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New Bankruptcy Cases Fall 2.2 Percent

Bankruptcy filings fell by 2.2 percent for the 12-month period ending September 30, 2018, compared with the year ending September 30, 2017, continuing a series of slight annual declines in new cases.

The September 2018 annual bankruptcy filings totaled 773,375, compared with 790,830 cases in the previous year, according to statistics released by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. The number of bankruptcy cases filed was the lowest for any 12-month period since the year ending June 2007.

A national wave of bankruptcies that began in 2008 reached a peak in the year ending September 2010, when nearly 1.6 million bankruptcies were filed. 

Business and Non-Business Filings,
Years Ending
September 30, 2014-2018
Year Business Non-Business Total
2018 22,103 751,272 773,375
2017 23,109 767,721 790,830
2016 24,457 781,123 805,580
2015 24,985 835,197 860,182
2014 28,319 935,420 963,739
Total Bankruptcy Filings By Chapter,
Years Ending
September 30, 2014-2018
Year Chapter
  7 11 12 13
2018 477,248 7,014 468 288,550
2017 486,542 7,052 508 296,599
2016 498,367 7,450 458 299,150
2015 550,036 7,040 383 302,642
2014 642,366 7,658 372 313,262


Additional statistics released today include:

Learn more about bankruptcy and bankruptcy court rules, or search historical data on bankruptcy filings.

Related Topics: Bankruptcy Filings