Of the 183,939 Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases that closed in 2025, 82,099 (44.6%) ended with the debtor finishing the repayment plan. 101,709 (55.3%) were dismissed. In 2024, 49.4% of closed cases ended with a completed plan.
Chapter 13 lets people with regular income keep property such as a house or car while they repay part or all of their debts through a court-approved plan, usually lasting three to five years. Finishing the plan generally leads to a discharge of remaining eligible debts. A dismissal ends the case without that discharge, and the protection from creditors ends with it.
What changed
Fewer cases closed in 2025 than in 2024 (183,939 compared with 196,680), and the mix shifted toward dismissals. Completed plans fell from 97,063 to 82,099, while dismissals rose from 99,499 to 101,709. The courts recorded 51,333 dismissals for failure to make plan payments in 2025, 50.5% of all dismissals. The rest were dismissed for other reasons, which the table does not break out.
Cases that close in a given year were filed over several earlier years, so these outcomes mostly reflect cases filed over the previous several years, not cases filed in 2025.
National totals
| Outcome | 2025 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter 13 cases closed | 183,939 | 196,680 |
| Closed with the plan completed | 82,099 (44.6%) | 97,063 (49.4%) |
| Dismissed | 101,709 (55.3%) | 99,499 (50.6%) |
| Dismissed for failure to make plan payments | 51,333 | 50,920 |
| New Chapter 13 cases refiled within six months of a dismissal | 13,508 | 12,525 |
How districts compare
Outcomes vary widely by federal judicial district. Among districts with at least 500 closed cases, the highest completion shares were in Kentucky, Eastern District (69.5%), Kansas (68.8%), Nebraska (68.6%), Virginia, Western District (67.9%), Puerto Rico (64.6%). The lowest were in New York, Eastern District (6.8%), Florida, Northern District (19.8%), Texas, Northern District (27.1%), Tennessee, Western District (27.1%), Georgia, Northern District (29.2%). The districts with the most closed cases were Georgia, Northern District (8,522), Illinois, Northern District (7,821), Tennessee, Western District (6,273), Florida, Southern District (5,741), Alabama, Northern District (5,281).
These gaps can reflect differences in local rules and trustee practice, in the kinds of debtors who file, in how often people file mainly to pause a foreclosure, and in how cases are recorded, as well as in how many debtors can keep up with their payments. We have not tested which of those explains any district’s figure.
| District | Cases closed, 2025 | Plan completed | Dismissed | Completed share, 2025 | Completed share, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama, Middle District | 4,212 | 2,101 | 2,108 | 49.9% | 56.0% |
| Alabama, Northern District | 5,281 | 2,296 | 2,981 | 43.5% | 48.4% |
| Alabama, Southern District | 2,696 | 1,399 | 1,297 | 51.9% | 56.5% |
| Alaska | 46 | 17 | 29 | 37.0% | 40.7% |
| Arizona | 1,835 | 883 | 952 | 48.1% | 51.9% |
| Arkansas (Eastern and Western Districts) | 3,757 | 1,845 | 1,910 | 49.1% | 51.3% |
| California, Central District | 3,685 | 1,252 | 2,431 | 34.0% | 38.8% |
| California, Eastern District | 2,166 | 844 | 1,322 | 39.0% | 48.3% |
| California, Northern District | 2,000 | 1,086 | 909 | 54.3% | 60.2% |
| California, Southern District | 678 | 319 | 358 | 47.1% | 50.3% |
| Colorado | 1,575 | 820 | 755 | 52.1% | 52.4% |
| Connecticut | 660 | 260 | 400 | 39.4% | 35.5% |
| Delaware | 586 | 341 | 244 | 58.2% | 54.5% |
| District of Columbia | 111 | 36 | 75 | 32.4% | 32.9% |
| Florida, Middle District | 4,431 | 1,530 | 2,895 | 34.5% | 35.9% |
| Florida, Northern District | 519 | 103 | 415 | 19.8% | 25.7% |
| Florida, Southern District | 5,741 | 2,768 | 2,971 | 48.2% | 52.7% |
| Georgia, Middle District | 3,695 | 1,708 | 1,986 | 46.2% | 54.6% |
| Georgia, Northern District | 8,522 | 2,491 | 6,030 | 29.2% | 32.2% |
| Georgia, Southern District | 3,095 | 1,682 | 1,412 | 54.3% | 56.8% |
| Guam | 10 | 10 | 0 | 100.0% | 80.0% |
| Hawaii | 393 | 227 | 166 | 57.8% | 61.5% |
| Idaho | 261 | 131 | 130 | 50.2% | 57.8% |
| Illinois, Central District | 697 | 383 | 312 | 54.9% | 61.7% |
| Illinois, Northern District | 7,821 | 3,364 | 4,456 | 43.0% | 47.5% |
| Illinois, Southern District | 733 | 383 | 349 | 52.3% | 54.3% |
| Indiana, Northern District | 2,597 | 1,088 | 1,509 | 41.9% | 53.6% |
| Indiana, Southern District | 3,620 | 1,989 | 1,630 | 54.9% | 61.3% |
| Iowa, Northern District | 126 | 52 | 74 | 41.3% | 54.2% |
| Iowa, Southern District | 301 | 160 | 141 | 53.2% | 52.2% |
| Kansas | 1,880 | 1,293 | 584 | 68.8% | 71.0% |
| Kentucky, Eastern District | 1,637 | 1,137 | 499 | 69.5% | 73.2% |
| Kentucky, Western District | 2,586 | 1,069 | 1,515 | 41.3% | 43.6% |
| Louisiana, Eastern District | 1,556 | 707 | 844 | 45.4% | 51.0% |
| Louisiana, Middle District | 469 | 139 | 330 | 29.6% | 44.8% |
| Louisiana, Western District | 3,794 | 1,522 | 2,261 | 40.1% | 47.9% |
| Maine | 149 | 103 | 46 | 69.1% | 69.6% |
| Maryland | 3,777 | 1,526 | 2,250 | 40.4% | 43.1% |
| Massachusetts | 1,600 | 654 | 944 | 40.9% | 44.4% |
| Michigan, Eastern District | 4,800 | 2,232 | 2,568 | 46.5% | 46.6% |
| Michigan, Western District | 887 | 450 | 437 | 50.7% | 55.3% |
| Minnesota | 1,787 | 1,036 | 751 | 58.0% | 64.9% |
| Mississippi, Northern District | 2,355 | 1,143 | 1,210 | 48.5% | 53.6% |
| Mississippi, Southern District | 2,338 | 1,072 | 1,265 | 45.9% | 53.3% |
| Missouri, Eastern District | 2,146 | 970 | 1,175 | 45.2% | 49.2% |
| Missouri, Western District | 2,005 | 1,110 | 894 | 55.4% | 61.1% |
| Montana | 113 | 71 | 42 | 62.8% | 69.7% |
| Nebraska | 809 | 555 | 253 | 68.6% | 69.9% |
| Nevada | 1,045 | 396 | 647 | 37.9% | 46.9% |
| New Hampshire | 213 | 100 | 113 | 46.9% | 61.9% |
| New Jersey | 4,940 | 2,072 | 2,864 | 41.9% | 47.0% |
| New Mexico | 230 | 115 | 115 | 50.0% | 57.8% |
| New York, Eastern District | 3,344 | 228 | 3,107 | 6.8% | 9.3% |
| New York, Northern District | 908 | 539 | 369 | 59.4% | 63.9% |
| New York, Southern District | 1,133 | 347 | 786 | 30.6% | 38.7% |
| New York, Western District | 730 | 324 | 404 | 44.4% | 53.9% |
| North Carolina, Eastern District | 3,137 | 1,789 | 1,348 | 57.0% | 57.0% |
| North Carolina, Middle District | 1,436 | 836 | 599 | 58.2% | 61.7% |
| North Carolina, Western District | 1,213 | 699 | 514 | 57.6% | 63.7% |
| North Dakota | 68 | 49 | 19 | 72.1% | 59.3% |
| Ohio, Northern District | 2,473 | 1,161 | 1,312 | 46.9% | 55.4% |
| Ohio, Southern District | 3,282 | 1,738 | 1,539 | 53.0% | 58.8% |
| Oklahoma, Eastern District | 93 | 42 | 50 | 45.2% | 51.6% |
| Oklahoma, Northern District | 148 | 66 | 81 | 44.6% | 64.5% |
| Oklahoma, Western District | 732 | 408 | 322 | 55.7% | 56.4% |
| Oregon | 1,721 | 803 | 917 | 46.7% | 60.6% |
| Pennsylvania, Eastern District | 2,583 | 1,189 | 1,393 | 46.0% | 43.5% |
| Pennsylvania, Middle District | 1,626 | 891 | 733 | 54.8% | 54.9% |
| Pennsylvania, Western District | 1,790 | 989 | 799 | 55.3% | 57.5% |
| Puerto Rico | 3,697 | 2,388 | 1,304 | 64.6% | 67.6% |
| Rhode Island | 227 | 106 | 121 | 46.7% | 59.0% |
| South Carolina | 3,234 | 1,377 | 1,857 | 42.6% | 50.0% |
| South Dakota | 134 | 76 | 58 | 56.7% | 60.8% |
| Tennessee, Eastern District | 3,146 | 1,511 | 1,633 | 48.0% | 57.5% |
| Tennessee, Middle District | 2,400 | 1,302 | 1,095 | 54.2% | 62.4% |
| Tennessee, Western District | 6,273 | 1,701 | 4,572 | 27.1% | 32.4% |
| Texas, Eastern District | 2,028 | 714 | 1,308 | 35.2% | 33.8% |
| Texas, Northern District | 3,987 | 1,080 | 2,906 | 27.1% | 32.4% |
| Texas, Southern District | 3,744 | 1,363 | 2,372 | 36.4% | 44.6% |
| Texas, Western District | 2,224 | 678 | 1,543 | 30.5% | 37.6% |
| Utah | 2,062 | 804 | 1,257 | 39.0% | 42.1% |
| Vermont | 61 | 35 | 26 | 57.4% | 70.7% |
| Virgin Islands | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Virginia, Eastern District | 4,588 | 2,076 | 2,511 | 45.2% | 50.0% |
| Virginia, Western District | 1,481 | 1,005 | 476 | 67.9% | 72.4% |
| Washington, Eastern District | 371 | 235 | 136 | 63.3% | 75.7% |
| Washington, Western District | 1,365 | 788 | 576 | 57.7% | 62.0% |
| West Virginia, Northern District | 117 | 76 | 41 | 65.0% | 65.9% |
| West Virginia, Southern District | 121 | 75 | 46 | 62.0% | 62.8% |
| Wisconsin, Eastern District | 2,605 | 1,210 | 1,395 | 46.4% | 51.6% |
| Wisconsin, Western District | 632 | 348 | 284 | 55.1% | 61.8% |
| Wyoming | 57 | 13 | 44 | 22.8% | 30.8% |
Completed and dismissed shares are our calculation from the courts’ counts. Arkansas reports its two districts together. A handful of closed cases are neither completed nor dismissed in the table, so the two shares can add to slightly less than 100%. Small districts can swing a lot from year to year.
Why it matters
Chapter 13 is a long commitment. Someone who files usually has to make plan payments for years, and most cases that close do not end in a completed plan. A dismissed case can leave a debtor still owing the debts, with collection and foreclosure able to resume, and with the bankruptcy filing still on their credit report.
What you can do if you are in or considering Chapter 13
- Before filing, ask a bankruptcy attorney to compare Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 for your situation, including whether the plan payment is realistic on your current budget.
- If your income drops during the plan, talk to your attorney or the Chapter 13 trustee right away. Plans can sometimes be modified, and the bankruptcy code allows a hardship discharge in limited situations when a debtor cannot finish the plan for reasons beyond their control.
- If a case is dismissed and you file again within a year, the automatic stay that stops collection can be limited for repeat filers unless the court extends it. Get legal advice before refiling.
- Free or low-cost help may be available through legal aid offices and court self-help resources. The U.S. Courts site explains the basics of each chapter.
What these numbers are
BAPCPA Table 6 counts Chapter 13 cases of individual debtors with mainly nonbusiness debts that closed during calendar 2025 by plan completion or dismissal. It covers cases filed on or after October 17, 2006. The "refiled after dismissal" figure counts new Chapter 13 cases filed in 2025 where a debtor had a Chapter 13 case dismissed within the prior six months; it is not a count of the 2025 dismissals that were refiled.
Source
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, BAPCPA Table 6 for the 12 months ending December 31, 2025, and the same table for 2024, downloaded October 19, 2026; part of the BAPCPA Report 2025. U.S. government data. Our tables are available under CC BY 4.0. Credit "My Credit Guide (mycreditguide.org)".
Steven Reynolds, "Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Outcomes by District," My Credit Guide, October 19, 2026, https://mycreditguide.org/data/chapter-13-outcomes-by-district/.