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Bankruptcy Filings Fall 5.9%, Reach Lowest Level Since 2006

Published on January 25, 2017

During the 12-month period ending December 31, 2016, 794,960 cases were filed in federal bankruptcy courts, down from the 844,495 bankruptcy cases filed in calendar year 2015—a 5.9  percent drop in filings. 

This is the lowest number of bankruptcy filings for any calendar year since 2006, and the sixth consecutive calendar year that filings have fallen. However, it was the first calendar year since 2011 that the rate of annual decline was less than 10 percent. 

Total Bankruptcy Filings by Chapter
Years Ending
December 31, 2012-2016
Year Chapter
  7 11 12 13
2016 490,365 7,292 461 296,655
2015 535,047 7,241 407 301,705
2014 619,069 7,234 361 310,061
2013 728,833 8,980 395 333,626
2012 843,545 10,361 512 366,532
Business and Non-Business Filings
Years Ending
December 31, 2012-2016
FY Business Non-Business TOTAL
2016 24,114 770,846 794,960
2015 24,735 819,760 844,495
2014 26,983 909,812 936,795
2013 33,212 1,038,720 1,071,932
2012 40,075 1,181,016 1,221,091

The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts also released the following statistics: 

  • Business and non-business bankruptcy filings for the 12-month period ending December 31, 2016. (Table F-2, Business and Nonbusiness Commenced by Chapter),
  • 2015 and 2016 Bankruptcy Cases Commenced, Terminated and Pending (Table F),
  • Three-month filings for October-December 2016 (Table F-2, 3-Month) and filings by month for October 2016, November 2016, and December 2016 (Tables F-2 by Month), 
  • Bankruptcy filings by county (Report F-5A). 

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