IRS processed 15.8% fewer income tax returns in the first week of the 2025 tax season than it did a year ago. Why? What does that mean for refunds?

The IRS has issued 3.2 million refunds for the 2025 filing season so far. As of Jan. 31, the average refund amount was $1,928, which covers the first four days of the filing season. The agency sends most refunds in less than 21 days. You can check the status via "Where's My Refund?" on IRS.gov.

Most taxpayers can expect to receive their refund in a matter of weeks. We’ll show you how you can check up on the status of your tax refund.