Bankruptcies increase 11.9 percent
Published: (April 28, 2026 at 02:47 PM EDT)
2 min read
Source: Hacker News
Source: Hacker News
Bankruptcy filings increased 11.9 % during the 12‑month period ending March 31, 2026.
According to statistics released by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, total filings rose to 591,850 cases, compared with 529,080 cases reported for the year ending March 31, 2025.
- Business filings increased 11.4 %: from 23,309 in March 2025 to 25,960 in the newest report.
- Non‑business filings rose 11.9 %: from 505,771 in March 2025 to 565,890 in March 2026.
Bankruptcy totals for the previous 12 months are reported four times annually.
For more than a decade, total filings fell steadily, from a high of nearly 1.6 million in September 2010 to a low of 380,634 in June 2022. Since then, filings have increased each quarter, though they remain far lower than historical highs.
Business and Non‑Business Filings, Years Ending March 31, 2022‑2026
| Year | Business | Non‑Business | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 25,960 | 565,890 | 591,850 |
| 2025 | 23,309 | 505,771 | 529,080 |
| 2024 | 20,316 | 447,458 | 467,774 |
| 2023 | 14,467 | 388,806 | 403,273 |
| 2022 | 13,160 | 382,213 | 395,373 |
Total Bankruptcy Filings by Chapter, Years Ending March 31, 2022‑2026
| Year | Chapter 7 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 369,702 | 9,941 | 312 | 211,700 |
| 2025 | 320,571 | 8,844 | 259 | 199,130 |
| 2024 | 271,825 | 8,036 | 155 | 187,539 |
| 2023 | 231,200 | 5,371 | 148 | 166,449 |
| 2022 | 265,071 | 4,333 | 228 | 125,655 |
Additional Statistics Released
- Business and non‑business bankruptcy filings for the 12‑month period ending March 31, 2026 – Table F‑2, 12‑Month
- Comparison of 12‑month data ending March 2025 and March 2026 – Table F
- Filings for the most recent three months – Table F‑2, 3 Month
- Filings by month – Table F‑2, January‑February‑March
- Bankruptcy filings by county – Table F‑5A
Further Resources
- Historic caseload statistics data tables
- Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure
- General information about bankruptcy, including Bankruptcy Basics