Income Tax Return, efile Statistics

eFile, Tax
Statistics

The IRS has reported that as of October 2020, approximately 151,812,000 tax returns had been efiled for Tax Year 2019. This is a 10.1% increase compared to the number of returns efiled for Tax Year 2018 at the same time last year (approximately 137,866,000). The tread among taxpayers to efile is shown in the charts below.

eFilers Versus Paper Filers

United States taxpayers who prepare and efile their own tax returns continues to grow steadily. In 2020 (for Tax Year 2019), over 71,761,000 taxpayers have prepared and efiled their federal tax returns themselves as of October 2020.
Tax Refunds via Direct Bank Deposit: As of October 2020, over 101,298,000 taxpayers have received faster federal tax refunds via direct bank deposits into bank accounts through electronic transfers. The average tax refund received by direct deposit is $2,577.
A wide range of statistical tax return data for 2019.

eFile Tax Return Statistics (by Tax Year)

TY Filed	Total Returns Filed	Number of Returns efiled	Percent of Total Returns efiled
2019***	165,624,000	151,812,000	91.66%
2018**	155,798,000	138,217,000	88.72%
2017*	154,444,000	135,459,000	87.71%
2016	152,544,000	131,851,000	86.43%
2015	150,927,000	128,784,000	85.33%
2014	149,684,000	125,821,000	86.02%
2013	148,197,000	114,422,000	77.21%
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 October 16, 2020 - 2019 Tax Year Returns filed in 2020

**As of December 27, 2019 - 2018 Tax Year Returns filed in 2019

*As of November 23, 2018 - 2017 Tax Year Returns filed in 2018

2020 Tax Season (2019 Tax Year) e-File Statistics

(Cumulative through October 18, 2019 and October 16, 2020)

Individual Income Tax Returns	2019	2020	% Change
Total Receipts	154,297,000	165,624,000	7.3
Total Processed	153,721,000	159,376,000	3.7
e-filing Receipts:
Total	137,866,000	151,812,000	10.1
Tax Professionals	80,294,000	80,051,000	-0.3
Self-prepared	57,572,000	71,761,000	24.6
Total Refunds:
Number	110,582,000	123,416,000	11.6
Amount	$307.563 Bill.	$305.555 Bill.	-0.7
Average refund	$2,781	$2,476	-11.0
Direct Deposit Refunds:
Number	91,544,000	101,298,000	10.7
Amount	$268.662 Bill.	$261.015 Bill.	-2.8
Average refund	$2,935	$2,577	-12.2

2019 Tax Season (2018 Tax Year) efile Statistics

(Cumulative through December 27, 2018 and December 28, 2019)

Individual Income Tax Returns	2018	2019	% Change
Total Receipts	153,383,000	154,297,000	0.6
Total Processed	152,827,000	153,721,000	0.6
e-filing Receipts:
Total	135,459,000	138,217,000	2.0
Tax Professionals	80,286,000	80,630,000	0.4
Self-prepared	55,173,000	57,587,000	4.4
Total Refunds:
Number	112,154,000	111,811,000	-0.03
Amount	$326.333 Bill.	$320.805 Bill.	-1.7
Average refund	$2,910	$2,869	-1.4
Direct Deposit Refunds:
Number	90,164,000	92,059,000	2.1
Amount	$273.697 Bill.	$274.253 Bill.	0.2
Average refund	$3,036	$2,979	-1.9

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
e-filing 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
e-filing 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
e-filing 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%
e-Filing 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%
e-Filing 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%
e-Filing 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%
e-Filing 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%
e-Filing 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%
e-Filing 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%

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