In 2025, a total of 107,816 private insolvencies were recorded in Germany. This represents a significant increase of 7.8 percent compared to the previous year (2024: 99,991 cases). These figures are the key findings of the current “Debt Barometer 2025” published by the information service provider CRIF.
The rise to nearly 108,000 private insolvencies in 2025 marks the highest regular level in the past ten years. Although the number of private insolvencies in 2021 (109,032 cases) was even higher, this exceptionally elevated figure did not reflect the economic conditions at the time but was the result of a one‑off special effect. Many affected individuals had deliberately postponed filing for insolvency in 2020 to benefit from the legal reform that came into force on 1 January 2021, which shortened the period for discharge of residual debt. The duration of the process was reduced from six to three years, leading to a bundled wave of filings in 2021.The economic situation remains challenging for many people in Germany. “The year 2025 placed significant burdens on the German economy and on consumers. Above all, persistently high energy and food prices have noticeably increased the cost of living. As a result, the financial situation of many individuals remains strained,” emphasizes Dr. Frank Schlein, Managing Director of CRIF Germany.
The combination of rising costs, limited incomes, and increasing financial pressure is causing more and more households to deplete their savings and become unable to reliably meet ongoing obligations such as rent, loan, or installment payments. “We are observing that factors such as a large low‑wage sector, temporary or insecure employment conditions, and unemployment further exacerbate the risk of private insolvencies,” explains Dr. Schlein.
At the same time, it is becoming evident that many people’s financial resilience is weakening. “Despite a generally higher willingness to save, the reserves in many households are no longer sufficient to absorb the rising costs,” Dr. Schlein continues.
For 2026, CRIF expects the number of private insolvencies in Germany to remain high. “We currently anticipate 110,000 cases,” says Dr. Schlein.
The main causes of private insolvencies remain unchanged. These include unemployment or low income, failed self‑employment, family circumstances such as separation or divorce, health problems, as well as consumption patterns that do not match one’s income. The average amount of debt currently stands at around 15,000 euros.
Increase among young adults and people aged 61 and above
The strongest percentage increases in 2025 were recorded among very young adults and older individuals. Among those aged 18 to 20, private insolvencies rose by 52.6 percent, and among those aged 21 to 30, by 28.6 percent. Key contributing factors include lower financial resilience, spontaneous installment purchases, increasing use of “buy now, pay later” models, and a lack of savings.
A significant rise of 10.6 percent is also evident in the age group 61 and above. According to CRIF, this is primarily due to rising rental and energy costs, stagnating or declining pensions, and the loss of a partner. “The risk-of-poverty rate among older people has been above the national average for years—a trend that further reinforces the economic instability of this group. Older households are increasingly reaching their financial limits,” summarizes Dr. Frank Schlein.
Private insolvencies in 2025 vary significantly by region – highest rates in the North, strongest increases in Saarland and Baden‑Württemberg
Regional differences remained clearly visible in 2025. The average number of private insolvencies per 100,000 inhabitants in Germany was 127. The northern federal states continued to show particularly high values: Bremen once again ranked first with 201 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Hamburg with 177 cases and Lower Saxony with 172 cases. Also well above the national average were Schleswig‑Holstein (164 cases), Saarland (161 cases), Saxony‑Anhalt (143 cases) and North Rhine-Westphalia (142 cases). The lowest number of private insolvencies per capita was recorded in Bavaria and Thuringia, each with 86 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
In absolute terms, North Rhine‑Westphalia registered the highest number of private insolvencies in 2025 with 25,864 cases (2024: 24,654), followed by Lower Saxony with 14,024 cases (2024: 12,970) and Bavaria with 11,579 cases (2024: 10,592).
The strongest increase was recorded in Saarland, with +21.8 percent, followed by Baden‑Württemberg (+17.0 percent), Saxony (+14.4 percent), Hesse (+13.3 percent) and Rhineland‑Palatinate (+10.9 percent). Declines, on the other hand, were observed in Thuringia (–5.0 percent), Mecklenburg‑Western Pomerania (–3.4 percent), Bremen (–3.3 percent) and Berlin (–2.0 percent).
