With tax season well underway, early data on the average tax refund shows that Americans are receiving about one-third less than they did a year earlier.
The average refund check in 2025 stood at $2,169 as of Feb. 14, about 32% below the average $3,207 refund issued at the same time last year, the IRS said in its most recent tax update. The agency began accepting tax returns on Jan. 27 and will continue to do so until April 15 except for taxpayers who request an extension.
Those numbers don’t necessarily mean that individual taxpayers will get a smaller refund, experts note. Refunds are typically smaller at the start of the tax season because low- and middle-income workers with simpler tax returns are often the first to file, while higher-income Americans or people with more complicated taxes tend to wait until closer to the April 15 deadline to file their returns.
“Many employees, all they have is a W2 — they have smaller refunds or smaller amounts to pay because they have withholding through their jobs,” Keith Hall, CEO of the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) and a certified CPA, told CBS MoneyWatch.
At the same time, Hall said some small business owners are reporting receiving financial tax forms, such as dividend or brokerage account statements, later than in past years. That often leads businesses to hold off on filing with the IRS until they’ve gathered all their tax documents.
So far, fewer Americans have filed their taxes in the season’s opening weeks when compared with 2024, the IRS data shows. About 33 million returns had been submitted through through Feb. 14, a 5% decline from the same period a year ago.
The IRS also noted that tax data tends to “even out as more tax returns come in.” In its most recent data release, the agency said it expects tax return filings to “level out in future weeks as the April filing deadline approaches.”
When will I get my tax refund?
Taxpayers should file as soon as possible because that will enable them to get their refund faster, Hall said. Other tax experts are also urging consumers to file quickly because of concerns that IRS job cuts ordered by the Trump administration could add to challenges in getting tax returns processed this year.
Most refunds are issued in fewer than 21 calendar days if you file your taxes electronically, according to the IRS. Taxes filed on paper require more time because human IRS agents must process those returns, which can add weeks to getting a refund.
Taxpayers can monitor the status of their 2025 refund using the IRS’ Where’s My Refund? tool, with e-filers able to check on their return 24 hours after filing. People who file on paper won’t be able to see their refund status for four weeks after they mail their return to the IRS, the agency says.
About half of Americans intend to file their taxes by the end of February, with the other half planning to finish their returns in March and April, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual tax return survey. About half of taxpayers say they expect a refund this year, it found.
Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.
The post Tax refunds in 2025 are about $1,000 less than in 2024. Here’s why. appeared first on CBS News.
