The number of returns received for the period reported were 59,305,000, an increase from 59,223,000 last year’s comparable period Similarly the pace of efiles received also improved. There were 56,736,000, a .4-percent rise from the 56,494,000 received for the period ended March 1 last year—efiles had been up .3 percent for the February 21 report.

The number of efiles from tax professionals remained down from a year ago, but also improved. There have been 26,410,000, off 2.2 percent from 27,017,000 but in the prior week’s report the total had been decreased from 2.9 percent over the prior year.

The pace of self-prepared efiles was 2.9 percent over the year ago total—holding steady from February 21 this year for the increase over 2019.. The total received were 30,326,000, an increase from 29,477,000 a year earlier.

The government handed out 45,552,000 in refunds for this year’s cumulative report, a drop of 1.9 percent from 46,416,000 for last year’s comparable period. The average report continued to wobble around, coming in at $3,064 for this year, down $4 from a year ago