That DIY gap has grown for each of the weekly reports issued by the IRS this year. Given the impact of the DIY efiles, the total number of returns dropped to 54,741,000, down 1.7 percent from 55,716,000 for the season through March 5, 2021.

Total efiles dropped 1.3 percent to 53,216,000 from 53,922,000 for last year’s corresponding period. Self-prepared efiles fell to 29,015,000 from 29,996,000 for the compared periods. Efiles from paid preparers stayed ahead of the year-ago filings, as they have in each report this season. For the season through March 4, professionals submitted 37,999,000 efiles, an increase of 5.4 percent from 36,049,000.

The number of refunds issued remained ahead of 2021. The IRS has issued 36,049,000 refunds for the reported season, a rise of 5.4 percent from 37,999,000 while the average refund continued to grow over last year’s level. This year’s average refund was reported as $3,462, up 14 percent from $3,036.

Bob Scott

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Bob Scott has provided information to the tax and accounting community since 1991, first as technology editor of Accounting Today, and from 1997 through 2009 as editor of its sister publication, Accounting Technology. He is known throughout the industry for his depth of knowledge and for his high journalistic standards.  Scott has made frequent appearances as a speaker, moderator and panelist and events serving tax and accounting professionals. He  has a strong background in computer journalism as an editor with two former trade publications, Computer+Software News and MIS Week and spent several years with weekly and daily newspapers in Morris County New Jersey prior to that.  A graduate of Indiana University with a degree in journalism, Bob is a native of Madison, Ind