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insolvency

finance
Written and fact-checked byThe Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
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Robert Trimble

insolvency, financial condition in which the total liabilities of an individual or enterprise exceed the total assets so that the claims of creditors cannot be paid. There are essentially two approaches in determining insolvency: insolvency in the equity sense and under the balance-sheet approach. Insolvency in the equity sense denotes the inability of the debtor to pay his debts as they become due in the ordinary course of business. Insolvency under the balance-sheet approach means that the total liabilities of the debtor exceed his total assets.

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Insolvency is distinguished from bankruptcy in that bankruptcy denotes a particular legal status to be determined and declared by judicial decree. For an individual or a corporation to be declared bankrupt, certain additional requirements, such as committing an act of bankruptcy, for example, are necessary. Thus, insolvency, although an essential factor, is not the sole ingredient necessary in determining bankruptcy.