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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