Average tax refund is up $350 compared to last year as IRS deadline approaches

The average tax refund is about $350 higher so far this season, compared with about the same period in 2025, according to the latest IRS filing data.

As of March 27, the average refund amount for individual filers was $3,521, up from $3,170 roughly one year ago, the IRS reported on Friday.

The IRS data reflects about 88.4 million individual returns received, out of about 164 million expected through the April 15 deadline.

This season, many filers are seeing bigger tax refunds based on changes enacted by President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill” in July.

Most U.S. workers are W-2 employees, which means companies pay their taxes throughout the year via paycheck withholdings.