For the month of July, there were a total of 180 bankruptcy cases filed in the State of Hawaii. This is down 9.5% compared to July of 2012. Compared to this time last year, the totals through July show filings down about 16% compared to 2012. Stats available here.

I find this unusual. I normally expect there to be an increase in filings to follow an decrease in the unemployment rate. While it may seem counter-intuitive, people file bankruptcy when they have something they can lose. So if someone is back at work and have wages that can be garnished, bankruptcy becomes a more important issue.