Here’s another notable sign about the struggles some consumers are experiencing this year.

According to data provided by Epiq AACER, individual Chapter 7 bankruptcy filings through the first three quarters of 2025 jumped 15% compared to the first nine months of last year, climbing from 216,773 to 249,152.

And individual Chapter 13 filings increased during the same timeframe, too, rising 4% from 143,240 to 149,337.

Added together, total individual filings are up by 11% year to date. That’s 399,387 filings so far in 2025 versus 360,636 filings a year ago.

All told, AACER reported total bankruptcy filings through the first nine months of this year came in at 423,053. That’s a 10% increase from the 383,341 total filings during the same period a year ago.

“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% year-over-year, and the growth in active Chapter 13 case inventory suggests more consumers are turning to bankruptcy as a necessary financial reset,” Hunter continued in a news release. “We expect this upward trend to continue, with a strong likelihood of accelerating into 2026.”

Looking at just September figures, Epiq AACER said there were 49,182 total bankruptcy filings last month, representing an increase of 16% from the 42,571 filed in September 2024.

Analysts said total individual filings climbed 16% year-over-year in September, moving to 46,401 from 40,100.

The 28,772 individual Chapter 7 filings in September marked a 19% increase over the 24,085 filings in September of last year.

And individual Chapter 13 cases in September totaled 17,533. That’s 10% higher year-over-year versus the 15,947 filings in this category a year ago.

On the business front, Epiq AACER overall commercial bankruptcy filings came in at 23,666 for the first nine months of the year, marking a 4% lift year-over-year.

Amy Quackenboss is executive director of the American Bankruptcy Institute.

“With household debts climbing, lending terms tightening and geopolitical uncertainty creating challenges within supply chains, bankruptcies continue their ascent toward pre-pandemic levels,” Quackenboss said in the news release. “Families or businesses overwhelmed by growing debt loads have a financial lifeline through the bankruptcy process.”