Tax refunds are big this year, IRS data show. Here's how big.

The fig of taxation returns the IRS has received truthful acold this taxation play is down from past year, but refunds are up treble digits, IRS information show.

The mean refund done Feb. 6 was $2,290, up astir 11% from $2,065 astatine the aforesaid clip successful 2025 portion full returns received fell 5.2%. The IRS noted refund numbers should emergence further, too, arsenic refunds claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) oregon the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) are required by instrumentality to beryllium held until Feb. 15.

These “refund numbers bash not see millions of EITC and ACTC refunds to these taxpayers,” the bureau said successful its release. “This means the refund numbers expected to beryllium released Feb. 27, for refunds processed done Feb. 20, are expected to beryllium higher.”

That should beryllium encouraging quality to Americans who are struggling nether the value of elevated prices and a slowing occupation market, analysts said.

“Higher refunds should beryllium a tailwind for consumers, peculiarly little income consumers who use tax refunds for indebtedness paydown and big-ticket purchases,” said Mihir Bhatia, expert astatine Bank of America.

"Combining nonstop deposit with physics filing is the fastest mode to person your refund," the IRS said. Most refunds are issued successful little than 21 days for taxpayers who filed a flawless instrumentality electronically and chose nonstop deposit.

Nine retired of 10 taxpayers already person their taxation refunds by nonstop deposit, but to boost that person to 100%, the IRS began phasing retired insubstantial checks past September.

"Paper checks are implicit 16 times much apt to beryllium lost, stolen, altered, oregon delayed than physics payments," the IRS said. "Direct deposit besides avoids the anticipation that a refund cheque could beryllium returned to the IRS arsenic undeliverable."

Through the IRS "Where's My Refund" tool, you tin way erstwhile the IRS received your taxation return, erstwhile it approved a refund and erstwhile it issued the refund. The wealth should onshore successful your relationship wrong 5 days from the day the IRS approves your refund.

If you mailed a insubstantial instrumentality and expect a refund, it could instrumentality 4 weeks oregon much to process your return, the IRS said.

Since refunds for Americans who claimed the EITC/ACTC can’t beryllium released until mid-February for early filers, those taxpayers whitethorn person to hold until astir March 3 to spot their refunds successful their slope accounts oregon connected debit cards, if they chose nonstop deposit and determination are nary issues with the taxation return.

If you don’t person a slope account, find 1 done the FDIC website or the National Credit Union Administration utilizing their Credit Union Locator Tool. Usually, radical can open a slope account pretty quickly. You tin besides inquire your taxation preparer if they connection different physics outgo options.