Cumulative statistics comparing 02/26/2016 and 02/24/2017 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 58,304,000 52,096,000 -10.6 Total Returns Processed 56,290,000 50,419,000 -10.4 E-filing Receipts: TOTAL 55,081,000 49,371,000 -10.4 Tax Professionals 27,709,000 24,220,000 -12.6 Self-prepared 27,372,000 25,151,000 -8.1 Web Usage: Visits to IRS.gov 193,235,495 175,337,226 -9.3 Total Refunds: Number 46,533,000 41,427,000 -11.0 Amount $142.085 Billion $127.227 Billion -10.5 Average refund $3,053 $3,071 0.6 Direct Deposit Refunds: Number 42,551,000 38,121,000 -10.4 Amount $134.649 Billion $121.325 Billion -9.9 Average refund $3,164 $3,183 0.6
