Refunds started off the tax season behind 2018 levels and fell further behind this month. The average refund was 9.2 percent lower for the period ended February 9, than for the corresponding period end Feb. 8, 2019, the Internal Revenue Service reported this week. The average refund for the season to date fell to $1,996, down from $2,918. For the period ended February 8, the IRS said average refund was 8.4 percent lower than in the measured period in 2018.
However, other statistics improved. The number of returns received through February 9 was 28,764,000, off 6.9 percent from 30,881,000. That was better than the first weekly report in which the number of returns received was 12.4 percent lower than a year earlier.
The rate of efiled returns also improved substantially. The total of 28,764,000 was off 6.9 0ercent from 30,881,000. That compared to a 12.4 percent slide in the first report.
Both self-prepared and professionally prepared refunds improved. There were 11,001,000 efiles submitted by tax professionals, down 12.5 percent from 12,575,000, compared to down 19.3 percent in the first weekly report. Self-prepared returned totaled 16,601,000, down 3.2 percent from 17,149,000 a year ago. The figure was of 9.2 percent previously.
