Poll: Business bankruptcies to increase

ALEXANDRIA, Va — A majority of respondents in a recent ABI Quick Poll believe that business bankruptcy filings will increase by more than 10 percent in 2012.

Sixty-eight percent agree (31 percent “strongly agreed” and 37 percent “somewhat agreed”) that business filings will increase by more than 10 percent this year. Twenty-five respondents to the current poll disagree (7 percent “strongly disagreed” and 18 percent “somewhat disagreed”) that business filings will increase more than 10 percent in 2012. Five percent “did not know or had no opinion” on the question.

Total commercial filings for calendar year 2011 fell to 74,142, representing a 19 percent decline from the 92,070 business filings recorded in 2010, according to data from Epiq Systems Inc. However, the fallout from the recent recession continues to take a toll on U.S. businesses as access to credit remains tight and debt levels are elevated.

ABI’s Quick Poll is posted on ABI’s home page, www.abiworld.org. ABI members and the public are invited to respond to a question on a timely bankruptcy or insolvency issue. Visit http://www.abiworld.net/quickpoll/ to access the results of previous ABI Quick Polls.