Keep more of your pay, from paycheck to tax time.
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The average refund rose to $3,276 by mid-May 2026.
A refund feels good. The part that comes from too much tax taken out of your pay is your own money, and you can choose to get it in each paycheck instead. Credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit come when you file, whatever your W-4 says.
Average federal tax refund, from the start of each filing season through mid-May
- 2022: $3,033
- 2023: $2,812
- 2024: $2,869
- 2025: $2,939
- 2026: $3,276
Each year counts refunds through a Friday in mid-May: May 13, 2022; May 12, 2023; May 10, 2024; May 9, 2025; and May 8, 2026. Not adjusted for inflation.
Source: Internal Revenue Service, Filing season statistics by year (Accessed September 2026)