May 15, 2026
April 2026 Bankruptcy Filings Report
April bankruptcies hold firm after March surge, 20% below pre-Covid YTD levels
U.S. bankruptcy filings totaled 56,442 in April, down 1,901 filings from the prior month and up 6,716 from April 2025, a 13.5% year-over-year increase.
April is typically a softer month for filings, so some pullback was expected. What stands out is that the decline was relatively modest, leaving April at its highest level for the month since 2019 and giving Q2 a stronger start than recent quarters.
April also offers another useful measure of where the market stands. Filings were still 18.90% below the pre-Covid April average based on the 2017-2019 baseline. That means volumes have not fully returned to earlier cycle norms, but the gap continues to narrow.
Key Takeaways
- Total filings: 56,442
- Total filings: 56,442
U.S. bankruptcy filings totaled 56,442 in April, down 1,901 filings from the prior month and up 6,716 from April 2025, a 13.5% year-over-year increase.
April is typically a softer month for filings, so some pullback was expected. What stands out is that the decline was relatively modest, leaving April at its highest level for the month since 2019 and giving Q2 a stronger start than recent quarters.
April also offers another useful measure of where the market stands. Filings were still 18.90% below the pre-Covid April average based on the 2017-2019 baseline. That means volumes have not fully returned to earlier cycle norms, but the gap continues to narrow.
