Bankruptcy filings fell again for the 12-month period ending Dec. 31, 2021. A steady decline in filings has continued since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Annual bankruptcy filings in calendar year 2021 totaled 413,616, compared with 544,463 cases in 2020, according to statistics released by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. That is a decrease of 24.0 percent.
Business filings fell 33.7 percent, from 21,655 to 14,347 in the year ending Dec. 31, 2021. Non-business bankruptcy filings fell 23.6 percent, to 399,269 compared with 522,808 in the previous year.
Unemployment temporarily spiked in March 2020, when the COVID-19 emergency intensified. However, several factors may have impacted individuals’ decisions about whether to file for bankruptcy since the crisis began. For instance, increased government benefits and moratoriums on evictions and certain foreclosures may have eased financial pressures in many households.
The following tables are available:
Business and non-business bankruptcy filings for the 12-month period ending Dec. 31, 2021 (Table F-2, 12-month);
Bankruptcy data for the twelve-month periods ending in December 2020 and in December 2021 (Table F);
Fourth quarter filings, (Table F-2, 3-month); and filings by month (Table F-2, October, November, and December)
Bankruptcy filings by county (Report F-5A).
Business and Non-Business Filings,Years EndingDecember 31, 2017-2021
Year
Business
Non-Business
Total
2021
14,347
399,269
413,616
2020
21,655
522,808
544,463
2019
22,780
752,160
774,940
2018
22,232
751,186
773,418
2017
23,157
765,863
789,020
Total Bankruptcy Filings By Chapter,Years EndingDecember 31, 2017-2021
Year
Chapter
7
11
12
13
2021
288,327
4,836
276
120,002
2020
378,953
8,333
560
156,377
2019
480,206
7,020
599
286,979
2018
475,575
7,095
498
290,146
2017
486,347
7,442
501
294,637
For more on bankruptcy and its chapters, view the following resources:
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