Bankruptcy Filings Fall 5.9%, Reach Lowest Level Since 2006
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.
| 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 |
| 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).
Related Topics: Bankruptcy Courts, Bankruptcy Filings