Individuals face tax refund “disappointment” and shock balance-due payments

Individuals are getting a double-dose of dangerous information this tax season: Hundreds of thousands of individuals due for tax refunds this yr are usually getting much less a refund, whereas the share of taxpayers who owe the IRS is rising. 

The largest points this yr are “refund disappointment and a balance-due shock,” Mark Steber, chief tax info officer at Jackson Hewitt, informed CBS MoneyWatch. 

The standard refund for the 2022 tax yr — with tax returns due by April 18 — is $2,878 by means of April 7, a decline of 9.3% in contrast with the identical year-ago interval, in line with the most recent tax knowledge obtainable from the IRS. 

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In the meantime, about 43% of Individuals stated they count on to owe cash on their federal tax returns this yr, up three proportion factors from the earlier tax yr, in line with a survey of greater than 2,200 contributors by CivicScience. 

What’s modified this tax season

The primary causes for the decline: the expiration of presidency pandemic tax advantages, reminiscent of stimulus checks, the expanded Little one Tax Care (CTC) credit score and different beneficiant tax rebates. Meaning many Individuals are getting smaller refunds, or might be caught owing the IRS, at a time inflation continues to pressure family budgets.

“The stuff put into place within the prior years for the pandemic — the CTC, dependent credit score, earned revenue tax credit score when you’re single, and different advantages — they actually juiced up the tax credit final yr,” Steber stated. “Now that is reverted.”

He added, “Lots of people used final yr as a roadmap for what they need to count on. Any deviation from that’s certain to disappoint.”

To make sure, tens of millions of Individuals have but to file their taxes. The IRS stated it expects about 168 million tax returns to be filed this yr for the 2022 tax yr; as of April 7, the company stated it has obtained about 101 million filings. 

Many taxpayers wait till the final minute to file their returns, whereas tens of millions request a submitting extension annually. The latter provides taxpayers an additional six months to file their return, though the extension does not give folks extra time to pay the IRS if they’re on the hook for unpaid taxes.

“Final yr was sort of a increase yr,” Steber famous. “This yr is sort of a standard yr, and that is a reducing of satisfaction when in comparison with expectations. We have defined to our purchasers, it is actually extra a normalization — do not be shocked.”

CBS Information’ Irina Ivanova contributed to this report.

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