Tax refunds landed noticeably bigger in 2026. By April 17 — close to the end of the traditional filing season — the average individual refund was $3,275, up 11.3% from about $2,942 at the same point the year before. * The increase wasn't steady throughout the season, either. Early filers saw even larger averages: as of March 6, the average refund was running $3,676, and it was still around $3,571 in late March. Averages typically drift down as filing season progresses, because early filers tend to be people expecting a straightforward refund, while people who owe money or have more complicated returns often file closer to the deadline. * The IRS and outside analysts point to the same cause behind this year's jump: new deductions from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including deductions for tipped income, overtime pay, auto loan interest, and an added deduction for seniors, all first applying to 2025 tax returns filed in 2026. Those provisions reduced many filers' taxable income beyond what withholding tables had already accounted for, pushing refunds up across the board. * Filing method mattered for speed, if not amount: more than 80% of refunds were issued in under 21 days, and over 98% of all refunds went out via direct deposit rather than a mailed check — direct deposit remaining the fastest and most reliable way to actually receive the money once your return is processed.