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Thank You Biden, IRS Issues $23.5 Billion LESS in Refunds for 2023 Filing Season Compared to Last Year

ByAlki David

Apr 22, 2023

The IRS has released its filing statistics for the week ending April 7, 2023, and the numbers are in: over 69 million refunds have been issued, totaling $198.868 billion. While this may seem like a lot of money, it’s actually a decrease from the previous year’s filing season, which saw $222.344 billion in refunds handed out. This year’s refund is $23.476 billion smaller, representing a decrease of approximately 10.6 percent.

In addition to the decrease in overall refund amounts, the average refund has also dropped. Last year, the average refund was $3,175, while this year it is only $2,878, a decline of 9.3 percent or $297. These statistics indicate that individuals may have paid more in taxes this year or claimed fewer deductions, resulting in a lower refund amount.

It’s important to note that while these statistics may seem alarming, they don’t necessarily mean that taxpayers are paying more in taxes. In fact, the IRS collected $2.9 trillion in individual income taxes for fiscal year 2022, indicating that taxpayers are still paying their fair share.

The IRS also reminds taxpayers that they can track the status of their refund using the “Where’s My Refund?” tool on the agency’s website. Taxpayers can check the tool within 24 hours of filing electronically or four weeks after mailing a paper return.

In conclusion, the IRS has issued over 69 million refunds for the 2023 filing season, totaling $198.868 billion. While this represents a decrease from the previous year, it’s important to keep in mind that taxpayers are still contributing to the overall tax revenue collected by the IRS. Taxpayers should use the “Where’s My Refund?” tool to track the status of their refund and contact the agency if they have any questions or concerns

By Alki David

Alki David — Publisher, Media Architect, SIN Network Creator - live, direct-to-public communication, media infrastructure, accountability journalism, and independent distribution. Born in Lagos, Nigeria; educated in the United Kingdom and Switzerland; attended the Royal College of Art. Early internet broadcaster — participated in real-time public coverage during the 1997 Mars landing era using experimental online transmission from Beverly Hills. Founder of FilmOn, one of the earliest global internet television networks offering live and on-demand broadcasting outside legacy gatekeepers. Publisher of SHOCKYA — reporting since 2010 on systemic corruption inside the entertainment business and its expansion into law, finance, and regulation. Creator of the SIN Network (ShockYA Integrated Network), a federated media and civic-information infrastructure spanning investigative journalism, live TV, documentary, and court-record reporting. Lived and worked for over 40 years inside global media hubs including Malibu, Beverly Hills, London, Hong Kong and Gstaad. Early encounter with Julian Assange during the first Hologram USA operations proved a formative turning point — exposing the realities of lawfare, information suppression, and concentrated media power. Principal complainant and driving force behind what court filings describe as the largest consolidated media–legal accountability action on record, now before the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. Relocated to Antigua & Barbuda and entered sustained legal, civic, and informational confrontation over media power, safeguarding, and accountability at Commonwealth scale.