WASHINGTON — The deadline for filing 2016 federal income tax returns this year is still two and a half weeks away, but more than 85 million Americans have already filed their returns, and the Internal Revenue Service has already sent some 68 million refunds to taxpayers.
And the average tax refund so far this year is slightly bigger than last year.
The average federal income tax refund is $2,897, up 1.1 percent from the average refund at this same point in the filing season last year.
The vast majority of filers expecting a refund requested direct deposit funds, and those refunds are averaging $3,044 so far this year.
Electronically filed returns have accounted for 83 million of the 85.3 million returns received to date.
Taxpayers get a few extra days this year to make the deadline.
April 15 falls on a Saturday and D.C.’s Emancipation Day holiday is observed April 17, meaning federal income tax returns are due on April 18.
