Bankruptcy filings in Hawai'i swelled last month to their highest level this year as job losses and a contraction in the state's economy took their toll on consumer and business finances.

A review of U.S. Bankruptcy Court filings shows there were 215 filings in November, the most in any month this year. That was a 72 percent increase from a year earlier.

"Probably the thing that's concerning me the most right now is people who are losing jobs, losing income," said Wendy Burkholder, executive director of the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Hawaii.

"It's sort of like the weak have already fallen, and now you're starting to get to the folks who are more financially solid but can't sustain after a loss of income."

While most Hawai'i residents and companies remain solvent, this year is shaping up to have the biggest increase in bankruptcies since 2005, when people rushed to file before a change to more restrictive bankruptcy rules. Hawai'i has had one of the lowest per-capita bankruptcy rates in the nation, with a study earlier this year finding in the year ending June 30 there were 1.24 filings per 1,000 residents. That compared to the national average of 3.15.

Still, the number of petitions here have risen, with several notable filings this year, including Aloha Airlines, Hawaii Medical Center and Hilo Hattie.

Yesterday, Hawaiian Telcom filed for bankruptcy in Delaware. Last month, several local businesses sought out Bankruptcy Court, including Hilo baker O'Keefe & Sons and Pearl City contractor C & S Electric Inc.

Honolulu bankruptcy attorney Paul Meares said he is seeing a rise in Neighbor Island bankruptcies, especially those by people who have lost their jobs or whose work hours have been cut.

"I see a lot of people drawing unemployment now," said Meares.

"Instead of there being overuse of credit cards, what you mostly see is people losing their jobs."

November unemployment figures aren't out yet, but October's report from the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations shows the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 4.5 percent, or lower than the nation's 6.5 percent.

The unemployment rate is rising statewide, but the rate of increase has been faster on the Neighbor Islands than on O'ahu. The number of unemployed statewide was 30,250, or about two-thirds more than the year before.

"I think all the Neighbor Islands are hurting just as much if not more than O'ahu," said Burkholder, who added that she is seeing many people who previously were employed in construction, tourism and retailing.

The rising jobless rate means more Island residents are filing for unemployment benefits. For the week ended Nov. 22, there were 2,396 unemployment insurance claims filed, a 154 percent increase over the same period a year ago. It marked the ninth straight week that claims exceeded the 2,000 level.

Maui bankruptcy attorney David Cain reported he's seen a big rise in business, and that some of his new clients include former real estate and mortgage brokers who overextended themselves during better economic times.

Burkholder projects that Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Hawaii will end the year having counseled as many as 2,200 people, or nearly twice as many as in 2007. She said she expects the numbers to increase if the Islands move deeper into an economic slowdown.

"People generally are good and want to pay their debt, but they've sustained one hit after another hit after another hit."