Efiles tightened the count, off .3 percent for the season as reported, to 69,543,000 from 69,774,000 in last year’s corresponding period.

Self-prepared efiles, which barely surpassed the 2023 totals in the prior statistical report, came in at 31,521,00, .4-percent higher than the 31,498,000 DIY efiles reported through March 15 last year. There were 34,880,000 efiles from paid preparers, 1-percent lower than than the 35,239,000 from the pros a year ago.

The total number of returns issued, 49,145,000 through March 15, gained significantly on last year, but remained 8.8-percent lower than the 53,912,000 a year earlier. The size of the average refund continued to rise, as it has throughout the season, reaching $3,109, an increase of 6 percent over $2,933 a year ago.