Dim Bulb: The number of Americans filing for bankruptcy in 2010 increased 9 percent from the previous year to more than 1.53 million, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute and the National Bankruptcy Research Center. The 2010 figure far outpaces the 1.41 million total consumer filings that were recorded during 2009, a difference the American Bankruptcy Institute attributes to high debt and a stagnant economy. December was a particularly bad month for consumers, with 118,146 total filings, an increase of 3 percent from November’s level.