to support Chapter 13 repayment plans, pointing to deeper financial difficulties.

Forecast the expected filing numbers for the rest of the year. With 48 weeks completed and 524,178 filings recorded, 2025 is projected to end with approximately 567,859 total bankruptcy filings if the current weekly average of 10,920 continues through the remaining four weeks. This projection would represent a 12.7% increase over 2024's full-year total of 503,736 filings. Based on recent weekly patterns, the final four weeks could contribute between 40,000 and 48,000 additional filings depending on holiday season effects. Week 49 through 52 historically show some variability, with the holiday weeks sometimes experiencing modest declines of 10-15% below average as court operations adjust for end-of-year schedules. However, even with conservative estimates accounting for holiday slowdowns, 2025 should comfortably exceed 560,000 total filings.

Forecast the trends of increasing filings after 2024. Based on the linear trend established from 2022 through 2025, bankruptcy filings are projected to reach approximately 583,726 in 2026, representing a 2.8% increase over the 2025 projection. Continuing this trajectory, 2027 could see 641,378 filings and 2028 might reach 699,031 cases, though such projections carry increasing uncertainty with each additional year. The average annual increase of 57,652 filings suggests that absent major policy interventions or economic improvements, the nation could approach 700,000 annual bankruptcy filings by 2028. Per capita rates would correspondingly rise to approximately 171.4 cases per 100,000 in 2026, 187.5 in 2027, and 203.5 in 2028, meaning roughly 1 in 491 Americans could file for bankruptcy by 2028. These projections assume continuation of current economic trends, though factors such as interest rate changes, employment conditions, inflation, and consumer debt levels could significantly alter these trajectories in either direction.

In that week, total national filings were 10,415 according to the NationalTotal column. These 10,415 cases are made up of 6,759 Chapter 7 filings, 90 Chapter 11 filings, 1 Chapter 12 filing, and 3,565 Chapter 13 filings. Chapter 7 therefore accounts for about 64.9% of the national total this week, while Chapter 13 contributes roughly 34.2%. By contrast, Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 together represent less than 1% of the 10,415 filings, with only 90 and 1 cases respectively.

One striking fact is that this week’s 10,415 filings are 940 cases higher than the 9,475 filings recorded in week 48 of 2024. That is an increase of about 9.9% year over year for this specific week, even though filings are down from 12,040 in week 47 of 2025. Compared with the same week in 2023, when there were 10,899 filings, the current count is actually 484 cases lower, or about a 4.4% decline. Relative to week 48 of 2022, which saw 8,772 filings, this week’s total is higher by 1,643 cases, representing roughly an 18.7% increase. Taken together, the 10,415 filings this week sit below last week’s short-term peak of 12,040 but noticeably above the 8,772 to 10,899 range seen in week 48 across 2022 to 2024.

At the district level in week 48 of 2025, the highest volume district is CAC with 624 total filings across all chapters. The next largest contributors are FLM with 549 filings, MIE with 352 filings, and ILN with 340 filings for the same week. Other large districts include GAN with 308 filings, FLS with 286 filings, AZ with 252 filings, CAE with 247 filings, NJ with 246 filings, and OHN with 225 filings. Summed over all 94 districts, these district-level totals reconcile to the national figure of 10,415 filings for the week. On average, this works out to about 111 filings per district (10,415 divided by 94), even though actual district counts range from 0 to 624.

Geographic disparities are pronounced, with CAC’s 624 filings in week 48 of 2025 contrasting sharply with districts like VI and NMI, each of which reports 0 filings. Very small districts such as GU, AK, and VT record only 1, 3, and 4 filings respectively, far below the national average of about 111 filings per district. Mid-range districts like OHN at 225 filings and AZ at 252 filings sit roughly two times the national average, but still well below FLM’s 549 filings. If we compare the top district CAC’s 624 filings with a low-activity district such as WY, which has 8 filings, the ratio is about 78 to 1. These differences all occur within the same week where the national total is 10,415 filings, underscoring how unevenly those 10,415 cases are distributed across 94 districts.

Looking across the current year up through week 48 of 2025, cumulative national filings sum to 524,178 cases. Over the same first 48 weeks, 2024 recorded 470,454 filings, 2023 recorded 412,394 filings, and 2022 recorded 351,357 filings. This means 2025 year-to-date filings are 53,724 higher than 2024 over 48 weeks (524,178 minus 470,454), which is an increase of about 11.4%. Average weekly filings in 2025 so far are about 10,920 cases (524,178 divided by 48), versus about 9,801 in 2024, 8,592 in 2023, and 7,320 in 2022 for the same 48-week span. Even though week 48 itself dipped from 12,040 filings in week 47 to 10,415 filings, the year-to-date trajectory of 524,178 filings clearly places 2025 above prior years.

Focusing specifically on week 48 across years, national filings rose from 8,772 in 2022 to 10,899 in 2023 and then settled at 9,475 in 2024 before reaching 10,415 in 2025. Over the same four years, total annual filings climbed from 378,314 in 2022 to 445,168 in 2023 and then to 503,736 in 2024, while 2025 already has 524,178 filings in just 48 weeks. By chapter, week 48 of 2025 shows 6,759 Chapter 7 filings and 3,565 Chapter 13 filings, compared with 6,096 and 3,300 respectively in week 48 of 2024. In 2023, week 48 had 6,466 Chapter 7 filings and 4,352 Chapter 13 filings, while 2022 had 5,104 Chapter 7 filings and 3,597 Chapter 13 filings. So the 2025 week 48 profile of 10,415 total filings, with 6,759 in Chapter 7 and 3,565 in Chapter 13, fits into a multi-year pattern of higher cumulative volumes even as the exact chapter mix shifts.

Because the file does not include population counts, we use average filings per district as a rough proxy for per-capita intensity, dividing national totals by the 94 districts. For week 48 of 2025, this proxy metric is about 110.8 filings per district (10,415 divided by 94), compared with about 100.8 for week 48 of 2024 (9,475 divided by 94). The same calculation gives roughly 115.9 filings per district for week 48 of 2023 (10,899 divided by 94) and about 93.3 for week 48 of 2022 (8,772 divided by 94). Using this lens, 2025’s week 48 looks moderately elevated relative to 2022 and 2024, but slightly below the high point seen in 2023 for that particular week. At the district level, CAC’s 624 filings and FLM’s 549 filings in week 48 of 2025 greatly exceed the 110.8 per-district proxy, while low-activity districts like GU with 1 filing and AK with 3 filings sit far below it.

Looking at the same proxy metric on a year-to-date basis through week 48, average filings per district rise from about 3,738 in 2022 to 4,387 in 2023, 5,005 in 2024, and 5,576 in 2025 (each computed by dividing the cumulative totals by 94 districts). Those cumulative figures come from 351,357 filings in 2022, 412,394 in 2023, 470,454 in 2024, and 524,178 in 2025 for the first 48 weeks. Expressed as growth rates, the proxy per-district measure increases by about 17% from 3,738 to 4,387, about 14% from 4,387 to 5,005, and about 11% from 5,005 to 5,576. Weekly averages tell the same story, with 7,320, 8,592, 9,801, and 10,920 average weekly filings from 2022 through 2025 for the first 48 weeks of each year. Thus even without direct population data, the 5,576 average filings per district year-to-date in 2025 and the 10,415 filings in the latest week point to steadily rising per-capita pressure compared with the 3,738 to 5,005 range of earlier years.

To forecast the remaining four weeks of 2025, I fit a simple straight-line trend to the 48 weekly national totals for 2025, using week number as the predictor and NationalTotal as the response. This regression suggests predicted national totals of about 11,834, 11,872, 11,909, and 11,946 filings for weeks 49, 50, 51, and 52 respectively. Summed together, those four weeks add roughly 47,562 filings on top of the 524,178 filings already observed through week 48. That yields a full-year 2025 forecast of about 571,740 filings (524,178 plus 47,562), compared with the 503,736 total recorded for all of 2024. Under this simple weekly trend, the final four weeks would each sit above the latest observed week’s 10,415 filings but remain in line with the 37-case-per-week upward slope estimated from the first 48 weeks.

The annual national totals in the file rise from 378,314 filings in 2022 to 445,168 in 2023 and to 503,736 in 2024, with 2025 already at 524,178 filings after only 48 weeks. If the 2025 full-year forecast of about 571,740 filings holds, that would represent increases of roughly 18% over 2024, 28% over 2023, and 51% over 2022. A simple way to project beyond 2025 is to assume that annual filings continue to grow in the high single-digit to low double-digit range, such as 8% to 12% per year, applied to the 571,740 baseline. Under that assumption, a notional 2026 total could range from about 617,000 filings (an 8% increase on 571,740) to around 640,000 filings (a 12% increase), continuing the upward pattern seen from 378,314 to 503,736. While actual outcomes will vary, the steady climb from 378,314 to 503,736 and the projected 571,740 for 2025 all point toward elevated filing levels after 2024 rather than a return to the lower 300,000-to-400,000 range observed earlier in the series.

2025 Week 48 Bankruptcy Report

Our Analysis of the Bankruptcy Statistics (Updated November 24th, 2025)

Week 47 posted another year-over-year rise, with consumer bankruptcies roughly 16% higher than the same week in 2024, while business filings edged up about 5% over last year. Chapter 7 filings—a lifeline for many struggling households—were up 15.45% year-over-year (6,532 in 2024 to 7,541 in 2025). Chapter 13 filings, allowing individuals to restructure their debt, were up 15.74% year-over-year (3,767 in 2024 to 4,360 in 2025). Chapter 11 filings, often used by businesses dealing with insolvency, were up 5.43% year-over-year (129 in 2024 to 136 in 2025).

During the pandemic, Chapter 13 filings tanked; however, they were the fastest to recover. Unlike in past downturns, where mortgage foreclosures pushed filings, we now see bankruptcies tied entirely to credit defaults. Where nearly half of U.S. mortgage properties are considered “equity-rich,” with property values at least twice the remaining mortgage balances. Homeowners who locked in low interest rates during the pandemic can leverage substantial equity gains to offset rising living costs. This buffer is one of the reasons we see Chapter 13 growth taper down while Chapter 7 growth takes the lead.

Overview of This Week's National Filings Week 47 of 2025 recorded a National Total of 12,040 bankruptcy filings across all federal districts, comprising 7,541 Chapter 7 liquidation cases, 4,360 Chapter 13 wage-earner reorganizations, 136 Chapter 11 business reorganizations, and 3 Chapter 12 family farmer cases. The week's filings represent a strong week-over-week increase of 1,369 cases (about 13 percent) compared to the previous week's 10,671 filings. Year-to-date through Week 47, the nation has accumulated 513,763 total filings, already surpassing the entire year totals for both 2022 (378,314) and 2023 (445,168). The weekly average for 2025 now stands at 10,931 filings, substantially higher than the 2024 weekly average of 9,808 filings through the same period. This sustained elevation in weekly filings confirms that 2025 is on track to be a record-breaking year for bankruptcy volume.

An Interesting Fact About This Week's Filings The 12,040 filings in Week 47 of 2025 represent an astonishing 140 percent increase compared to the same week in 2022, which recorded only 5,023 filings. Chapter 7 filings have grown to represent nearly 63 percent of all cases this week, marking a multi-year high in the proportion of liquidation bankruptcies versus reorganization plans. The Central District of California alone accounted for over five percent of all national filings with 638 cases, making it the single most active district in the country. Only two districts—the Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands—recorded zero filings during the week. Remarkably, the 15,017 filings recorded in Week 44 of this year set the highest single-week total in the entire dataset spanning 2022 through 2025.

An Overview of This Week's District-Level Filings with Reference to Actual District Filing Numbers The Central District of California led all districts with 638 filings, followed closely by the Middle District of Florida with 606 filings, while the Northern District of Illinois recorded 439 filings. The Northern District of Georgia posted 415 cases and the Eastern District of Michigan logged 396 filings, while the Southern District of Florida contributed 355 filings and the Northern District of Ohio reported 326 cases. New Jersey recorded 296 total filings, Arizona came in with 283 filings, and the Eastern District of Virginia rounded out the top ten with 276 bankruptcy cases. These top ten districts collectively accounted for approximately 36 percent of the national total, demonstrating significant geographic concentration. The remaining 84 districts shared the balance of filings, with most contributing fewer than 200 cases each.

Geographic (District) Disparities in Filings Geographic disparities in bankruptcy filings remain stark, with California's four districts contributing 1,068 combined filings while territories like the Virgin Islands and Northern Mariana Islands reported zero cases. Florida's three districts generated 1,020 filings total, followed by Texas's four districts with 721 combined cases, Georgia's three districts with 636 filings, Ohio's two districts with 580, and Illinois's three districts with 514. Conversely, smaller jurisdictions such as Wyoming (14 filings), Vermont (9 filings), Alaska (3 filings), and Guam (1 filing) contributed minimally to the national total. The disparity ratio between the highest district (Central California at 638) and the lowest non-zero district (Guam at 1) exceeds 600 to 1. Urban, population-dense districts in the Sun Belt and Midwest continue to dominate filing volumes, while rural and territorial districts remain significantly underrepresented.

Current Year Focus The year 2025 has already accumulated 513,763 filings through Week 47, representing about 12 percent increase over the same period in 2024 when 460,979 filings were recorded. Chapter 7 filings total 319,610 cases year-to-date, Chapter 13 filings stand at 185,864, Chapter 11 business reorganizations have reached 8,015, and Chapter 12 farmer cases number 274. Week 44 of 2025 established the year's peak with 15,017 filings, while Week 1 recorded the year's low at 7,531 filings. The fourth quarter of 2025 (weeks 40-47) has averaged 11,742 filings per week, representing the highest quarterly rate of the year. The progressive quarterly increases throughout 2025 suggest that financial distress has intensified as the year has progressed.

Comparative Analysis with Previous Years Week 47 of 2025 with 12,040 filings represents a 15 percent increase over Week 47 of 2024's 10,430 filings and a dramatic 140 percent increase over Week 47 of 2022's 5,023 filings. Full-year totals have grown from 378,314 in 2022 to 445,168 in 2023 (up 18 percent) to 503,736 in 2024 (up 13 percent), demonstrating consistent double-digit annual growth. The Middle District of Florida showed the most dramatic year-over-year increase among top districts, jumping 29 percent from 469 filings in Week 47 of 2024 to 606 filings this week. Chapter 7 filings in Week 47 grew from 6,532 in 2024 to 7,541 in 2025 (up 15 percent), while Chapter 13 filings grew from 3,767 to 4,360 (up 16 percent). The consistency of double-digit year-over-year growth across all major categories suggests a sustained structural increase in financial distress across the economy.

Analyzing the Filings Per Capita The Week 47 per capita filing rate stands at approximately 3.6 filings per 100,000 Americans, up from about 3.1 per 100,000 in the same week of 2024. Year-to-date through Week 47, the cumulative per capita rate is approximately 152 filings per 100,000, compared to about 137 per 100,000 for the same period in 2024. The average weekly per capita rate for 2025 is about 3.2 per 100,000, representing a 12 percent increase over 2024's average of about 2.9 per 100,000. On an annualized basis, 2025 is tracking toward approximately 168 filings per 100,000 Americans, the highest rate in the four-year dataset. These per capita figures adjust for the U.S. population of approximately 338 and a half million in 2025.

Analyzing the Changing Filings Per Capita Per capita filing rates have risen steadily each year, from about 103 per 100,000 year-to-date through Week 47 in 2022, to 120 in 2023, to 137 in 2024, to 152 in 2025. This represents cumulative per capita growth of nearly 48 percent over the three-year period from 2022 to 2025, vastly outpacing population growth of just under two percent during the same timeframe. The quarterly trend within 2025 shows acceleration, with the first quarter averaging three filings per 100,000 weekly, the second and third quarters at about 3.3, and the fourth quarter partial at about 3.5. Year-over-year per capita growth has decelerated slightly from 16 percent (2022 to 2023) to 14 percent (2023 to 2024) to 11 percent (2024 to 2025), though absolute levels continue rising. The widening gap between filing growth and population growth indicates increasing financial stress per household rather than merely population-driven increases.

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