2026 Filing season statistics — individual income tax returns
Cumulative statistics comparing May 2, 2025, and May 1, 2026.
| Return/Refund Category | 2025 | 2026 | %Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total returns received | 144,762,000 | 143,667,000 | -0.8 |
| Total returns processed | 142,188,000 | 142,539,000 | 0.2 |
| Total e-filing returns received (may not equal subtotals due to rounding) | 138,923,000 | 140,234,000 | 0.9 |
| E-filing returns received from tax professionals | 74,445,000 | 74,678,000 | 0.3 |
| E-filing returns received from self-prepared | 64,478,000 | 65,557,000 | 1.7 |
| Web usage, IRS.gov visits | 343,761,000 | 554,375,000 | 61.3 |
| Total number of refunds | 91,959,000 | 97,918,000 | 6.5 |
| Total amount refunded | $271.012 billion | $320.473 billion | 18.3 |
| Average refund amount | $2,947 | $3,273 | 11.1 |
| Total number of direct deposit refunds | 86,096,000 | 98,134,000 | 14.0 |
| Total amount refunded with direct deposit | $260.813 billion | $320.660 billion | 22.9 |
| Average direct deposit refund amount | $3,029 | $3,268 | 7.9 |
[1] Total refunds issued represents refunds for returns received and processed in 2026 – current year returns only. The number of direct deposit refunds represents refunds for current and prior year returns processed in 2026.