Insight Report2019 Tax Tracker Week 11: Total Filings Turn Positive but Refunds Down Just Three Days Before Filing Deadline Coresight Research April 23, 2019 Executive SummaryThe US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tracks tax return filings on a weekly basis. As of April 12, the IRS had received 119.4 million tax returns, up 0.7% year over year. A total of 84.4 million refunds had been issued as of that date (down 1.9% year over year), totaling $236.0 billion (down 3.1% year over year) and averaging $2,795 (down $36 or 1.3% year over year), implying a mismatch between withholding and the updated tax rates. The top three expected uses for refunds were savings (50% of respondents expecting refunds said they would save the money), paying down debt (34%) and everyday expenses (22%), according to a recent Tax Returns Survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF). Already a subscriber? Log in You are currently viewing a preview of this report. Please select an access option to view the full report. Hide Options - Show Options + Get unlimited access to all our research with one of our subscription plans. View Subscription Plans or Contact us to purchase this report. Contact us ✕ This document was generated for Other research you may be interested in: Weekly US Store Openings and Closures Tracker 2025, Week 39: Skims Continues To Expand Its FootprintUS Retail Sales Outlook—Preview: Latest Retail Projections in the Absence of Government DataUS Store Tracker Extra, October 2025: Rite Aid Takes Total Closed Retail Space to 143 Million Square FeetAnalyst Corner: Chinese Consumers Still Embrace International Brands—If Those Brands Deliver: Three Key Findings from a New Study, with John Harmon