Tax Returns

NRF has been conducting its annual Tax Returns Survey since 2007 to gauge consumer spending and saving behavior related to U.S. income tax returns.

Consumers using tax refunds to pay down debt

More Americans than ever planned to hold on to their tax refunds in 2018 rather than spending the money they get from the IRS. Of the 65 percent of taxpayers expecting a refund, 49 percent said they will put it into savings.

See survey data

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Getting a head start

By the end of January, nearly 30 percent of survey respondents had filed their taxes.

Historical highlights

2017: Consumers plan to save their tax refunds for later
2016: Consumers build confidence by saving tax refunds
2015: Americans planning to save, not splurge, with tax refunds
2014: Americans hoping to cushion their rainy day funds with tax returns

Results of the Tax Returns Survey are released each year in February.

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