Bankruptcy figures from the first half of the year that might impact buy-here, pay-here dealers the most showed a notable year-over-year decline in the amount of consumers who might arrive at stores having filed since January.

According to data provided by Epiq Systems, the American Bankruptcy Institute reported that total bankruptcy filings fell to 398,495 during the first six months of 2016, representing a 6 percent decrease from the 422,914 total filings during the same period a year ago.

Officials indicated the 379,025 total noncommercial filings for the first half of 2016 represented a 7-percent drop from the noncommercial filing total of 407,843 for the first half of 2015.

Meanwhile, ABI pointed out that total commercial filings during the first six months of the year increased 29 percent to 19,470. In the same period in 2015, there were 15,071 total commercial filings.

Officials mentioned commercial Chapter 11 filings also climbed during the first half of 2016, as the 3,220 filings represented a 25 percent increase over the 2,575 commercial Chapter 11 filings during the first six months of 2015.

“As economic challenges continue to weigh on the balance sheets of struggling companies, especially those in energy and retail, more businesses are seeking the financial fresh start of bankruptcy,” ABI executive director Samuel Gerdano said. “Commercial bankruptcy filings for 2016 will likely total close to 40,000.”

ABI indicated total commercial filings for the month of June came in at 3,294, representing a 35-percent increase from the 2,442 filings in June of last year. Commercial Chapter 11 filings registered a 36-percent jump as the 366 commercial Chapter 11 filings in June 2015 climbed to 499 in June of this year.

Official added that total bankruptcy filings, however, decreased to 66,284 for the month of June, a 5-percent decline from the 69,772 filings in June of last year. The 62,990 total noncommercial filings for June represented a 7 percent drop from the June 2015 noncommercial filing total of 67,330.

ABI’s information showed the average nationwide per capita bankruptcy filing rate for the first six months of 2016 remained at 2.56 total filings per 1,000 population, and the average total filings per day in June were 2,210, a 5 percent decrease from the 2,326 total daily filings in June of last year.

States with the highest per capita filing rate (total filings per 1,000 population) through the first six months the year were:

1. Tennessee (5.63)

2. Alabama (5.37)

3. Georgia (4.65)

4. Illinois (4.29)

5. Utah (4.15)

ABI has partnered with Epiq Systems, a provider of managed technology for the global legal profession, in order to provide the most current bankruptcy filing data for analysts, researchers and members of the news media.