IR-2010-112, Nov. 10, 2010 WASHINGTON — Nearly 99 million individuals filed their federal income tax returns electronically during 2010, a 3 percent increase in the IRS e-file rate. Of the 141.5 million returns filed so far this year, almost 70 percent were filed electronically. Each year, more taxpayers chose to e-file their tax returns. Last year, nearly 95 million taxpayers or 67 percent used e-file. In the past decade, the number of individual tax returns e-filed has increased by 145 percent. The overall number of individual tax returns increased only by 8 percent. IRS e-file is no longer is the exception; now it is the norm. Year Filed Total Returns e-filed Returns Percent e-filed 2001 130,965,000 40,244,000 30.73% 2002 131,728,000 46,892,000 35.60% 2003 131,557,000 52,944,000 40.24% 2004 132,200,000 61,507,000 46.53% 2005 133,933,000 68,476,000 51.13% 2006 136,071,000 73,255,000 53.84% 2007 140,188,000 79,979,000 57.05% 2008 153,650,000 89,853,000 58.48% 2009 141,376,000 94,980,000 67.18% 2010 141,536,000 98,740,000 69.76% Home Computer e-filers Taxpayers who prepare their own tax returns using home computers continued to set the pace for e-file. This year, more than 35 percent of e-filers prepared and filed their returns themselves. Almost 35 million returns were e-filed from home computers, up 8 percent from last year. Direct Deposit Refunds More than 74 million refunds were electronically deposited into taxpayers’ accounts, saving taxpayers a trip to the bank. More importantly, these taxpayers received their refunds at least a week faster than those receiving paper checks. These direct deposit refunds accounted for almost 69 percent of all refunds, up from 66 percent of refunds last year. Overall, the IRS issued 109 million refunds, averaging $2,994 per refund; direct deposit refunds averaged $3,189 per refund. 2010 FILING SEASON STATISTICS Cumulative through the weeks ending 11/06/09 and 11/05/10 Individual Income Tax Returns 2009 2010 % Change Total Receipts 143,529,000 141,536,000 -1.4% Total Processed 143,079,000 141,536,000 -1.4% E-filing Receipts: TOTAL 95,478,000 98,740,000 3.4% Tax Professionals 63,285,000 63,893,000 1.0% Self-prepared 32,193,000 34,847,000 8.2% Web Usage: Visits to IRS.gov 275,308,302 281,765,152 2.3% Total Refunds: Number 111,163,000 108,923,000 -2.0% Amount $315.290 Billion $326.125 Billion 3.4% Average refund $2,836 $2,994 5.6% Direct Deposit Refunds: Number 72,982,000 74,460,000 2.0% Amount $220.250 Billion $237.444 Billion 7.8% Average refund $3,018 $3,189 5.7% Subscribe to IRS Newswire
