The IRS processed 147,223,000 returns this year, which was 61,000 fewer than processed in 2012. Meanwhile, the number of efiled returns hit 122,515,000, an increase of 2.5 percent from 119,560,000 the prior year.
There were 45,247,000 self-prepared returns that were e-filed, up from 43,238,000 in 2012. Tax professionals efiled 77,268,000 returns for 2013, an increase of 1.2 percent from 76,322,000. That number shows that the trend in the shift to D-I-Y, which means primarily the use of online tax preparation, has continued for the last few years.
The IRS also reported that the number of refunds and average refund also declined from 2012 to 2013. There were 109,261,000 refunds this year, off .9 percent from 110,224,000 last year. The average return was $2,744, a decrease of 1.8 percent from $2,794.
The number of direct deposit refunds rose although the total amount paid out and average refund dropped. There were 83,728,000 direct deposit refunds in 2103, up 1.2 percent. However, the average fell by 1.9 percent to $2,925.