Editing Scouting America (section)

===Financial problems===
In recent decades, membership in Scouting America and income have declined.{{r|ldsmay2018}}

In addition, the organization spent millions of dollars to contest and settle lawsuits arising from sexual misconduct by BSA volunteers and employees dating back to the 1960s. From 2015 to 2017, it paid nearly $12&nbsp;million to the law firm Ogletree Deakins for litigation counsel.{{r|The Wall Street Journal}} In its 2018 annual report, BSA officials said that the organization's future financial situation would depend on the outcome of various litigation and its costs. The annual report said that the BSA may have "to pay damages out of its own funds to the extent the claims are not covered by insurance or if the insurance carriers are unable or unwilling to honor the claims."{{r|IJR RED}}

Accordingly, the BSA hired a law firm in December 2018 to investigate filing for [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11]] bankruptcy.{{r|Fox News}} Such a bankruptcy could stop litigation of at least 140 lawsuits and prevent further lawsuits.{{r|Education News}} In October 2019, the BSA raised membership rates to cover its increased operational expenses, particularly insurance costs.{{r|RateIncrease}}

On February 18, 2020, the organization filed for bankruptcy in the [[United States bankruptcy court|Bankruptcy court]] of the [[United States District Court for the District of Delaware|U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware]], listing liabilities of between $100 million and $500 million and assets of $1 billion to $10 billion. The bankruptcy filing came as the organization faced hundreds of sexual abuse lawsuits. As a result of the filing, all civil litigation against the organization was suspended.{{r|CNN}}{{r|Chap11}}{{r|Siemaszko}}{{r|Goodwyn}} Local Councils and units remained largely unaffected as they are standalone units.{{r|BankrPress}} BSA contends that it alone should be financially responsible for any settlements in the sex abuse case lawsuits.{{r|BSABankruptcy1}} Plaintiffs have complained that BSA is hiding its assets through its affiliates.{{r|BSABankruptcy2|BSABankruptcy3}} Critics of the filing derisively described the organization and its move as "bankrupt, but not because it's broke."{{r|notbroke}}