Two Out of Three Individuals Now Using IRS e-file

 

Notice: Historical Content


This is an archival or historical document and may not reflect current law, policies or procedures.

IR-2009-99, Nov. 2, 2009

WASHINGTON — Individuals e-filed a record 95 million federal income tax returns during 2009, up almost 6 percent from last year’s total of nearly 90 million. About two out of three taxpayers e-filed this year; out of the 141 million returns filed so far this year, over 67 percent were e-filed, compared to 59 percent last year.

Each year, more taxpayers chose to e-file their tax returns. While the total number of tax returns has increased 10 percent during the past decade, the number filed electronically has increased by 168 percent. Taxpayers who e-file from a home computer continue to be an increasingly significant segment of those who e-file.

 

Year

  Filed

Total

Returns

e-Filed

  Returns

Percent

e-filed

2000

128,430,000

35,412,000

27.57%

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%

 

Home Computer e-filers

This year, for the first time, more than a third of e-filers are those doing it themselves from a home computer More than 32 million returns were e-filed from home computers, up almost 20 percent from last year’s record of 27 million. People filing from their home computers account for about 34 percent of all e-filed returns from individuals.

Direct Deposit Refunds

Almost 73 million refunds were electronically deposited into taxpayer’s accounts, saving the government mailing costs and saving taxpayers a trip to the bank. More importantly, these taxpayers received their refunds a week sooner than those receiving a paper check.

These direct deposit refunds accounted for 66 percent of all refunds, up from 62 percent of refunds last year. Overall, the IRS issued 110 million refunds, averaging $2,753 per refund; direct deposit refunds averaged $2,997 per refund.

Free File

More than 3 million taxpayers filed their tax returns for free through the IRS free file program. This year for the first time, taxpayers could also file directly to the IRS by completing a Form 1040 on IRS.gov; 273,000 taxpayers used this new way to file.

 

 

2009 FILING SEASON STATISTICS

 

Cumulative through the weeks ending 10/17/08 and 10/16/09

 

Individual Income Tax Returns

2008

2009

% Change

Total Receipts

153,650,000

141,376,000

-8.0%

Total Processed

152,759,000

140,718,000

-7.9%

 

 

 

 

E-filing Receipts:

 

 

 

TOTAL

89,853,000

94,980,000

5.7%

Tax Professionals

62,932,000

62,786,000

-0.23%

Self-prepared

26,921,000

32,193,000

19.6%

 

 

 

 

Web Usage:

 

 

 

Visits to IRS.gov

323,463,010

266,631,821

-17.57%

 

 

 

 

Total Refunds:

 

 

 

Number

106,200,000

110,071,000

3.6%

Amount

$251.827

Billion

$303.069

Billion

20.3%

Average refund

$2,371

$2,753

16.1%

 

 

 

 

Direct Deposit Refunds:

 

 

 

Number

66,240,000

72,717,000

9.8%

Amount

$179.708

Billion

$217.915

Billion

21.3%

Average refund

$2,713

$2,997

10.5%

 

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