IR-2007-100, May 15, 2007
WASHINGTON — The recently completed 2007 tax filing season set a number of electronic records, highlighted by over 76 million electronically-filed individual tax returns and more than 140 million visits to IRS.gov, the Internal Revenue Service said today.
“E-file and our other electronic services helped us deliver a strong filing season for the nation’s taxpayers,” said IRS Acting Commissioner Kevin M. Brown. “Again this year, millions of additional taxpayers gave up paper tax returns to file electronically. E-file and IRS.gov were among several factors that helped us overcome one of the most challenging filing seasons ever for the IRS.”
This year’s tax season saw a surge in electronic filing among last-minute filers, a group that has traditionally sent in paper returns. During the week that included this year’s tax-filing deadline (April 14 to 20) alone, the number of electronically-filed returns received by the IRS jumped 35 percent over the same week last year, even though the overall number of returns (paper and electronic) received during the same week only rose 12 percent.
New records were also set for the number of returns e-filed by home computer users, the number of balance-due returns filed electronically and the number and amount of direct-deposit refunds. Among the highlights of new statistics released today:
The over 76.7 million e-filed returns accepted through May 4 topped the more than 73.2 million electronically-filed returns received for all of 2006. It’s also an 8.9 percent increase over last year at this time, with most of the increase coming in March and April. Based on current trends, the agency expects about 58 percent of all returns to be e-filed this year. Taxpayers who filed for extensions can use e-file until Oct. 15.
A record 22 million taxpayers e-filed from a home computer, up 11 percent over the same time last year and eclipsing 2006’s year-long total of 20.3 million.
This filing season visits to IRS.gov, the agency’s popular Web site, climbed almost 10 percent to more than 140 million.
The average refund this year is $2,255, a 2.5 percent increase over last year at this time. More than 59 million refunds, a new record, were deposited directly into savings, checking and brokerage accounts, representing more than 61 percent of all refunds issued. Those who choose direct deposit get their refunds at least a week sooner. Available year-round, direct deposit eliminates the chance of a lost, stolen or undeliverable refund. Taxpayers claiming refunds who have not yet filed may want to consider using direct deposit to get a head start on their 2007 IRA contribution.
Nearly $158 billion have been directly deposited so far this year, an 11 percent jump over last year at this time. This surpasses the 2006 year-end total of $149.2 billion.
The number of balance-due returns filed electronically surged 14.2 percent to a record 9.4 million. For all of last year, almost 8.9 million balance-due returns were filed electronically.
 

2007 FILING SEASON STATISTICS


Cumulative through the weeks ending 5/5/06 and 5/4/07


Individual Income Tax Returns


2006


2007


% Change


Total Receipts


124,383,000


127,959,000


2.9%


Total Processed


110,558,000


114,122,000


3.2%


 


 


 


 


E-filing Receipts:


 


 


 


TOTAL


70,501,000


76,771,000


8.9%


Tax Professionals


50,624,000


54,693,000


8.0%


Self-prepared


19,877,000


22,078,000


11.1%


 


 


 


 


Web Usage:


 


 


 


Visits to IRS.gov


127,580,000


140,159,000


9.9%


 


 


 


 


Total Refunds:


 


 


 


Number


92,612,000


96,266,000


3.9%


Amount


$203.685


Billion


$217.066


Billion


6.6%


Average refund


$2,199


$2,255


2.5%


 


 


 


 


Direct Deposit Refunds:


 


 


 


Number


54,848,000


59,217,000


8.0%


Amount


$142.028


Billion


$157.880


Billion


11.2%


Average refund


$2,590


$2,666


3.0%

 
 

2007 FILING SEASON STATISTICS


Cumulative through the weeks ending 4/21/06 and 4/20/07


Individual Income Tax Returns


2006


2007


% Change


Total Receipts


122,721,000


124,965,000


1.8%


Total Processed


102,148,000


105,159,000


2.9%


 


 


 


 


E-filing Receipts:


 


 


 


TOTAL


70,069,000


76,159,000


8.7%


Tax Professionals


50,329,000


54,324,000


7.9%


Self-prepared


19,740,000


21,835,000


10.6%


 


 


 


 


Web Usage:


 


 


 


Visits to IRS.gov


121,635,000


133,496,000


9.8%


 


 


 


 


Total Refunds:


 


 


 


Number


85,151,000


88,168,000


3.5%


Amount


$190.521


Billion


$203.021


Billion


6.6%


Average refund


$2,237


$2,303


2.9%


 


 


 


 


Direct Deposit Refunds:


 


 


 


Number


53,056,000


57,155,000


7.7%


Amount


$138.304


Billion


$153.486


Billion


11.0%


Average refund


$2,607


$2,685


3.0%

 
 
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