According to 2009 statistics recently released by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, 1.4 million U.S. consumers filed for bankruptcy last year. Total consumer bankruptcy filings were up 32 percent over last year, and both the average wealth of filers and their average total debt load went up, especially in California.

Of all U.S. Chapter 13 bankruptcy filers, those in Northern California had, on average, both the highest income in the month before they filed and the highest expenses. Nationwide, the total assets consumers reported on their bankruptcy petitions was up 34 percent, meaning that relatively wealthier consumers were increasingly at risk for bankruptcy.

Approximately 71 percent of all consumer bankruptcies last year were filed under Chapter 7. People filing under Chapter 7 either make no more than the median income for their region or are demonstrably unable to pay even a portion of what they owe.

Of the 109,936 people who filed for Chapter 13 last year, 28 percent had filed for bankruptcy before within the last eight years.

The report, which is required as part of the 2005 bankruptcy law known as BAPCPA, compiles information provided by consumers on Chapter 7, Chapter 13 and Chapter 11 personal bankruptcy filings.

Most San Diego-Area Filers Owe Substantially More Than Their Total Assets

The numbers revealed by cases filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of California, which covers San Diego, were troubling.

A total of 19,487 consumers filed for bankruptcy in the district last year. Of those, 82 percent filed for Chapter 7 -- a substantially greater percentage than the national average.

Of all those who filed for consumer bankruptcy last year, the average person had assets of around $239,769 but owed $417,170. To break that down, the average Chapter 7 personal bankruptcy filer had about $212,637 in assets and owed $389,954. Chapter 13 filers owned an average of $391,279 in assets but had $563,468 in debt.

In Chapter 7 cases, 81 percent of what people reported as their assets was real estate; it was 79 percent for Chapter 13 filers.

Debtors categorized the vast majority of their debt as dischargeable in bankruptcy, meaning it fell into categories including mortgages, medical debt and general consumer obligations like car loans and credit card debt. Non-dischargeable debts such as taxes, alimony and child support, and student loans made up a negligible amount of the average filer's debt load -- only about $11,278.

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