Nearly half of American taxpayers are counting on an IRS refund to help them pay the bills or get out of debt, a new survey finds. This is a good year for refunds. The IRS has returned $161 billion to individual taxpayers through March 6. That’s 11% more than the agency refunded through the same week in 2025. The average refund is $3,676, also up from last year. Refunds are higher this year, and taxes lower, thanks to President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, according to an analysis from the ...