Tax refunds are big this year, IRS data show. Here's how big.

The number of tax returns the IRS has received so far this tax season is down from last year, but refunds are up double digits, IRS data show. The average refund through Feb. 6 was $2,290, up nearly 11% from $2,065 at the same time in 2025 while total returns received fell 5.2%. The IRS noted refund numbers should rise further, too, as refunds claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) are required by law to be held until Feb. 15. These “refund numbers do not ...