Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Filings (YoY % Change)
Year-over-year change in 12-month Chapter 7 bankruptcy filings
Where the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Filings (YoY % Change) stands now
The Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Filings (YoY % Change) was 13.5% in the third quarter of 2026. Since 2018 it has ranged from -28.6% in the second quarter of 2022 to 20.1% in the third quarter of 2024. It has been lower than a year earlier for six quarters in a row.
What it means for households: Bankruptcy Statistics Behind on payments? Bankruptcy: What to Know
How the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Filings (YoY % Change) has moved since 2018
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Filings (YoY % Change): down since 2024
Change in rolling 12-month Chapter 7 filings, Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts: 13.5% in the third quarter of 2026, down from 15.5% a year earlier. Quarterly, 2018–2026.
What the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Filings (YoY % Change) measures
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Filings (YoY % Change) by quarter, 2018 to 2026
| Quarter | Rate (%) | Change from a year earlier (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 | 13.5 | −2.0 |
| Q2 2026 | 14.7 | −2.3 |
| Q1 2026 | 15.3 | −2.6 |
| Q4 2025 | 14.8 | −4.1 |
| Q3 2025 | 15.5 | −4.6 |
| Q2 2025 | 17.0 | −2.2 |
| Q1 2025 | 17.9 | +0.3 |
| Q4 2024 | 18.9 | +3.0 |
| Q3 2024 | 20.1 | +11.8 |
| Q2 2024 | 19.2 | +19.5 |
| Q1 2024 | 17.6 | +30.4 |
| Q4 2023 | 15.9 | +37.7 |
| Q3 2023 | 8.3 | +34.3 |
| Q2 2023 | −0.3 | +28.3 |
| Q1 2023 | −12.8 | +10.4 |
| Q4 2022 | −21.8 | +2.1 |
| Q3 2022 | −26.0 | −1.9 |
| Q2 2022 | −28.6 | −5.5 |
| Q1 2022 | −23.2 | +4.2 |
| Q4 2021 | −23.9 | −2.8 |
| Q3 2021 | −24.1 | −9.5 |
| Q2 2021 | −23.1 | −15.1 |
| Q1 2021 | −27.4 | −27.7 |
| Q4 2020 | −21.1 | −22.1 |
| Q3 2020 | −14.6 | −14.9 |
| Q2 2020 | −8.0 | −7.1 |
| Q1 2020 | 0.3 | +1.7 |
| Q4 2019 | 1.0 | +3.2 |
| Q3 2019 | 0.3 | +2.2 |
| Q2 2019 | −0.9 | +1.1 |
| Q1 2019 | −1.4 | — |
| Q4 2018 | −2.2 | — |
| Q3 2018 | −1.9 | — |
| Q2 2018 | −2.0 | — |
Quarterly · Computed from Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Table F-2
Counties with the highest default and legal scores
There's no county figure for this measure, so this list uses the default and legal part of our County Distress Index.
| Rank | County | Score (0–100) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coahoma County, MS | 99 |
| 2 | Clayton County, GA | 98.8 |
| 3 | Petersburg city, VA | 98.8 |
| 4 | Russell County, AL | 98.2 |
| 5 | Dougherty County, GA | 98.2 |
| 6 | Dallas County, AL | 98.1 |
| 7 | Bibb County, GA | 97.8 |
| 8 | Lauderdale County, TN | 97.1 |
| 9 | Crittenden County, AR | 96.9 |
| 10 | Montgomery County, AL | 96.9 |
Questions about Chapter 7 bankruptcy filings
How much have Chapter 7 filings changed?
For the 12 months through the third quarter of 2026, Chapter 7 filings were 13.5% higher than a year earlier, down from 15.5% in the third quarter of 2025. We compute the change from the Courts' Table F-2 counts; it covers a full 12 months, not a single quarter.
What is Chapter 7 bankruptcy?
Chapter 7 is the liquidation chapter of the Bankruptcy Code. A trustee can sell property the law does not protect and pay creditors from the proceeds, and eligible debts can be discharged. Individuals and businesses can both file under it. A filing count does not show how a case ended.
Does the Chapter 7 figure count people?
No. It counts court cases. A married couple can file one joint petition, and business cases are included. The figure is also national: district changes differ, and Table F-2 reports districts separately.
Where does this data come from?
The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts publishes Table F-2 each quarter with 12-month filing counts by chapter and district. It prints the Chapter 7 counts but not their percent change; American Default computes that from two tables. There is no fixed release calendar.
Sources and method for the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Filings (YoY % Change)
- Computed from Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Table F-2 We use the quarterly figures as published, from the second quarter of 2018 through the third quarter of 2026, with no adjustment of our own. Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts’s report
We write with assistance from AI tools. Figures come from the data and sources named on this page.