Average tax refunds are up in 2025 so far, total early returns down

(NEXSTAR) – The average tax refund amount is higher than it was last year at this time, according to a batch of data released by the IRS late last week.As of March 7, the IRS says it has paid out 43,647,000 refunds for a total of $145.063 billion, 7.2% more than at roughly the same point last year ($135.281 billion).The average individual refund is up by 5.7% so far at $3,324 per return, compared to $3,145 in 2024. It's worth noting that these numbers can fluctuate as returns come in leadi