Arizona is just one of fifty states in the USA. By population, it is one of the smaller states. But the trends reflected in Arizona bankruptcies are being mirrored elsewhere, in all 50 states of the union...
azcentral.com
State bankruptcies on rise
Christine L. Romero
The Arizona Republic
July 10, 2002
More Arizona residents are dumping their ever-increasing debt loads by filing for personal bankruptcy.
Personal filings for the first five months of the year rose nearly 10 percent, to 11,389, compared with a year ago, according to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court District of Arizona. That's on pace to break the record set in 1997.
During the five months, 312 businesses filed for bankruptcy protection, about the same number as a year ago.
Lenient bankruptcy laws, mounting personal debt and the sluggish economy are being blamed for the increase.
"The continued record-breaking pace of new bankruptcy filings will likely fuel new calls for legislation making bankruptcy less available," said Samuel J. Gerdano, executive director of the American Bankruptcy Institute.
Last year, bankruptcy filings nationwide were a record 1.5 million, up 19 percent over 2000. That trend tracked in Arizona, where filings also rose 19 percent to 24,995, nearing the record 25,069 in 1997.
In addition, average credit card debt last year was $8,100 per U.S. household, 171 percent higher than the debt load carried in 1990, according to CardWeb.com, publisher of credit card data.
Another factor is the lessening stigma of filing bankruptcy, observers say.
"It's a change in society and the underlying value system," said Marshall Vest, a University of Arizona economist.
In the past, "It was an honor thing. You paid off your debts."
KJC |
