Here's the average tax refund for 2025 filers so far, according to IRS

WASHINGTON - Millions of Americans have already received their tax refunds in 2025, according to information shared by the Internal Revenue Service. 

In fact, more than $102.2 billion in direct deposit refunds had been dispersed by the IRS as of Feb. 21, the agency said.

FILE - The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Building is seen on Feb. 20, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Average tax refund for 2025 

What we know:

The IRS said the average refund amount has increased by 7.5% this year, going from $3,213 in 2024 to $3,453 so far in 2025.

The average direct deposit refund was also up by 7.1% from last year – at an average of $3,505. 

IRS tax refund 2025 schedule

Filing Start Date:

The IRS began accepting tax returns on January 27, 2025.

E-filed Returns:

If you file your return electronically and opt for direct deposit, you can generally expect to receive your refund within 10 to 21 days after the IRS accepts your return.

Mailed Returns:

If you opt to mail a paper return, it usually takes between 4 to 8 weeks for processing.

Tax Credits:

Claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) may result in a longer processing time as the IRS needs to conduct additional verification. Typically, refunds involving these credits are issued by the end of February at the earliest.

Peak Season:

Filing during the peak tax season, particularly from late March to mid-April, can delay your refund due to the high volume of returns being processed.

Direct Deposit:

This is the fastest way to get your refund. You can deposit it into your checking, savings, or retirement account.

Where's my refund? How to track your IRS tax return

What you can do:

Taxpayers can track their refund status by using the "Where's My Refund?" tool on IRS.gov or the IRS2Go app. Information is updated once a day, overnight, the IRS says.

To check a refund status, taxpayers need their Social Security or individual taxpayer ID number (ITIN), filing status, and the exact refund amount on their return. 

The "Where's My Refund" tool shows the following refund statuses:

• Return Received – We received your return and are processing it.
• Refund Approved – We approved your refund and are preparing to issue it by the date shown.
• Refund Sent – We sent the refund to your bank or to you in the mail. It may take 5 days for it to show in your bank account or several weeks for your check to arrive in the mail.