Fewer Utahns are filing for bankruptcy these days, but behind those numbers are plenty of families still struggling to make ends meet in a state that claims one of the best economies in the nation, the Salt Lake Tribune reported today. David Sime, clerk of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for Utah, reports that bankruptcy filings by Utahns dropped 14 percent in the first three months of 2013, compared with the same period a year ago. The decline represents a continuing trend that started in late 2011 and resulted in the number of bankruptcy petitions dropping by 12 percent last year — the first significant drop in filings in Utah in more than six years. Despite the decline, Utah’s bankruptcy numbers remain comparatively high nationally, with the state claiming the sixth-highest filings per capita — 5.01 for every 1,000 residents, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute. Utah’s falling numbers, though, paralleled what happened nationally. "Bankruptcy filings continue to fall due to persistent low interest rates, reduced consumer spending and sustained deleveraging by businesses and households," said Sam Gerdano, executive director of the ABI.
