Cumulative statistics comparing 03/11/2016 and 03/10/2017 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 74,456,000 69,403,000 -6.8 Total Returns Processed 72,164,000 67,290,000 -6.8 E-filing Receipts: TOTAL 69,527,000 64,953,000 -6.6 Tax Professionals 37,148,000 34,093,000 -8.2 Self-prepared 32,379,000 30,860,000 -4.7 Web Usage: Visits to IRS.gov 231,878,508 214,973,517 -7.3 Total Refunds: Number 59,727,000 56,220,000 -5.9 Amount $175.881 Billion $167.146 Billion -5.0 Average refund $2,945 $2,973 1.0 Direct Deposit Refunds: Number 53,295,000 50,499,000 -5.2 Amount $164.058 Billion $156.810 Billion -4.4 Average refund $3,078 $3,105 0.9
