NEW YORK - August 3, 2010 - The 137,698 consumer bankruptcies filed in July represented a 9% increase nationwide over the 126,434 filings recorded in July 2009, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI), relying on data from the National Bankruptcy Research Center (NBKRC).

NBKRC’s data also showed that the July consumer filings represented a 9% increase from the 126,270 consumer filings recorded in June 2010.  Chapter 13 filings constituted 28% of all consumer cases in July, a slight increase from June.

“Debt burdens, unemployment and an uncertain economic climate continue to weigh on consumers,” said ABI Executive Director Samuel J. Gerdano. “The pace of consumer filings this year remains on track to top 1.6 million.”

Excluding 2005, when the so-called "Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005" was enacted (really a pro-lender act), the record year was in 2003 when 1.62 million personal bankruptcies were filed. This year will be close to that level.