The number of efiled returns also stayed ahead with the pronounced move to D-I-Y filing remaining strong. Almost 2,300,000 retirms came in after the report for the week ended April 22 was released.  Of those, there were 329,000 efiles from paid professionals, and 148,000 self-prepared, leaving the rest coming in via paper.

The number of self-prepared efiles hit 51,830,000 for the most recent report, up 5.7 percent from 49,030,000. For two reporting weeks in a row the number of efiles from tax professionals was .5 percent higher than the comparable periods in 2015, rising to 71,193,000 returns from 70,835,000. The half-a-percent rise was the best from the paid professionals for the season.