More Americans are filing for personal bankruptcy, with more than half a million cases filed last year, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

That's nearly 50% higher than the number of filings reported three years earlier.

Experts say that while bankruptcy has long carried a stigma, growing financial pressures are leading more people to seek relief from debt.

Although personal bankruptcy filings have risen steadily since 2023, they remain below the levels seen before the pandemic.