Income Tax Return Statistics
Important: This page will be updated with more 2019 efiling statistics as the IRS makes the information available.
The IRS has reported that as of May 2019, about 127,939,000 million tax returns were efiled for Tax Year 2018. There has been a steady increase in the number of tax returns that are efiled each year. The ever-growing trend among taxpayers to efile is shown in the charts below.
eFilers versus Paper Filers
- United States taxpayers who self prepare and efile their own tax returns has continued to grow. In 2019 (for Tax Year 2018), over 56,214,000 million taxpayers have prepared and efiled their federal tax returns themselves as of May 2019.
- Tax Refunds via Direct Bank Deposit: As of May 2019, over 86,965,000 million taxpayers have received faster federal tax refunds via direct bank deposits into bank accounts through electronic bank transfers. The average tax refund received by direct deposit is $2,868.
e-file Tax Return Statistics (by Tax Year)
| Year Filed |
Total Returns |
efiled Tax Returns |
Percent efiled |
| 2018** |
141,567,000 |
127,939,000 |
92% |
| 2017* |
154,444,000 |
135,459,000 |
92% |
| 2016 |
152,544,000 |
131,851,000 |
92% |
| 2015 |
150,927,00 |
128,784,000 |
91% |
| 2014 |
149,684,000 |
125,821,000 |
86.02% |
| 2013 |
148,197,000 |
114,422,000 |
84.69% |
| 2012 |
135,473,000 |
112,089,000 |
82.74% |
| 2011 |
145,320,000 |
112,203,000 |
77.21% |
| 2010 |
141,536,000 |
98,740,000 |
69.76% |
| 2009 |
141,376,000 |
94,980,000 |
67.18% |
| 2008 |
153,650,000 |
89,853,000 |
58.48% |
| 2007 |
140,188,000 |
79,979,000 |
57.05% |
| 2006 |
136,071,000 |
73,255,000 |
53.84% |
| 2005 |
133,933,000 |
68,476,000 |
51.13% |
| 2004 |
132,200,000 |
61,507,000 |
46.53% |
| 2003 |
131,557,000 |
52,944,000 |
40.24% |
| 2002 |
131,728,000 |
46,892,000 |
35.60% |
| 2001 |
130,965,000 |
40,244,000 |
30.73% |
**As of May 10, 2019
*As of November 23, 2018
2019 Tax Season (2018 Tax Year) efile Statistics
(Cumulative through May 11, 2018 and May 10, 2019)
| Individual Income Tax Returns |
2018 |
2019 |
% Change |
| Total Receipts |
141,531,000 |
141,567,000 |
0.0 |
| Total Processed |
135,883,000 |
136,139,000 |
0.2 |
| efiling Receipts: |
| Total |
126,040,000 |
127,939,000 |
1.5 |
| Tax Professionals |
72,111,000 |
71,725,000 |
-0.5 |
| Self-prepared |
53,929,000 |
56,214,000 |
4.2 |
| Total Refunds: |
| Number |
102,582,000 |
101,590,000 |
-1.0 |
| Amount |
$284.927 Bill. |
$277.258 Bill. |
-1.7 |
| Average refund |
$2,778 |
$2,729 |
-1.7 |
| Direct Deposit Refunds: |
| Number |
85,297,000 |
86,965,000 |
2.0 |
| Amount |
$250.732 Bill. |
$249.434 Bill. |
-0.5 |
| Average refund |
$2,940 |
$2,868 |
-2.4 |
2018 Tax Season (2017 Tax Year) efile Statistics
(Cumulative through November 24, 2017, and November 23, 2018)
| Individual Income Tax Returns |
2017 |
2018 |
% Change |
| Total Receipts |
151,825,000 |
154,444,000 |
1.7 |
| Total Processed |
151,446,000 |
154,058,000 |
1.7 |
| efiling Receipts: |
| Total |
132,319,000 |
135,459,000 |
2.4 |
| Tax Professionals |
78,924,000 |
80,286,000 |
1.7 |
| Self-prepared |
53,395,000 |
55,173,000 |
3.3 |
| Total Refunds: |
| Number |
111,709,000 |
111,911,000 |
0.2 |
| Amount |
$322.599 Bill. |
$324.426 Bill. |
0.6 |
| Average refund |
$2,888 |
$2,899 |
0.4 |
| Direct Deposit Refunds: |
| Number |
89,402,000 |
90,067,000 |
0.7 |
| Amount |
$270.250 Bill. |
$272.980 Bill. |
1.0 |
| Average refund |
$3,023 |
$3,031 |
0.3 |
2017 Tax Season (2016 Tax Year) efile Statistics
(Cumulative through April 22, 2016, and April 21, 2017)
| Individual Income Tax Returns |
2016 |
2017 |
% Change |
| Total Receipts |
136,528,000 |
135,638,000 |
-0.7 |
| Total Processed |
129,456,000 |
128,789,000 |
-0.5 |
| efiling Receipts: |
| Total |
122,546,000 |
122,164,000 |
-0.3 |
| Tax Professionals |
70,864,000 |
70,401,000 |
-0.7 |
| Self-prepared |
51,682,000 |
51,763,000 |
0.2 |
| Total Refunds: |
| Number |
97,079,000 |
97,104,000 |
0.0 |
| Amount |
$263.197 Bill. |
$268.296 Bill. |
1.9 |
| Average refund |
$2,711 |
$2,763 |
1.9 |
| Direct Deposit Refunds: |
| Number |
81,221,000 |
81,646,000 |
0.5 |
| Amount |
$234.269 Bill. |
239.410 Bill. |
2.2 |
| Average refund |
$2,884 |
$2,932 |
1.7 |
2016 Tax Season (2015 Tax Year) efile Statistics
(Cumulative through December 25, 2015 and December 30, 2016)
| Individual Income Tax Returns |
2015 |
2016 |
% Change |
| Total Receipts |
150,991,000 |
152,544,000 |
1.0 |
| Total Processed |
150,727,000 |
152,250,000 |
1.0 |
| efiling Receipts: |
| Total |
128,784,000 |
131,851,000 |
2.4 |
| Tax Professionals |
78,406,000 |
78,736,000 |
0.4 |
| Self-prepared |
50,378,000 |
53,115,000 |
5.4 |
| Total Refunds: |
| Number |
109,426,000 |
111,069,000 |
1.5 |
| Amount |
$306.016 Bill. |
$317.615 Bill. |
3.8 |
| Average refund |
$2,797 |
$2,860 |
2.3 |
| Direct Deposit Refunds: |
| Number |
86,228,000 |
88,416,000 |
2.5 |
| Amount |
$254.944 Bill. |
$264.822 Bill. |
3.9 |
| Average refund |
$2,957 |
$2,995 |
1.3 |
2015 Tax Season (2014 Tax Year) efile Statistics
(Cumulative through December 26, 2014, and December 25, 2015)
| Individual Income Tax Returns |
2014 |
2015 |
% Change |
| Total Receipts |
149,685,000 |
150,927,000 |
0.8% |
| Total Processed |
149,510,000 |
150,694,000 |
0.8% |
| efiling Receipts: |
| Total |
125,821,000 |
128,784,000 |
2.4% |
| Tax Professionals |
77,875,000 |
78,406,000 |
0.7% |
| Self-prepared |
47,946,000 |
50,378,000 |
5.1% |
| Total Refunds: |
| Number |
109,499,000 |
109,426,000 |
-0.1% |
| Amount |
$305.734 Bill. |
$306.016 Bill. |
0.1% |
| Average refund |
$2,792 |
$2,797 |
0.2% |
| Direct Deposit Refunds: |
| Number |
83,995,000 |
86,228,000 |
2.7% |
| Amount |
$245.088 Bill. |
$254.944 Bill. |
4.0% |
| Average refund |
$2,918 |
$2,957 |
1.3% |
2014 Tax Season (2013 Tax Year) efile Statistics
(Cumulative through Dec. 27, 2013, and Dec. 26, 2014)
| Individual Income Tax Returns |
2013 |
2014 |
% Change |
| Total Receipts |
148,197,000 |
149,684,000 |
1.0% |
| Total Processed |
147,910,000 |
149,510,000 |
1.1% |
| efiling Receipts: |
| Total |
122,515,000 |
125,821,000 |
2.7% |
| Tax Professionals |
77,268,000 |
77,875,000 |
0.8% |
| Self-prepared |
45,247,000 |
47,946,000 |
6.0% |
| Total Refunds: |
| Number |
109,563,000 |
109,499,000 |
-0.1% |
| Amount |
$301.836 Bill. |
$305.734 Bill. |
1.3% |
| Average refund |
$2,755 |
$2,792 |
1.4% |
| Direct Deposit Refunds: |
| Number |
83,836,000 |
83,995,000 |
0.2% |
| Amount |
$245.596 Bill. |
$245.088 Bill. |
-0.02% |
| Average refund |
$2,929 |
$2,918 |
-0.4% |
2013 Tax Season (2012 Tax Year) efile Statistics
(Cumulative through Dec. 28, 2012, and Dec. 27, 2013)
| Individual Income Tax Returns |
2012 |
2013 |
% Change |
| Total Receipts |
148,203,000 |
148,035,000 |
-0.1% |
| Total Processed |
147,697,000 |
147,725,000 |
0.02% |
| efiling Receipts: |
| Total |
119,560,000 |
122,515,000 |
2.5% |
| Tax Professionals |
76,322,000 |
77,268,000 |
1.2% |
| Self-prepared |
43,238,000 |
45,247,000 |
4.6% |
| Total Refunds: |
| Number |
110,471,000 |
109,563,000 |
-0.8% |
| Amount |
$309.648 Bill. |
$301.863 Bill. |
-2.5% |
| Average refund |
$2,803 |
$2,755 |
-1.7% |
| Direct Deposit Refunds: |
| Number |
82,809,000 |
83,814,000 |
1.2% |
| Amount |
$247.1269 Bill. |
$245.464 Bill. |
-0.7% |
| Average refund |
$2,984 |
$2,929 |
-1.9% |
2012 Tax Season (2011 Tax Year) efile Statistics
(Cumulative through Dec. 30, 2011, and Dec. 03, 2012)
| Individual Income Tax Returns |
2011 |
2012 |
% Change |
| Total Receipts |
145,320,000 |
148,390,000 |
+2.1% |
| Total Processed |
145,062,000 |
147,891,000 |
+1.9% |
| efiling Receipts: |
| Total |
112,203,000 |
119,589,000 |
+6.6% |
| Tax Professionals |
72,403,000 |
76,019,000 |
5.0% |
| Self-prepared |
33,998,000 |
38,272,000 |
+12.6% |
| Total Refunds: |
| Number |
101,820,000 |
102,728,000 |
+0.9% |
| Amount |
$293.263 Bill. |
$288.151 Bill. |
-1.7% |
| Average refund |
$2,880 |
$2,805 |
-2.6% |
| Direct Deposit Refunds: |
| Number |
72,056,000 |
76,276,000 |
+5.9% |
| Amount |
$226.061 Bill. |
$232.312 Bill. |
+2.8% |
| Average refund |
$3,137 |
$3,046 |
-2.9%
|
2011 Tax Season (2010 Tax Year) efile Statistics
(Cumulative through Jun. 06, 2010, and Jun. 03, 2011)
| Individual Income Tax Returns |
2010 |
2011 |
% Change |
| Total Receipts |
132,050,000 |
133,808,000 |
+1.3% |
| Total Processed |
129,054,000 |
132,530,000 |
+2.7% |
| efiling Receipts: |
| Total |
94,604,000 |
106,233,000 |
+12.3% |
| Tax Professionals |
60,607,000 |
67,962,000 |
+12.1% |
| Self-prepared |
39,800,000 |
43,570,000 |
+9.4% |
| Total Refunds: |
| Number |
109,330,000 |
110,471,000 |
+1.0% |
| Amount |
$318.529 Bill. |
$309.648 Bill. |
-2.8% |
| Average refund |
$2,913 |
$2,803 |
-3.8% |
| Direct Deposit Refunds: |
| Number |
79,146,000 |
82,827,000 |
+4.7% |
| Amount |
$246.080 Bill. |
$247.209 Bill. |
+0.5% |
| Average refund |
$3,109 |
$2,985 |
-4.0% |
2010 Tax Season (2009 Tax Year) efile Statistics
(Cumulative through Nov. 06, 2009, and Nov. 05, 2010)
| Individual Income Tax Returns |
2009 |
2010 |
% Change |
| Total Receipts |
143,529,000 |
141,536,000 |
-1.4% |
| Total Processed |
143,079,000 |
141,536,000 |
-1.4% |
| efiling Receipts: |
| Total |
95,478,000 |
98,740,000 |
3.4% |
| Tax Professionals |
63,285,000 |
63,893,000 |
1.0% |
| Self-prepared |
32,193,000 |
34,847,000 |
8.2% |
| Total Refunds: |
| Number |
111,163,000 |
108,923,000 |
-2.0% |
| Amount |
$315.290 Bill. |
$326.125 Bill. |
3.4% |
| Average refund |
$2,836 |
$2,994 |
5.6% |
| Direct Deposit Refunds: |
| Number |
72,982,000 |
74,460,000 |
2.0% |
| Amount |
$220.250 Bill. |
$237.444 Bill. |
7.8% |
| Average refund |
$3,018 |
$3,189 |
5.7% |
Cut down on unclaimed checks and get a faster tax refund by using efile and choosing direct deposit!
