IR-2008-39, March 12, 2008
WASHINGTON — One quarter of all individual tax returns so far this filing season is being processed by the Internal Revenue Service’s modernized account information computer system.
Known as the Customer Account Data Engine, or CADE, the system has successfully processed 15.1 million individual tax returns through March 7, more than 25 percent of all those processed so far this year by the IRS. The number of tax returns processed this year by CADE has already topped the 11.2 million returns the system handled for all of last year.
“This system is the centerpiece of our modernization efforts at the IRS,” said Richard Spires, IRS Deputy Commissioner for Operations Support. “CADE is handling significantly more tax returns each year. The long-term investment in this program is paying off with meaningful results for the American taxpayer.”
CADE, which is at the core of the effort to replace many of the agency’s aging systems, dramatically speeds up internal IRS processing, permitting taxpayer accounts to update on a daily basis. The older system updates only on a weekly basis.
“This supports better customer service for the taxpayers, processes refunds quicker and helps the IRS better administer the nation’s tax system,” Spires said.
The IRS is rolling out CADE in a series of “releases,” each improving on and adding to the system capabilities. The current release, launched in January, permits CADE to process certain 1040, 1040A and 1040EZ forms, as well as schedules C, E and F for Form 1040 and a number of other IRS schedules, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).
CADE was envisioned to replace the legacy Master File system, parts of which date back to the Kennedy Administration. CADE will eventually house the account information of more than 200 million individual and business taxpayers.
The IRS will process nearly 140 million individual tax returns in 2008 and collect approximately $2 trillion in federal government revenue.

In addition, the IRS today issued the latest two weeks of filing season statistics.
 

2008 FILING SEASON STATISTICS


Cumulative through the weeks ending 3/9/07 and 3/7/08


Individual Income Tax Returns


2007


2008


% Change


Total Receipts


61,124,000


63,383,000


3.7%


Total Processed


56,975,000


59,270,000


4.0%


 


 


 


 


E-filing Receipts:


 


 


 


TOTAL


45,497,000


48,795,000


7.2%


Tax Professionals


32,156,000


33,419,000


3.9%


Self-prepared


13,342,000


15,377,000


15.3%


 


 


 


 


Web Usage:


 


 


 


Visits to IRS.gov


81,664,000


91,686,000


12.3%


 


 


 


 


Total Refunds:


 


 


 


Number


51,700,000


53,176,000


2.9%


Amount


$129.992


Billion


$136.976


Billion


5.4%


Average refund


$2,514


$2,576


2.4%


 


 


 


 


Direct Deposit Refunds:


 


 


 


Number


39,088,000


41,665,000


6.6%


Amount


$110.090


Billion


$117.808


Billion


7.0%


Average refund


$2,816


$2,827


0.4%

 
 

2008 FILING SEASON STATISTICS


Cumulative through the weeks ending 3/2/07 and 2/29/08


Individual Income Tax Returns


2007


2008


% Change


Total Receipts


54,173,000


55,704,000


2.8%


Total Processed


49,691,000


51,240,000


3.1%


 


 


 


 


E-filing Receipts:


 


 


 


TOTAL


41,221,000


43,777,000


6.2%


Tax Professionals


29,002,000


29,738,000


2.5%


Self-prepared


12,220,000


14,027,000


14.8%


 


 


 


 


Web Usage:


 


 


 


Visits to IRS.gov


74,187,000


82,613,000


11.4%


 


 


 


 


Total Refunds:


 


 


 


Number


45,420,000


46,539,000


2.5%


Amount


$117.078


Billion


$122.716


Billion


4.8%


Average refund


$2,578


$2,637


2.3%


 


 


 


 


Direct Deposit Refunds:


 


 


 


Number


35,645,000


37,748,000


5.9%


Amount


$101.540


Billion


$107.955


Billion


6.3%


Average refund


$2,849


$2,860


0.4%

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