

IR-2015-25, Feb. 6, 2015
WASHINGTON — The 2015 tax filing season is off to a strong start with most taxpayers filing their returns electronically and choosing direct deposit for their refunds, according to the Internal Revenue Service.
As of Jan. 31, the IRS received more than 14 million tax returns this year. More than 13 million of those returns have been filed electronically, an indication that more taxpayers are realizing the benefits that e-filing offers.
“We encourage taxpayers to e-file their returns since it is the quickest, safest and most accurate way to file and the fastest way to get a refund,” said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. “We also urge taxpayers to take advantage of the many online resources available through our web site.”
IRS.gov has been accessed more than 65 million times this year, up 49 percent from the same time last year.
Filing a complete and accurate return is more crucial than ever to prevent refund delays or discrepancies.
The IRS has issued 7.6 million refunds worth $26.8 billion; the average refund is worth $3,539. More than 96 percent of all refunds have been paid through direct deposit. In total, 7.3 million refunds worth $26.2 billion have been directly deposited to taxpayer accounts.
Follow the IRS on New MediaSubscribe to IRS Newswire
 

2015 FILING SEASON STATISTICS


Cumulative statistics comparing 1/31/14[1] and 1/30/15

Individual Income Tax Returns:

2014


2015


% Change

Total Receipts

11,169,000


14,026,000


25.6

Total Processed

11,036,000


13,897,000


25.9

 

 


 


 

E-filing Receipts:

 


 


 

TOTAL           

10,418,000


13,327,000


27.9

Tax Professionals

4,212,000


5,857,000


39.1

Self-prepared

6,206,000


7,469,000


20.4

 

 


 


 

Web Usage:

 


 


 

Visits to IRS.gov

43,996,932


65,561,078


49.0

 

 


 


 

Total Refunds:

 


 


 

Number

3,838,000


7,595,000


97.9

Amount

$12.351

billion

$26.882

billion

117.7

Average refund

$3,218


$3,539


10.0

 

 


 


 

Direct Deposit Refunds:

 


 


 

Number

3,715,000


7,310,000


96.8

Amount

$12.053

billion

$26.213

billion

117.5

Average refund

$3,244


$3,586


10.5

[1] When comparing the tax filings as of Jan 31, 2015 and the same time last year it must be remembered that the 2014 filing season began ten days later — Jan. 30, 2014 — because the process for updating IRS systems saw significant delays in October 2013 as a result of the 16-day federal government closure.
 


