Chapter 12 — Family Farmer & Fisherman
Open-data reference.
National trend FY2015–FY2024 · 0.1% of all filings in FY2024
Statistical information only — not legal advice. Consult a bankruptcy attorney for guidance on your specific situation.
What is Chapter 12?
Specialized reorganization for family farmers and commercial fishermen. Similar to Chapter 13 but with higher debt limits and provisions tailored to seasonal income patterns.
Who Files
Family farmers (at least 50% of income from farming, debt $12.4M or under for individuals/$12.4M for family partnerships) and family fishermen with similar criteria.
Timeline
3–5 year repayment plan, similar to Chapter 13.
FY2024 National
776
Total Chapter 12 filings
0.1%
Share of all bankruptcy filings
Chapter 12 Filings by Year
States Ranked by Chapter 12 Filings
| Rank | State | Ch. 12 Filings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 84 |
| 2 | Texas | 52 |
| 3 | Florida | 52 |
| 4 | Georgia | 46 |
| 5 | New York | 35 |
| 6 | Illinois | 29 |
| 7 | Tennessee | 29 |
| 8 | Ohio | 28 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania | 24 |
| 10 | Michigan | 23 |
| 11 | Alabama | 22 |
| 12 | North Carolina | 22 |
| 13 | New Jersey | 22 |
| 14 | Arizona | 20 |
| 15 | Virginia | 18 |
| 16 | Indiana | 18 |
| 17 | Louisiana | 15 |
| 18 | Missouri | 15 |
| 19 | Washington | 15 |
| 20 | Maryland | 14 |
| 21 | Nevada | 13 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | 13 |
| 23 | South Carolina | 13 |
| 24 | Colorado | 12 |
| 25 | Kentucky | 12 |
| 26 | Minnesota | 11 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | 11 |
| 28 | Mississippi | 11 |
| 29 | Massachusetts | 10 |
| 30 | Oregon | 10 |
| 31 | Utah | 10 |
| 32 | Arkansas | 8 |
| 33 | Kansas | 7 |
| 34 | Iowa | 6 |
| 35 | Connecticut | 5 |
| 36 | New Mexico | 5 |
| 37 | Nebraska | 5 |
| 38 | West Virginia | 4 |
| 39 | Idaho | 4 |
| 40 | Hawaii | 4 |
| 41 | Maine | 3 |
| 42 | Delaware | 3 |
| 43 | New Hampshire | 2 |
| 44 | Montana | 2 |
| 45 | Rhode Island | 2 |
| 46 | Alaska | 2 |
| 47 | Vermont | 1 |
| 48 | Wyoming | 1 |
| 49 | North Dakota | 1 |
| 50 | South Dakota | 1 |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 1 |
What the Chapter 12 Data Shows
Nationally, Chapter 12 (Family Farmer & Fisherman) filings totaled 776 in FY2024, representing 0.1% of all bankruptcy petitions filed in federal court that year. Across the 10-year window AOUSC publishes (FY2015–FY2024), Chapter 12 volumes fell 6.1% — from 826 in the earliest year to 776 most recently. Specialized reorganization for family farmers and commercial fishermen. Similar to Chapter 13 but with higher debt limits and provisions tailored to seasonal income patterns.
Who uses this chapter: Family farmers (at least 50% of income from farming, debt $12.4M or under for individuals/$12.4M for family partnerships) and family fishermen with similar criteria. Expected timeline: 3–5 year repayment plan, similar to Chapter 13. Geographic concentration is substantial — in FY2024, California alone recorded 84 Chapter 12 filings, and the highest-volume states include California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, New York. These distributions are not random: they are shaped by state exemption laws, the means-test income threshold for Chapter 7 eligibility, local trustee and court practices, attorney fee conventions, and homeownership rates that influence whether debtors choose liquidation or repayment paths.
These statistics describe the overall population of Chapter 12 cases; they do not predict the outcome of any individual filing. Chapter 13 plan completion rates, Chapter 7 discharge denials, Chapter 11 plan confirmations, and Chapter 12 operational-restructuring success all vary widely by district, debtor circumstance, and creditor posture. This page is statistical information only and is not legal advice; anyone considering whether Chapter 12 is appropriate for their situation should consult a licensed bankruptcy attorney who can evaluate income, assets, debt composition, and the specific rules of the relevant judicial district.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chapter 12 bankruptcy?
Specialized reorganization for family farmers and commercial fishermen. Similar to Chapter 13 but with higher debt limits and provisions tailored to seasonal income patterns.
Who is eligible to file Chapter 12?
Family farmers (at least 50% of income from farming, debt $12.4M or under for individuals/$12.4M for family partnerships) and family fishermen with similar criteria.
How long does Chapter 12 take?
3–5 year repayment plan, similar to Chapter 13.
How many Chapter 12 cases were filed in FY2024?
There were 776 Chapter 12 bankruptcy filings nationally in FY2024, representing 0.1% of all bankruptcy filings. Filing data is from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.
Which states have the most Chapter 12 filings?
The top states for Chapter 12 filings in FY2024 are California, Texas, Florida. State-level filing rates reflect differences in exemption laws, income levels, and economic conditions.
Bankruptcy Guides
Chapter 7 vs Chapter 13
Data-driven comparison of the two most common filing types.
The Means Test
How income determines Chapter 7 eligibility.
State Exemptions
What assets you can protect in bankruptcy.
Bankruptcy Timeline
From filing to discharge, step by step.
Business Bankruptcy
Chapter 11 restructuring trends and patterns.
Related Financial Data
PlainAttorney
Attorney discipline records and state bar actions — find qualified bankruptcy attorneys.
PlainCredit
Consumer credit scores and debt levels by state — context for bankruptcy rates.
PlainLender
Mortgage lending data and origination stats — housing debt drives many filings.
PlainTaxData
Federal tax statistics by state — tax debt is a common bankruptcy trigger.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- U.S. Courts Bankruptcy Statistics — federal bankruptcy filing data by chapter + district. uscourts.gov/data-news/bankruptcy-data
- PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) — individual case docket access. pacer.uscourts.gov
- DOJ U.S. Trustee Program — federal oversight of bankruptcy cases. justice.gov/ust
- CFPB Consumer Credit Trends — Bankruptcy — consumer-finance + bankruptcy correlation. consumerfinance.gov/data-research/consumer-credit-trends
- IRS Treasury Offset Program — discharge-related federal tax data. irs.gov/businesses/declaring-bankruptcy
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — household economic context for filing-rate analysis. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs