

IR-2015-57, March 20, 2015
WASHINGTON — As taxpayers are preparing their returns, they continue to turn to the information and tools on IRS.gov, which can assist anyone preparing a return.
Visits to IRS.gov have increased by 11 percent compared to the same time last year, totaling more than 215 million visits according to filing season statistics released today. There have been 15 million new visits in just the past week.
Taxpayers who have filed their returns and are waiting for their refunds can use the Where’s My Refund? tool, which has been accessed 164 million times as of March 13. The site enables taxpayers to track the status of their refund. Initial information will normally be available within 24 hours after the IRS receives the taxpayer’s e-filed return or four weeks after the taxpayer mails a paper return to the IRS. The system updates every 24 hours, so there’s no need to check more often. 
More than 11 million copies of previously filed tax information have been obtained online with the IRS Get Transcript application. In the past, these inquiries, which are now being answered online, would have required the taxpayer to order it by phone and wait up to 10 calendar days for it to arrive in the mail or visit an IRS office for a copy.
Four other frequently used tools on IRS.gov include: 
Request an Electronic Filing PIN
Find Answers to Your Tax Questions 
Check Status of Your Amended Return  
Renew or Obtain a PTIN for 2015
From access to tax forms, instructions and publications to online tools, such as the Interactive Tax Assistant, IRS.gov can answer most taxpayer questions — getting taxpayers the tax help they need, when they need it.
IRS information is also available through e-readers and other mobile devices as an eBook. If taxpayers still need printed forms or instructions, they can place their order online at IRS.gov/orderforms. Publication 17 is only available from the IRS online, and certain other products like Form 1040 EZ and Form 1099-Misc are not available at TACs this year. Similarly, the tax forms available from community partners, like libraries, have also been reduced. 
[The filing season statistics table follows.]
 

2014 FILING SEASON STATISTICS


Cumulative statistics comparing 3/14/14 and 3/13/15


Individual Income Tax Returns:


2014


2015


% Change

Total Receipts

75,101,000


74,455,000


-0.9

Total Processed

73,157,000


72,706,000


-0.6

 

 


 


 


E-filing Receipts:


 


 


 

TOTAL           

68,966,000


69,189,000


0.3

Tax Professionals

39,413,000


38,089,000


-3.4

Self-prepared

29,553,000


31,100,000


5.2

 

 


 


 


Web Usage:


 


 


 

Visits to IRS.gov

194,206,816


215,612,739


11

 

 


 


 


Total Refunds:


 


 


 

Number

61,645,000


60,320,000


-2.1

Amount

$179.793

Billion

$177.240

Billion

-1.4

Average refund

$2,917


$2,938


0.7

 

 


 


 


Direct Deposit Refunds:


 


 


 

Number

52,770,000


53,485,000


1.4

Amount

$158.983

Billion

$164.407

Billion

3.4

Average refund

$3,013


$3,074


2.0

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