Total commercial bankruptcy filings in the United States decreased to 4,358 in April 2013, representing a 16% decline from the 5,198 business filings recorded in April 2012, according to data provided by Epiq Systems. Conversely, total commercial Chapter 11 filings increased 5% to 701 filings in April from the 666 commercial Chapter 11 filings registered in April 2012.

Total filings decreased 8% in April over last year. Bankruptcy filings totaled 100,702 in April 2013, down from the April 2012 total of 108,996. Consumer filings declined 7% to 96,344 from the April 2012 consumer filing total of 103,798.

“Households and businesses continue to adjust their balance sheets in response to low interest rates, tighter lending standards and decreased consumer spending,” said ABI executive director Samuel J. Gerdano. “These trends will continue to suppress bankruptcy filings this year.”

Total bankruptcy filings for the month of April represented a 2% decrease compared to the 102,653 total filings recorded in March 2013. Total noncommercial filings for April also represented a 2% decrease from the March 2013 noncommercial filing total of 98,558. However, April’s commercial filing total represented a 6% increase from the March 2013 commercial filing total of 4,095. April commercial Chapter 11 filings also increased, rising 17% when compared to the 597 filings registered the previous month.

The average nationwide per capita bankruptcy-filing rate in April increased to 3.52 (total filings per 1,000 per population), an increase from the 3.40 rate registered in the first three months of the year. Average total filings per day in April were 3,357, an 8% decrease from the 3,633 total daily filings in April 2012. States with the highest per capita filing rate (total filings per 1,000 population) in April 2013 were:

1. Tennessee (6.76)
2. Georgia (5.76)
3. Alabama (5.75)
4. Illinois (5.59)
5. Nevada (5.27)