IRS data shows refund checks smaller in 2019
Now that the tax deadline has come and gone, many Americans have already received their refund for this filing season.
As of April 19, the average refund was $2,725. That is down two percent when compared with last year, when the average check was $2,780.
The IRS doled out 95.7 million checks, but paid 1.7 percent, or about $4.4 billion, less in total refund dollars – at $260.9 billion.
The agency processed 130.7 million returns.
A more complete picture of the overall tax season, the first under the new tax law, won't be available until a later date.
However, while taxpayers expressed frustration over smaller – or non-existent – refund amounts, the government has cautioned that the size of your refund does not correlate with your tax liability.
In fact, a smaller refund indicates that you did not overpay in taxes throughout the year.
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As previously reported by FOX Business, the Trump administration expected fewer people to receive refunds this year after the implementation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and new withholding tables. However, the administration said most Americans are still expected to see a net tax benefit as a result of the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
A spokesperson for the Treasury Department previously told FOX Business that individual taxes will be lower for “approximately 80 percent of filers” thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Meanwhile, another 15 percent of people will see no change. That leaves about 5 percent who will owe more.