Bankruptcy Filings Rise 13 Percent

Total bankruptcy filings rose 13 percent, and business bankruptcies rose nearly 30 percent, in the twelve-month period ending Sept. 30, 2023. This continues a moderate rebound after more than a decade of sharply dropping totals.   

According to statistics released by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, annual bankruptcy filings totaled 433,658 in the year ending September 2023, compared with 383,810 cases in the previous year. 

Business filings rose 29.9 percent, from 13,125 to 17,051, in the year ending Sept. 30, 2023. Non-business bankruptcy filings rose 12.4 percent to 416,607, compared with 370,685 in September 2022. 

Bankruptcy totals for the previous 12 months are reported four times annually. 

This is the third straight quarter that total bankruptcy filings have risen, following a decade-plus decline. Bankruptcies fell especially sharply after the pandemic began in early 2020, despite some COVID-related disruptions to the economy.  

Even with the recent increases, total filings remain far lower than in September 2010, when filings peaked at just less than 1.6 million.  

The following bankruptcy filings statistics tables are available: 

• Business and non-business bankruptcy filings for the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, 2023(Table F-2, 12-Month), 
• A comparison of 12-month data ending September 2022 and September 2023 (Table F), 
• Filings for the most recent three months, (Table F-2, 3 Month); and filings by individual months (Table F-2, July, August, September), 
• Bankruptcy filings by county (Table F-5A). 

For more on bankruptcy and its chapters, view the following resources:

• Historic caseload statistics data tables
• Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure
• General information about bankruptcy, including Bankruptcy Basics