Total Bankruptcy Filings Increased 10 Percent in the First Half of 2025
Individual Chapter 7 Filings Increased by 15 Percent
NEW YORK, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Total bankruptcy filings were 276,126 during the first six months of 2025, a 10 percent increase from the 251,069 total filings during the same period a year ago, according to data provided by Epiq AACER, the leading provider of U.S. bankruptcy filing data.
Total individual filings registered an 11 percent increase, as the 260,938 filings during the first half of 2025 were up from the 235,849 filings during the first six months of 2024. Individual chapter 7 filings climbed to 163,219 during the first half of 2025, an increase of 15 percent over the 141,566 chapter 7 filings in the first half of 2024. The 97,125 individual chapter 13s filed in the first six months of 2025 represent a 3 percent increase over the 93,870 filings during the same period in 2024.
“The strong 15 percent increase in individual Chapter 7 bankruptcy filings underscores the growing financial pressure facing American households,” said Michael Hunter, vice president of Epiq AACER. “Elevated interest rates, record-high credit card and household debt, and the resumption of student loan repayments and collections are all contributing factors driving more individuals to seek bankruptcy protection.”
“As of April 2025, the student loan delinquency rate has more than tripled compared to pre-pandemic levels,” Hunter added. “With collections resuming this year and nearly 9 million loans currently delinquent, we anticipate the upward trend in individual filings to continue.”
Overall commercial filings registered 15,188 for the first half of 2025, representing a slight decrease from the commercial filing total of 15,220 for the first half of 2024. The 3,576 total commercial chapter 11 bankruptcies filed during the first six months of 2025 represented a 15 percent decrease from the 4,205 filed during the same period in 2024. Small business filings, captured as subchapter V elections within chapter 11, totaled 1,183 in the first six months of 2025, a 4 percent decrease from the 1,234 elections during the same period in 2024.
Total and consumer bankruptcy filings increased comparing the figures from June 2025 to June 2024, while commercial filing categories declined. Total filings in June 2025 were 46,226, representing a 15 percent increase from the 40,293 filed in 2024. Total individual filings were up 16 percent in June 2025 to 43,655 from 37,512. The 27,219 individual chapter 7s in June 2025 grew 23 percent over the 22,183 chapter 7 filings in June 2024, and individual chapter 13s increased 7 percent to 16,316 in June 2025 from the 15,232 in June 2024.
Overall commercial filings decreased 8 percent in June 2025, as the 2,571 filings were down from the 2,781 commercial filings registered in June 2024. The 622 commercial chapter 11 filings in June represented a 38 percent decrease from the 996 filings in June 2024. Total subchapter V elections within chapter 11 experienced a 23 percent decrease from 277 in June 2024 to 214 in June 2025.
“Elevated prices, increased borrowing costs and uncertain geopolitical events continue to add to the growing debt loads shouldered by financially distressed families and small businesses,” said ABI Executive Director Amy Quackenboss. “ABI looks forward to providing Congress with research, information and statistics to re-establish higher debt thresholds for subchapter V and chapter 13 to provide greater access for struggling small businesses and consumers to reorganize their finances.”
ABI has partnered with Epiq Bankruptcy to provide the most current bankruptcy filing data for analysts, researchers, and members of the news media. Epiq AACER is a division of Epiq and is the leading provider of data, technology, and services for companies operating in the business of bankruptcy. Its Bankruptcy Analytics subscription service provides on-demand access to the industry’s most dynamic bankruptcy data, updated daily. Learn more at https://bankruptcy.epiqglobal.com/analytics.
About Epiq
Epiq, a technology and services leader, takes on large-scale and complex tasks for corporate legal departments, law firms, and business professionals by integrating people, process, technology, and data. Clients rely on Epiq to streamline legal and compliance, settlement, and business administration workflows to drive efficiency, minimize risk, and improve cost savings. With a presence in 19 countries, our values define who we are and how we partner with clients and communities. Learn how Epiq and our 6,100 people worldwide create meaningful change at www.epiqglobal.com.
About ABI
ABI is the largest multi-disciplinary, nonpartisan organization dedicated to research and education on matters related to insolvency. ABI was founded in 1982 to provide Congress and the public with unbiased analysis of bankruptcy issues. The ABI membership includes nearly 10,000 attorneys, accountants, bankers, judges, professors, lenders, turnaround specialists and other bankruptcy professionals, providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and information. For additional information on ABI, visit www.abi.org. For additional conference information, visit http://www.abi.org/calendar-of-events.
Press Contacts
Carrie Trent
Epiq, Senior Director of Communications
Carrie.Trent@epiqglobal.com
John Hartgen
ABI, Public Affairs Officer
jhartgen@abi.org
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