Cumulative statistics comparing 03/04/2016 and 03/03/2017 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 66,723,000 61,063,000 -8.5 Total Returns Processed 64,441,000 59,073,000 -8.3 E-filing Receipts: TOTAL 62,636,000 57,435,000 -8.3 Tax Professionals 32,600,000 29,293,000 -10.1 Self-prepared 30,036,000 28,142,000 -6.3 Web Usage: Visits to IRS.gov 212,608,945 196,533,468 -7.6 Total Refunds: Number 53,508,000 49,352,000 -7.8 Amount $160.171 Billion $148.832 Billion -7.1 Average refund $2,993 $3,016 0.8 Direct Deposit Refunds: Number 48,309,000 44,822,000 -7.2 Amount $150.565 Billion $140.661 Billion -6.6 Average refund $3,117 $3,138 0.7
