The number of tax returns received by the IRS has fallen behind last year’s total for the second week in a row. Returns received through March 17 were .5 percent below those received by the Internal Revenue Services through March 18, 2022.
The prior week’s report showed returns down .1 percent from last year’s corresponding period. There were 71,861,0001040s received as of the latest report, down from 72,223,000 a year ago.
Efiles were flat with last year, down .1 percent from the prior year, but it was the first report to show a drop with the total of 71,861,000, down from 72,223,000. The number from paid professionals stayed up from 2022 totals with 35,239,000 returns efiled, an increase of 2.5 percent from 34,395,000 a year ago. Self-prepared efiles fell 2.6 percent to 34,535,000 from 35,457,000.
The number of refunds rose to 53,912,000, up 4.1 percent from 51,775,000. Average refunds remained behind 2022 levels, as they have all of this season dropping 11 percent to $2,933 from $3,305
Bob Scott has provided information to the tax and accounting community since 1991, first as technology editor of Accounting Today, and from 1997 through 2009 as editor of its sister publication, Accounting Technology. He is known throughout the industry for his depth of knowledge and for his high journalistic standards. Scott has made frequent appearances as a speaker, moderator and panelist and events serving tax and accounting professionals. He has a strong background in computer journalism as an editor with two former trade publications, Computer+Software News and MIS Week and spent several years with weekly and daily newspapers in Morris County New Jersey prior to that. A graduate of Indiana University with a degree in journalism, Bob is a native of Madison, Ind