I read an article the other day about how people who had filed for bankruptcy had grown almost 40 percent this past year. The American Bankruptcy Institute released the data that backed up these findings. This year more than 800,000 people filed for bankruptcy in order to seek relief from their debts. That is up from just under 575,000 the year before. Another interesting fact from the article said that 21 percent of those who filed for bankruptcy were from southern states like Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi and Georgia. It also talked about how those who file for bankruptcy are required to take bankruptcy counseling with a government approved agency before they are able to file. Those who complete their counseling receive a certificate, which is then included in the papers that are filed in bankruptcy court. The counseling agencies, which tend to average between 25,000 and 30,000 people per month, say that a lot of people are in debt because of medical issues and expenses. Another interesting fact that is notable is the fact that bankruptcy filings dropped from November to December, in large part due to the fact that most law offices and court systems close during the holiday season.