The move to assisted preparation by companies such as Intuit and H&R Block hs probably been responsible for the fact that self-prepared efiles this season have been down from last year while efiles from paid preparers have generally been ahead of 2021

There were 91,260,000 total returns received by the Internal Revenue Service through April 1, a decrease of  2.1 percent from 93,202,000  for the season ended April 2, 2021.

Total efiles for the season as reported to date were 87,869,000, off .5 percent from 88,285,000 a year earlier. Professionally prepared efiles increased by 2 percent to 45,901,000, up from 44,992,000 in last year’s corresponding period. DIY efiles fell to 41,968,000, off 3.1 percent from  43,293,000.

Refunds havee been one area consistently ahead of last year's totals.  There were 63,357,000 refunds issued through April 1, an increase of 1.7 percent from 62,305,000 in last year’s corresponding period.

The average refund this season hit $3,226, rising 11.5 percent from $2,893.

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