Tax Season Sets Records For E-file, Direct Deposit, IRS.gov

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The recently completed 2007 tax filing season set a number of electronic records, highlighted by more than 76 million electronically-filed individual tax returns and more than 140 million visits to IRS.gov, the Internal Revenue Service said this week.

“E-file and our other electronic services helped us deliver a strong filing season for the nation’s taxpayers,” said IRS Acting Commissioner Kevin M. Brown. “Again this year, millions of additional taxpayers gave up paper tax returns to file electronically. E-file and IRS.gov were among several factors that helped us overcome one of the most challenging filing seasons ever for the IRS.”

This year’s tax season saw a surge in electronic filing among last-minute filers, a group that has traditionally sent in paper returns. During the week that included this year’s tax-filing deadline — April 14 to 20 — alone, the number of electronically filed returns received by the IRS jumped 35 percent over the same week last year, even though the overall number of returns (paper and electronic) received during the same week rose only 12 percent.

New records were also set for the number of returns e-filed by home computer users, the number of balance-due returns filed electronically, and the number and amount of direct-deposit refunds. Among the highlights of new statistics are:

*The 76.7 million-plus e-filed returns accepted through May 4 topped the more than 73.2 million electronically filed returns received for all of 2006. It is also an 8.9 percent increase over last year at this time, with most of the increase coming in March and April. Based on current trends, the agency expects about 58 percent of all returns to be e-filed this year. Taxpayers who filed for extensions can use e-file until October 15.

*A record 22 million taxpayers e-filed from a home computer, up 11 percent over the same time last year and eclipsing 2006’s yearlong total of 20.3 million.

*This filing season visits to IRS.gov, the agency’s popular website, climbed almost ten percent to more than 140 million.

*The average refund this year is $2,255, a 2.5 percent increase over last year at this time. More than 59 million refunds, a new record, were deposited directly into savings, checking, and brokerage accounts, representing more than 61 percent of all refunds issued. Those who choose direct deposit get their refunds at least a week sooner. Available year-round, direct deposit eliminates the chance of a lost, stolen, or undeliverable refund. Taxpayers claiming refunds who have not yet filed may want to consider using direct deposit to get a head start on their 2007 IRA contribution.

*Nearly $158 billion have been directly deposited so far this year, an 11 percent jump over last year at this time. This surpasses the 2006 year-end total of $149.2 billion.

*The number of balance-due returns filed electronically surged 14.2 percent to a record 9.4 million. For all of last year, almost 8.9 million balance-due returns were filed electronically.