According to the American Bankruptcy Institute, personal bankruptcies increased in quantity throughout 2008.  “Consumers are under great financial stress, with no immediate end in sight,” said ABI executive director Samuel Gerdano.  “We expect the upward spike in personal bankruptcies to continue in 2009.”

 

 

The Administrative Office of the United States Courts confirmed the number of bankruptcies rose by 32 percent to 1.06 million in 2008.  In 2007, 801,840 American consumers filed for bankruptcy. 

 

“We have been monitoring the steady growth of personal BK cases,” said Robert Davies, President of www.OnlineBKmanager.com.  “The good news is our dealer clients are working with lenders like Tidewater, CapOne, AmeriCredit, Wachovia and many others to offer quality sub-prime loans to these individuals.” 

 

In today’s volatile economy, sub-prime lenders see the advantage in lending to those consumers who have a fresh bankruptcy and can not file again for many years.  “We have been booking fresh BK deals since the year 2000, and historically they are by far our best-performing loans,” explained Dedra Muffley of Tidewater Motor Credit. “We are looking to do away with the non-bankruptcy paper or customers who look like they are on their way down. We want the customers that have their problems behind them.”

 

“Currently, chapter 7 bankruptcies represent over 75 percent of all cases being filed with the courts,” said Davies. “This fact contradicts previous thoughts that the 2005 law change would force more people into filing a chapter 13 over a chapter 7.”

 

As of January 6, 2009, there are nearly 1 million open bankruptcies being processed for discharge by the United States bankruptcy courts.  “In 2009 bankruptcy marketing will continue to prove its value to automotive retailers throughout the United States,” concluded Davies.

 

Bankruptcies Awaiting Discharged By State

 

           Alaska                             683

                       Alabama                      39430

                       Arkansas                      16981

                       Arizona                        12310

                       California                     77530

                       Colorado                      11902

                       Connecticut                    3887

                       Dist of Columbia             669

                       Delaware                       2446

                       Florida                         45958

                       Georgia                        75055

                       Hawaii                           1411

                       Iowa                               4035

                       Idaho                              3262

                       Illinois                         46328

                       Indiana                         32084

                       Kansas                           9555

                       Kentucky                      17283

                       Louisiana                     22139

                       Massachusetts                9883

                       Maryland                     14077

                       Maine                            1785

                       Michigan                     43560

                       Minnesota                    10470

                       Missouri                      22665

                       Mississippi                  14253

                       Montana                         1231

                       North Carolina             31867

                       North Dakota                   833

                       Nebraska                       6237

                       New Hampshire            2724

                       New Jersey                 20986

                       New Mexico                 2645

                       Nevada                        13529

                       New York                    33172

                       Ohio                             50743

                       Oklahoma                    15860

                       Oregon                         10064

                       Pennsylvania                31976

                       Rhode Island                  1882

                       South Carolina             14705

                       South Dakota                 1070

                       Tennessee                    48881

                       Texas                           55763

                       Utah                               7943

                       Virginia                       26856

                       Vermont                        1125

                       Washington                 16326

                       Wisconsin                    15481

                       West Virginia                3256

                       Wyoming                         705

                       

Total:                          955,501