Overall commercial filings registered 23,666 for the first nine months of 2025, representing a 4% increase from the commercial filing total of 22,705 during the same period in 2024, according to data provided by Epiq AACER, a provider of U.S. bankruptcy filing data.
Small business filings, captured as subchapter V elections within Chapter 11, totaled 1,764 in the first nine months of 2025, a 6% increase from the 1,669 elections during the same period in 2024. Commercial Chapter 11 bankruptcies were the only category to record a decrease, as the 5,883 commercial Chapter 11s filed during the first nine months of 2025 represented a 3% drop from the 6,078 filed during the same period in 2024.
Filings increased across all chapters in September 2025 compared to September 2024. Overall commercial filings increased 13% to 2,781 from 2,471 in 2024. September 2025 commercial Chapter 11s increased 3% to 767 from 741 in September 2024. Total subchapter V elections within Chapter 11 increased 40% to 210 in September 2025 from 148 in September 2024.
“With household debts climbing, lending terms tightening and geopolitical uncertainty creating challenges within supply chains, bankruptcies continue their ascent toward pre-pandemic levels,” Amy Quackenboss, executive director of ABI, said. “Families or businesses overwhelmed by growing debt loads have a financial lifeline through the bankruptcy process.”
The 249,152 individual Chapter 7 bankruptcies filed during the first nine months of 2025 represented a 15% increase over the 216,773 filed during the same period in 2024.
Total bankruptcy filings were 423,053 during the first nine months of 2025, a 10% increase from the 383,341 total filings during the same period a year ago. Total individual filings registered an 11% increase year-to-date to 399,387 filings, up from the 360,636 filings during the first nine months of 2024. Individual Chapter 13 filings increased 4% to 149,337 from the 143,240 filed in the first nine months of 2024.
“The sharp rise in individual bankruptcy filings this September compared to 2024 highlights the mounting financial pressure on households across the country,” said Michael Hunter, vice president of Epiq AACER. “Chapter 7 filings surged 19 percent year-over-year, and the growth in active Chapter 13 case inventory suggests more consumers are turning to bankruptcy as a necessary financial reset. We expect this upward trend to continue, with a strong likelihood of accelerating into 2026.”
The 49,182 total bankruptcy filings in September 2025 represented an increase of 16% from the 42,571 filed in September 2024. Total individual filings climbed 16%, to 46,401 from 40,100. The 28,772 individual Chapter 7 filings in September 2025 increased 19% over the 24,085 filings in September 2024. Individual Chapter 13s were up 10% in September 2025 to 17,533 from 15,947 the previous year.
