The prior report showed returns were down .5 percent and behind the first report in March when they rose .4 percent over last year’s corresponding period.

The IRS reported it received 80,683,000 for the most recently reported period, off  from 81,371,000 a year ago.

The number of efiles submitted also continued to slip behind the 2022 totals with 78,167,000 this year, a drop of .3 percent from 78,426,000. 

Efiles submitted by paid preparers stayed ahead of last year’s totals with 40,671,000 filed this year versus 39,909,000. But the 1.9 percent increase over last year was less than 2.5 percent registered for the period ended March 17. Self-prepared returns fell by 2.7 percent to 37,496,000 from 38,517,000.

There were 59,342,000 refunds issued for the season as reported, up 26 percent from 57,830,000. The average refund stayed behind 2022 levels, falling 11 percent to $2,903 from $3,263.

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