FILING SEASON STATISTICS Cumulative statistics comparing 03/18/2016 and 03/17/2017 Calendar year-to-year comparisons are difficult at this early point in the season as four additional days of tax return processing are included in the 2016 totals. Early season refund numbers and dollar amounts are affected by the new law requiring refunds involving the Earned Income Tax Credit and Additional Child Tax Credit to be held until the later part of February. Many taxpayers claiming these credits traditionally file during the opening weeks of tax season. Individual Income Tax Returns: 2016 2017 % Change Total Returns Received 81.960,000 77,475,000 -5.5 Total Returns Processed 79,631,000 75,190,000 -5.6 E-filing Receipts: TOTAL 76,212,000 72,205,000 -5.3 Tax Professionals 41,558,000 38,548,000 -7.2 Self-prepared 34,654,000 33,657,000 -2.9 Web Usage: Visits to IRS.gov 247,070,498 231,360,122 -6.4 Total Refunds: Number 65,441,000 62,494,000 -4.5 Amount $189.896 Billion $183.158 Billion -3.5 Average refund $2,902 $2,931 1.0 Direct Deposit Refunds: 57,758,000 55,589,000 -3.8 Number $175.850 Billion $170.674 Billion -2.9 Amount $3,045 $3,070 0.8
