U.S. consumer bankruptcy filings increased nationwide in April from the same period a year ago, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI), relying on data from the National Bankruptcy Research Center. The overall April consumer filing total of 125,618 represented a 3.5 percent increase from the March total of 121,413. Chapter 13 filings constituted 26 percent of all consumer cases in April, slightly above the March rate.

Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code is available for an individual with regular income whose debts do no exceed specific amounts; it is typically used to budget some of the debtor's future earnings under a plan which unsecured creditors are paid in whole or in part.

"The filings reveal that American families are continuing to seek relief from the financial pressures of today's economy," said ABI Executive Director Samuel J Gerdano. "The April total is in line with our estimate of more than 1.4 million consumer cases to be filed in 2009."