The Internal Revenue Service issued slightly fewer, but slightly larger, refunds last tax season, but saw a more than 1% jump in the total number of returns received and processed.
The agency said that through Oct. 17, it has issued 102,122,000 refunds, compared to 103,185,000 for the 2024 season. The average 2025 refund was $3,052, up 1.6% over 2024. There were 93,196,000 direct deposit refunds, down slightly from 2024 figures.
(The IRS
The agency said that it has received 163,594,000 2025 returns, a 1.3% increase over the 161,489,000 returns for 2024. It has processed 163,024,000 returns in 2025, a 1.1% jump over the 161,260,000 returns it had processed this time last year.
In other 2025 filing season
- The IRS received 161,260,000 e-filed returns, a 1.8% jump over 2024. Tax pros e-filed 86,758,000 of those, a 2.3% year-over-year increase.
- Visits to IRS.gov were up slightly, at 868,140,000.
| Return/Refund category | 2024 | 2025 | % change |
| Total returns received | 161,489,000 | 163,594,000 | 1.3 |
| Total returns processed | 161,260,000 | 163,024,000 | 1.1 |
| Total e-filing returns received | 150,811,000 | 153,597,000 | 1.8 |
| E-filing returns from tax pros | 84,780,000 | 86,758,000 | 2.3 |
| E-filing returns, self-prepared | 66,031,000 | 66,839,000 | 1.2 |
| Web usage, IRS.gov visits | 865,363,000 | 868,140,000 | 0.3 |
| Total number of refunds | 103,185,000 | 102,122,000 | -1 |
| Total amount refunded | $309.929 billion | $311.651 billion | 0.6 |
| Average refund amount | $3,004 | $3,052 | 1.6 |
| Total number of direct deposit refunds | 93,506,000 | 93,196,000 | -0.3 |
