U.S. Bankruptcy Filings Rise 11.4%; Chapter 7 Accounts for 73% of the Increase

“The rise in nonbusiness bankruptcy filings may signal growing financial strain on households. The filing numbers alone don’t establish the cause, but they are a warning sign worth watching.” Casey Yontz, bankruptcy attorney and founder of USBankruptcyHelp.com

PHOENIX, October 23, 2026 – U.S. bankruptcy filings reached 621,111 during the 12 months ending September 30, 2026, an 11.4% increase from 557,376 in the comparable prior-year period, according to bankruptcy filing statistics resource brings together the latest totals, chapter comparisons, five-year trends and downloadable data, with links to the official court sources.

“Nearly three out of every four additional filings were chapter 7 cases,” said Casey Yontz, a consumer bankruptcy attorney with more than 18 years of experience and founder of USBankruptcyHelp.com. “That is an important part of the story behind the headline increase. It shows where filings are growing, although the numbers alone do not tell us what caused each person or business to file.”

Key Findings From the New Data

Compared with the 12 months ending September 30, 2025:

• Nonbusiness filings increased 11.4%, from 533,337 to 594,057.
• Business filings increased 12.5%, from 24,039 to 27,054.
• Chapter 7 filings increased 13.5%, from 344,825 to 391,386.
• Chapter 13 filings increased 7.9%, from 203,118 to 219,116.
• Chapter 11 filings increased 11.7%, from 8,937 to 9,986.
• Chapter 12 filings increased 23.2%, from 293 to 361.

Chapter 7 accounted for 63.0% of all filings. Its 73.1% share of the net increase measures something different: how much of the year-over-year growth came from additional chapter 7 cases. Chapter totals include both business and nonbusiness filings.

Putting Bankruptcy Trends in Context

The new figures cover October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. They are rolling 12-month totals, not September-only filings or calendar-year-to-date results. The figures count bankruptcy cases, not individual people.

“For someone facing serious debt, the national trend is background. The immediate questions are much more personal,” Yontz said. “Will bankruptcy address the debts causing the problem? What property could be at risk? Is there a lawsuit, garnishment or foreclosure deadline that needs attention? Those are the questions people need help working through.”

A Resource for Journalists and Researchers

USBankruptcyHelp.com provides matching-period historical comparisons, downloadable CSV and JSON files, source links and an explanation of its calculations. Journalists and researchers can use the resource to examine the figures and verify comparisons without assembling multiple court reports.

When citing the website’s calculations, suggested attribution is “USBankruptcyHelp.com’s analysis of Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts data,” with a link to the statistics resource.

About Casey Yontz and USBankruptcyHelp.com

Casey Yontz is a consumer bankruptcy attorney and nationally quoted commentator whose work focuses on bankruptcy, creditor rights and consumer debt. He has more than 18 years of bankruptcy experience and has provided commentary to publications including MoneyLion and Debt.org.

USBankruptcyHelp.com publishes attorney-led educational guides, free tools and research resources. It is not a law firm, does not provide legal representation and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the federal judiciary.

Media Contact

Casey Yontz

Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney and Founder

USBankruptcyHelp.com

[email protected]

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