Early Tax Refunds Are Showing a 14 Percent Increase, IRS Says

The average amount increased from $2,169 last year to $2,476 as of Feb. 13, 2026, the agency says, with more returns expected to increase the final figure.

The top of a form for the 1040 individual income tax return for 2005, at the Des Plaines public library in Des Plaines, Ill., on March 23, 2006. Tim Boyle/Getty Images

The average tax refund for American taxpayers has increased on a year-over-year basis, the IRS said in a Feb. 20 update.

The average refund amount increased 14.2 percent in 2026 to $2,476 as of Feb. 13, according to the agency. Last year, the average refund for the same time period was $2,169. Meanwhile, the average direct deposit refund amount for taxpayers is up 13.1 percent year over year, from $2,252 in 2025 to $2,548 in 2026.