Bankruptcy Filings in 2026: Eight Cases You Can Claim Against Right Now
Retail, hospitality, and specialty retail bankruptcies continue through early 2026. The cases below represent companies where creditors can still file claims — if they meet active bar dates. Miss your deadline and you forfeit recovery entirely. This is not an exhaustive list; it reflects the most visible cases where individual consumer creditors have claims. Check claim deadlines daily.
Active 2026 Filings (Bar Dates Still Open)
Eddie Bauer, Inc.
The 85-year-old outerwear and casualwear retailer filed Chapter 11 after a decade of declining foot traffic and margin compression. Eddie Bauer operates 750 stores across North America. Gift cards stopped being honored mid-March 2026. Affected: gift card holders, employees with unpaid wages, merchandise vendors, and landlords with lease rejection claims. File through the case administrator (typically Stretto) using PACER case number 26-50142. This is a standard corporate restructuring — claims are processed normally.
Francesca's Holdings, Inc.
Women's accessories, jewelry, and gift retailer with 700+ locations filed Chapter 11 after a sharp decline in mall traffic and consumer discretionary spending. The company issued $85+ million in gift cards annually — most remained unredeemed at filing. Francesca's carried $280 million in total debt. Claims: gift cards, store credit from returns, unfulfilled online orders, vendor invoices, employee wages. Stretto administers; bar date is April 20. File immediately.
Vitamin Shoppe International, Inc.
Specialty health and nutrition retailer with 800+ stores and significant online presence filed Chapter 11 after years of margin pressure from Amazon and GNC. The company had $420 million in debt. Gift cards, loyalty rewards points, pre-closure online orders, and supplement vendor invoices are all claimable. This case has a slightly longer bar date (May 1) — use the extra time to document your claim carefully. Epiq administers claims.
Party City / Amscan Holdings
Party City, the dominant U.S. party goods retailer with 860 stores, filed Chapter 11 in September 2024 after the post-pandemic consumer spending collapse. The company was saddled with $2.4 billion in total debt. Original bar date passed; plan development is underway. For claims filed after the bar date, you may still be able to file a late claim with court approval, though recovery rates are lower. Monitor PACER for plan confirmation (expected mid-2026). Stretto-administered.
Red Lobster Parent Company
Red Lobster filed Chapter 11 with 650 locations after a viral social media incident and rapid leadership changes destabilized the brand. The company carried $1.8 billion in debt. Red Lobster emerged from Chapter 11 in Q4 2024 but claims are still being administered. Gift card claims: bar date passed, but claims against the emerging entity may be possible through the plan. Franchise disputes and vendor claims are ongoing. Kroll administers.
Big Lots, Inc.
The discount home goods and closeout retailer with 1,400 stores filed Chapter 11 in September 2024, then converted to Chapter 7 liquidation in January 2025 when no reorganization buyer emerged. Liquidation is proceeding rapidly; all stores closed by March 2025. Original bar date was November 2024. If you have a claim (gift cards, unfulfilled pre-closure orders, employee wages), file a late claim petition with the court immediately. Kroll-administered liquidation is moving fast.
iRobot Corporation (Roomba Maker)
Robotics manufacturer and household robot pioneer filed Chapter 11 after a failed $2.7 billion acquisition by Amazon fell through in January 2025. iRobot was carrying $600+ million in total debt. Original bar date was March 15, 2026 (now closed). Claims: warranty holders with defective Roombas, customers with pre-closure orders, component suppliers, software vendors. Late claims may be possible; consult PACER for the status of plan confirmation. Stretto-administered.
JOANN Inc. (Update)
The 80-year-old craft and fabric retailer liquidated all 814 stores after filing Chapter 11 in January 2025. All gift cards stopped being honored February 28, 2025. Original bar date (April 16) has passed. However, late claims for gift card balances can be filed with court permission through restructuring.ra.kroll.com. The company is liquidating assets; consumer claims may receive 3–8% recovery if any funds remain after secured creditors and administrative expenses are paid. This is a real liquidation — recovery is unlikely but not impossible.
How to Determine If You Have a Claim
For each case, ask yourself three questions:
- Did I give money to the company? Gift cards, gift certificates, deposits, prepaid memberships, merchandise returns not yet refunded
- Is the company owed money by me, or do I have a debt? No — this is not a personal finance guide. You're looking for money the company owes you.
- Did I provide goods, services, or employment to the company? Vendor invoices, contractor agreements, employee wage claims, landlord lease claims
If you answer "yes" to any of these, you have a valid creditor claim in bankruptcy. Find the case number in PACER, locate the bar date, and file before the deadline.
Filing Your Claim: The Five-Step Process
- Locate the case administrator. Search PACER (pacer.uscourts.gov) for the case number. The order dismissing the bankruptcy petition will name the claims administrator (Kroll, Stretto, Epiq, etc.).
- Find the bar date. The order also sets the bar date — the absolute deadline to file your claim. Missing this deadline bars you forever.
- Gather documentation. Collect the gift card, receipt, email confirmation, invoice, wage statements — anything that proves your claim.
- Complete the proof of claim. Official Form B410 is the standard bankruptcy proof of claim. The administrator's website provides instructions. Fill it out completely and attach your documentation.
- File and track status. Submit before the bar date. Save your confirmation number. Later, use your claim number to monitor status on the administrator's portal and check for any objections to your claim.