By Wailin Wong | This year’s tax season has brought an increase in e-filing and overall refunds compared with 2009, the Internal Revenue Service said.
For the period ending March 12, the number of self-prepared e-filing receipts is up 6.9 percent from a year earlier, according to IRS data. The average federal refund this year is $3,036, up from $2,770 in 2009. The IRS said the increase stems from tax incentives that were part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, including the homebuyers’ credit. |
See also • Chicago second city in procrastination |
Meanwhile, the total number of individual returns filed so far is down 2.9 percent from a year earlier. The IRS reminded taxpayers that the fastest way to get their refunds is to e-file and use direct deposit.
Data compiled by TurboTax showed that Chicago ranks No. 2 in tax procrastinators for 2009.