Salt Lake Tribune reporters Rosemary Winters and Julie DeHerrera analyzed 1,053 randomly selected bankruptcy cases filed during the last six months of 2003 and first six months of 2004 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Salt Lake City. Their sample was taken from a total of approximately 21,092 filings, with data gathering conducted between mid-May and the end of August 2004.

Their research captured up to 170 data items from each of the filings sampled, including information on the filers' employment; income for the previous three years; marital and family status; amounts and types of debt; numbers and types of creditors; legal actions, including garnishments and foreclosures; debt counseling; real and personal property; business ownership; and details on the filers' financial status and personal expenses at the time they went broke.

Statistical conclusions drawn from The Tribune's sample have a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, with a confidence level of 95 percent, a widely accepted standard.

Using data analysis by new media editor Tony Semerad, Winters and DeHerrera were joined by reporters Steven Oberbeck, Linda Fantin and Bob Mims in interviewing scores of bankruptcy filers, as well as attorneys and financial experts familiar with the subject, both in Utah and nationally.

The stories they produced were edited by business editor Lisa Carricaburu, with graphics generated by art editor Todd Adams.

The Tribune wishes to acknowledge employees of U.S. Bankruptcy Court for their courteous assistance during the research phase of this project.