Bankruptcy filings in the US rose 11.4% to 621,111 cases in the 12 months ended September 30, 2026, with business bankruptcy filings increasing 12.5% to 27,054, according to data released by the Administrative Office of the US Courts.
Total filings stood at 557,376 in the corresponding period a year earlier. Business filings increased from 24,039, while non-business filings rose 11.4% to 594,057 from 533,337. The data show that US bankruptcy filings have increased every quarter since reaching a low of 380,634 in June 2022. However, the latest total remains substantially below the peak of nearly 1.6 million filings recorded in September 2010, the US Courts said. Chapter 7 filings, which primarily involve liquidation, increased to 391,386 in the year ended September 2026 from 344,825 a year earlier. Chapter 11 filings, commonly used by businesses seeking reorganisation, rose to 9,986 from 8,937. Chapter 13 filings increased to 219,116 from 203,118, while Chapter 12 filings, which cover eligible family farmers and fishermen, rose to 361 from 293.
