The downward trend in Hawaii bankruptcies accelerated in November, dropping the number of filings to its lowest level in nearly six years, according to a report Monday from U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
The number of bankruptcy filings fell to 148 in November, down 30 percent from 211 the same month a year earlier. The decline was the biggest so far this year, and the number of cases was the fewest since February 2008, when there were 141 filings.
Through the first 11 months of this year, bankruptcy filings were down 23 percent from the same period a year earlier.Bankruptcies have fallen every year since peaking at 3,954 cases in 2010 during the most recent economic downturn.
On Oahu, bankruptcy filings fell 23 percent to 98 cases in November from 128 a year earlier. Hawaii County experienced a 21 percent decline to 23 cases from 29 cases during the same period last year. The number of filings in Maui County fell to 24 from 45, a decline of 47 percent. Bankruptcy cases in Kauai County fell to three in November from nine a year earlier.
By category the biggest drop was in Chapter 7 liquidation filings, which fell to 100 cases in November, a 35 percent decline from the same month a year earlier. Chapter 13 cases, which allow debtors to keep their assets if they set up a plan to pay creditors over time, fell by 15 percent to 47 cases in November. The number of cases filed under Chapter 11, which is generally used by businesses to protect themselves from creditors while they reorganize, fell to one from two a year earlier.
Bankruptcy filings typically decline as economic conditions improve. That has been the case in Hawaii, where the unemployment rate has declined along with consumer debt loads over the past few years.
Hawaii consumers cut their credit card debt to an average of $5,500 in October from $6,474 in October 2012, according to the latest data available from personal finance company Credit Karma. Although Hawaii’s average credit card debt was the second highest nationally, the average credit score of 664 for Hawaii residents was the highest of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Borrowers with higher credit scores represent a lower risk to lenders.
SEEKING RELIEF |
Bankruptcy filings in November fell from a year ago: |
|
2013 |
2012 |
Pct. Change |
Chapter 7 |
100 |
154 |
-31.5% |
Chapter 11 |
1 |
2 |
-50% |
Chapter 13 |
47 |
55 |
-14.5% |
Total |
148 |
211 |
-29.9% |
>> Chapter 7: Liquidation |
>> Chapter 11: Business reorganization |
>> Chapter 13: Individuals with regular sources of income set up plans to pay creditors over time. |
Source: U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Hawaii |
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