Isle bankruptcies in May declined from a year ago

Consumers filed fewer bankruptcies in May compared to the same month a year ago as unemployment remained low due in part to construction-related gains and a stable economy.

There were no Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings in May. Chapter 11 is typically used by businesses seeking to reorganize debt.

However, of the 94 Chapter 7 bankruptcy cases filed in May seeking liquidation of debt, business debts were cited in seven of the cases, and two of those were filed by corporations: Maui-based Silversword Engineering Inc. and Honolulu-based Hi-Sea Distributors LLC.

The largest decline in bankruptcy filings, 22.2 percent, came in Chapter 13 filings, or so-called wage-earner cases, in which people with regular sources of income establish plans to repay creditors over time.

County by county, Kauai was the only one to have an increase in bankruptcy filings in May, during which seven cases were filed, compared to three in May 2014.

Filings in Honolulu dropped to 90 from 96. Hawaii County accounted for 11 filings, versus 14 a year ago; and there were 28 filings in Maui County versus 37 in the year-ago period.