Direct deposit and electronic filing speeds up the process
Tax refunds are showing positive signs in 2025.
Americans have received more than $102.2 billion in direct deposit tax refunds as of Feb. 21, up from around $92.8 billion at the same point in 2024 andmarking an increase of around 10%,according to the Internal Revenue Service.
The average tax refund paid via direct deposit also rose 7.1%, reaching$3,505 compared with$3,272 in 2024, the IRS said.
And the number of direct deposit refunds sent wasup 2.8% at morethan 29.1million refunds.
Bigger tax refunds can help Americans pay off debt and make everyday purchases, which can be helpful to the economy in the short term.
To get a tax refund the fastest, the IRS recommends electronic filing and choosing direct deposit.
Tax refunds typically arrive within 21 days if received through direct deposit, which requires providing a bank account number and routing number,the IRS said.
Some 54% of Americans expectto get a tax refund in 2025, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation.
The survey said 47% plan to file taxes in February, 32% in March and 22% in April.
More Americans plan to spend their tax returns on savings, paying down debt and everyday expenses than last year, the survey said.

Sign up below for The Daily Consumer, our newsletter on the latest consumer news, including recalls, scams, lawsuits and more.
Posted: 2025-03-06 21:12:41