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IRS Says Filing Season Is Going Smoothly

MAR. 4, 2021

IRS Says Filing Season Is Going Smoothly

DATED MAR. 4, 2021
DOCUMENT ATTRIBUTES
  • Institutional Authors
    Internal Revenue Service
  • Subject Area/Tax Topics
  • Jurisdictions
  • Tax Analysts Document Number
    2021-8958
  • Tax Analysts Electronic Citation
    2021 TNTF 43-21
    2021 TPR 10-7

Filing Season Statistics

There are several different ways to compare year-to-year statistics of tax returns filed.

The IRS has traditionally done a calendar-year to calendar-year comparison of filings. However, due to the unusual circumstances of this year's filing season and the pandemic, the IRS is also providing a look at numbers comparing filing season stats based on the number of days IRS processing systems have been open — not just based on the calendar.

Regardless of which set of numbers are used, the IRS notes this year's filing season is on track and progressing smoothly thanks to the work of IRS employees, tax professionals, tax filing industry partners and members of the Free File Alliance.

In addition, it's important to remember that exact comparisons are difficult every year early in the filing season due to differences in the calendar and differences in the opening date when the IRS begins accepting returns. Traditionally, it's not unusual to see declines in tax filings early in the filing season due to the calendar. Typically filing season data tend to catch up with the previous year's data as the filing season progresses and the closer it gets to the April 15 deadline.

Using the traditional set of year-to-year comparisons, the numbers of filings are down as are the related numbers of refunds because taxpayers began filing later than usual, but this is not surprising because there have been fewer processing days in 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. However, given the number of days the IRS has been open for processing, the number of tax returns filed each day is up sharply this year compared to 2020.

2021 FILING SEASON STATISTICS

Cumulative statistics comparing 2/28/2020 (day 33 of Filing Season 2020) and 02/26/2021, (day 15 of Filing Season 2021)

 

2020

2021

% Change

Individual Income Tax Returns:

 

 

 

Total Returns Received

59,305,000

45,271,000

-23.7

Total Returns Processed

57,085,000

39,402,000

-31.0

E-filing Receipts:

TOTAL

56,736,000

43,936,000

-22.6%

Tax Professionals

26,410,000

18,344,000

-30.5

Self-prepared

30,326,000

25,592,000

-15.6

Web Usage:

Visits to IRS.gov

291,906,000

493,500,000

69.1

Total Refunds:

Number

45,552,000

28,301,000

-37.9

Amount

$139.593 Billion

$85.484 Billion

-38.8

Average refund

$3,064

$3,021

-1.4

Direct Deposit Refunds:

Number

42,636,000

27,228,000

-36.1

Amount

$134.202 Billion

$83.408 Billion

-37.8

Average refund

$3,148

$3,063

-3.2

2021 FILING SEASON STATISTICS

Cumulative statistics comparing 2/14/2020 (19 days of Filing Season 2020) and 2/26/2021 (15 days of Filing Season 2021) — While all reports referenced are for a period ending on a Friday, FS 2020 started on a Monday and FS 2021 started on a Friday so the closest report for 2020 will always include 4 more days)

 

2020

2021

% Change

Individual Income Tax Returns:

 

 

 

Total Returns Received

39,622,000

45,271,000

14.3

Total Returns Processed

38,319,000

39,402,000

2.8

E-filing Receipts:

TOTAL

38,368,000

43,936,000

14.5

Tax Professionals

16,024,000

18,344,000

14.5

Self-prepared

22,344,000

25,592,000

14,5

Web Usage:

Visits to IRS.gov

165,294,000

493,500,000

198.6

Total Refunds:

Number

18,186,000∗

28,301,000

55.6

Amount

$36.565* Billion

$85.484 Billion

133.8

Average refund

$2,013*

$3,021

50.1

Direct Deposit Refunds:

Number

17,094,000*

27,228,000

59.3

Amount

$35.273* Billion

$83.408 Billion

136.5

Average refund

$2,064*

$3,063

48.4

* The PATH Act, Section 201 requires the IRS to hold refunds for tax returns claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) until February 15.

DOCUMENT ATTRIBUTES
  • Institutional Authors
    Internal Revenue Service
  • Subject Area/Tax Topics
  • Jurisdictions
  • Tax Analysts Document Number
    2021-8958
  • Tax Analysts Electronic Citation
    2021 TNTF 43-21
    2021 TPR 10-7
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