BURLINGAME, Calif. — U.S. bankruptcy filings rose 12.9% in the first half of 2026 compared with a year earlier, reaching 310,529 through June, according to an analysis by G2 Risk Solutions.
Chapter 7 filings increased 15.7%, outpacing the 8.4% rise in Chapter 13 filings, the company said. Chapter 7 generally allows individuals to resolve eligible debts through bankruptcy, while Chapter 13 involves a repayment plan for people with regular income.
G2 Risk Solutions said April had the highest monthly filing volume since March 2020. Consumer filings exceeded 50,000 a month for four consecutive months through June.
“The pattern we’ve observed is holding true. This appears to be a period of sustained higher bankruptcy activity rather than a short-term spike,” said Ryan Sanders, a vice president at the company. He attributed the trend to the cumulative effects of higher borrowing costs, inflation and debt servicing expenses, despite what he described as a relatively stable labor market.
Sanders said financial strain often builds through a series of smaller increases in household costs. G2 Risk Solutions expects filings to remain elevated through the rest of the year, with normal seasonal changes and continued growth compared with 2025.
Workload Grows with Filings
The increase also means more notices, case activity and deadlines for lenders, creditors and others handling bankruptcies, G2 Risk Solutions said.
The company said it categorized approximately 11.4 million bankruptcy docket records in the first half of 2026, up 11.4% from the same period a year earlier. Bankruptcy Noticing Center activity rose 8.2%. Among the events it tracked, petition filings increased 11.5%, meeting notices rose 10.5% and proof-of-claim deadlines climbed 13.3%.
G2 Risk Solutions recommended that organizations improve their view of bankruptcy exposure, reduce manual case monitoring and ensure information reaches staff in time to meet required deadlines.
The company is examining the filing trend and its effect on creditor workloads in an on-demand webinar featuring Sanders; Rochelle Blease, its president; and Hilary Bonial, managing director of Bonial & Associates P.C.
