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Bankruptcy Filings Continue to Decline

Updated 3/5/2021: Due to technical changes, the total bankruptcy filings by chapter table was updated.

Bankruptcy filings fell by 0.9 percent for the 12-month period ending March 31, 2019, compared with the year ending March 31, 2018. According to statistics released by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the March 2019 annual bankruptcy filings totaled 772,646, compared with 779,828 cases in the previous year.

The data continues a national trend of declining bankruptcy filings since 2011. 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. 

Additional statistics released today include:

  • Business and non-business bankruptcy filings for the 12-month period ending March 31, 2019. (Table F-2, Business and Non-Business Commenced by Chapter),
  • A comparison of 12-month data from March 2018 and March 2019 (Table F),
  • First quarter filings, (Table F-2, 3-Month); and filings by month (Tables F-2 by Month, January, February, March),
  • Bankruptcy filings by county (Table F-5A).
Business and Non-Business Filings,
Years Ending
March 31, 2015-2019
Year Business Non-Business Total
2019 22,157 750,489 772,646
2018 23,106 756,722 779,828
2017 23,591 770,901 794,492
2016 24,797 808,718 833,515
2015 26,130 884,956 911,086
Total Bankruptcy Filings By Chapter,
Years Ending
March 31, 2015-2019
Year Chapter
  7 11 12 13
2019 474,046 7,023 513 290,963
2018 480,933 7,735 499 290,566
2017 488,417 7,105 457 298,348
2016 523,394 7,380 440 302,193
2015 596,867 7,053 354 306,729

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

Related Topics: Bankruptcy Filings