More Americans are filing for personal bankruptcy, with more than half a million cases filed last year, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
That's nearly 50% higher than the number of filings reported three years earlier.
Experts say that while bankruptcy has long carried a stigma, growing financial pressures are leading more people to seek relief from debt.
Although personal bankruptcy filings have risen steadily since 2023, they remain below the levels seen before the pandemic.
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