Bankruptcies in the United States peaked in 2010, when 1.14 million Chapter 7 bankruptcies and 439,000 Chapter 13 bankruptcies were filed. These figures have since dropped to 261,277 and 183,956 respectively in 2023.

Chapter 7 bankruptcies are where the debtor’s assets are liquidated to repay as much debt as possible, while Chapter 13 bankruptcies are where the terms of the loan are changed so that the debt can be repaid over a longer period. Both are predominantly filed by private individuals.

Bankruptcies in the United States decreased to 23043 Companies in the second quarter of 2025 from 23309 Companies in the first quarter of 2025. This dataset provides - United States Bankruptcies - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

In 2023, there were ******* cases of personal bankruptcy filed nationwide in the United States. The number of personal bankruptcy cases has been declining in the U.S. since 2010.

In 2023, there were ****** cases of business bankruptcy filed nationwide in the United States. While an increase from the previous year, the number of business bankruptcies in the United Stats has seen an overall decline, reaching a peak in 2009.

United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: Annual: Non Business data was reported at 765,863.000 Unit in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 770,846.000 Unit for 2016. United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: Annual: Non Business data is updated yearly, averaging 873,540.000 Unit from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2017, with 38 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,039,214.000 Unit in 2005 and a record low of 284,517.000 Unit in 1984. United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: Annual: Non Business data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Administrative Office of the United States Courts. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.O013: Number of Bankruptcy Filings.

United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: Annual data was reported at 789,020.000 Unit in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 794,960.000 Unit for 2016. United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: Annual data is updated yearly, averaging 931,698.000 Unit from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2017, with 38 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,078,415.000 Unit in 2005 and a record low of 331,264.000 Unit in 1980. United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: Annual data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Administrative Office of the United States Courts. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.O013: Number of Bankruptcy Filings.

In 2023, there were ****** non-business bankruptcy filings in California, which was the highest amongst all U.S. states. Florida had the second highest number of business bankruptcy cases, with ****** in 2023.

United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: 12 Months End: Business: Chapter 13 data was reported at 1,896.000 Unit in Sep 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,951.000 Unit for Jun 2018. United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: 12 Months End: Business: Chapter 13 data is updated quarterly, averaging 4,885.000 Unit from Mar 1990 (Median) to Sep 2018, with 115 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11,518.000 Unit in Sep 1992 and a record low of 1,896.000 Unit in Sep 2018. United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: 12 Months End: Business: Chapter 13 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Administrative Office of the United States Courts. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.O013: Number of Bankruptcy Filings.

Chapter ** bankruptcies in the United States peaked in 2009, when ****** businesses and ***** non-businesses filed a claim under Chapter ** of the Bankruptcy Code. By 2023, these figures had dropped to 7,070 and *** respectively.

Chapter ** bankruptcy is where the debtor negotiates with their creditors to alter the terms of their repayments. While the terms of the loans are changed, the outstanding debt still needs to be repaid.

United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: Chapter 7 data was reported at 116,603.000 Unit in Sep 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 131,059.000 Unit for Jun 2018. United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: Chapter 7 data is updated quarterly, averaging 218,180.500 Unit from Dec 1995 (Median) to Sep 2018, with 92 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 570,355.000 Unit in Dec 2005 and a record low of 65,397.000 Unit in Mar 2006. United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: Chapter 7 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by American Bankruptcy Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.O013: Number of Bankruptcy Filings.

United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: 12 Months End: Total data was reported at 775,578.000 Unit in Jun 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 779,828.000 Unit for Mar 2018. United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: 12 Months End: Total data is updated quarterly, averaging 1,127,874.500 Unit from Mar 1990 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 114 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,078,415.000 Unit in Dec 2005 and a record low of 617,660.000 Unit in Dec 2006. United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: 12 Months End: Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Administrative Office of the United States Courts. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.O011: Number of Bankruptcy Filings.

In 2023, Alabama had the highest personal bankruptcy filing rate in the United States. In Alabama ****** inhabitants per 100,000 had filed for bankruptcy. In comparison, Alaska had the lowest bankruptcy filing rate, where ***** inhabitants per 100,000 filed for bankruptcy. Filing for bankruptcy Bankruptcy is a legal process that occurs when a person, business, or organization does not have enough money to pay for all of its debts. Personal bankruptcy happens for a multitude of reasons, with one of the biggest factors being medical debt. Corporate bankruptcy happens when businesses fail or because of financial distress. When a person cannot pay off their debts, a professional accountant is appointed as a trustee in bankruptcy. Their assets are frozen and then sold in order to pay off as much of the person’s debts as possible. When an organization can’t pay back its debts, a liquidator is appointed by the court. Assets are not protected, so everything can be sold off to cover the bankruptcy. In 2020, J.C. Penny Company Inc. had the largest Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings in the United States in terms of assets. U.S. bankruptcy In 2023, California had the largest number of bankruptcy filings in the United States, while Alaska had the lowest. The number of non-business bankruptcy filings has been decreasing since 2010. The same is true for the annual number of business bankruptcy cases which have been in decline since 2009.

United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: Non Business Filings (NB) data was reported at 200,159.000 Unit in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 186,410.000 Unit for Mar 2018. United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: Non Business Filings (NB) data is updated quarterly, averaging 301,131.500 Unit from Mar 1994 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 98 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 654,633.000 Unit in Dec 2005 and a record low of 112,685.000 Unit in Mar 2006. United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: Non Business Filings (NB) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by American Bankruptcy Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.O011: Number of Bankruptcy Filings.

The purpose of this data collection is to provide an official public record of the business of the federal bankruptcy courts. The data include all petitions filed under the Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Courts on or after October 1, 2006, and any petitions filed before October 1, 2006, that were still pending on that date. The records are organized according to the fiscal year of termination with cases still pending at the end included in a separate pending dataset. The records in Part 1, Terminations Data, 2007, include cases that terminated in the year 2007. The records in Part 2, Pending Data, 2007, include cases that were still pending as of October 1, 2007. For the bankruptcy data, the unit of analysis is a single case.

United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: NB: Chapter 13 data was reported at 73,949.000 Unit in Sep 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 72,354.000 Unit for Jun 2018. United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: NB: Chapter 13 data is updated quarterly, averaging 92,571.000 Unit from Mar 1994 (Median) to Sep 2018, with 99 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 118,452.000 Unit in Jun 2003 and a record low of 49,314.000 Unit in Mar 2006. United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: NB: Chapter 13 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by American Bankruptcy Institute. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.O013: Number of Bankruptcy Filings.

In 2022, there were ***** business bankruptcy cases filed in the state of New York. This is a significant increase from the previous year when *** cases were filed.

Business bankruptcies represent the total bankruptcy filings all business entities make in a calendar year. Data is sourced from the Administrative Office of the US Courts.

Chapter * bankruptcies in the United States peaked in 2010, when *** million non-business and ****** business claims were filed under Chapter * of the Bankruptcy Code. By 2023, these figures had dropped to ******* and ****** respectively.

Chapter * bankruptcy is when the debtor's (non-exempt) assets are sold to repay outstanding debts, with the remainder of the debt not needing to be repaid. Qualification for Chapter * bankruptcy is contingent on earning below a certain income threshold.

United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: 12 Months End: Business: Chapter 11 data was reported at 5,962.000 Unit in Sep 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6,070.000 Unit for Jun 2018. United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: 12 Months End: Business: Chapter 11 data is updated quarterly, averaging 9,428.000 Unit from Mar 1990 (Median) to Sep 2018, with 115 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21,153.000 Unit in Mar 1992 and a record low of 4,643.000 Unit in Dec 2006. United States Number of Bankruptcy Filings: 12 Months End: Business: Chapter 11 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Administrative Office of the United States Courts. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.O013: Number of Bankruptcy Filings.

Graph and download economic data for Number of Business Failures, All Commercial for United States (M0929BUSM155NNBR) from Jun 1934 to Dec 1939 about failures, commercial, business, and USA.