That increase came during what the IRS called a strong start to the filing season.

For the consecutive week, filings for 2024 are narrowing the gap with 2023. For the most recently reported, the IRS received 44,584,000 returns, 3 percent fewer than the. 45,983,000 received through Feb. 2023.

There were 43,661,000 efiles for the season as reported, off 2.9 percent from 44,962,000 in last year’s corresponding period.

Taxpros were responsible for 19,290,000 efiles, 2.9 percent down from 20,239,000 a year ago. Self-prepared efiles were 4.7 percent behind the last season to date, coming it at 24,371,000, a 1.4-percent gap from 24,723,000, in last season’s comparable period.

The number of refunds issued were 17.6 percent behind the 2023 pace with this year’s 28,945,000 issued to date down from 35,142,000. However, for the second-straight reporting period, the average return grew. This season as reported saw the average at $3,213, 4.3 percent up from $3,079.

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