2019 Tax Tracker Week 12 — Final: Post-Tax-Day Wrap-Up — Number of Returns Up Slightly, Average Refund Down 2.0%

Executive Summary

The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tracks tax return filings on a weekly basis, and this report represents the final Tax Tracker for this year’s tax season.

• As of April 19, the IRS had received 137.2 million tax returns, up 0.2% year over year.
• A total of 95.7 million refunds had been issued as of that date (up 0.3% year over year), totaling $260.9 billion (down 1.7% year over year) and averaging $2,725 (down $55 or 2.0% year over year), implying a mismatch between withholding and the updated tax rates.
• Although the filing deadline has now passed, returns will still trickle in. As of this time last year, 85% of the year’s returns had been filed.