Don’t say we didn’t warn you (yesterday). The IRS website is reportedly crashing from last-minute e-filing traffic.
As predicted, the online version of a traffic jam at the worst possible time came true.
In fact, by April 6, traffic to the Internal Revenue Service website was already 23.9% higher than it was last year,as both taxpayers and preparers have had to research the agency’s interpretation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
However, about a quarter of American taxpayers still hadn’t filed their returns before the start of the weekend.
Last-Minute E-Filing Is Actually Pretty Common
Although this proportion is consistent with what it was at the same time last year, it’s unclear whether the agency’s website might nonetheless see more of a last-minute traffic spike in the final hours leading up to 11:59 pm on Tuesday April 17, when taxes are due.
Most likely, the agency likely planned for a surge in traffic during this time, but still, it’s not unreasonable to expect slower performance on the IRS website during the hours closest to the deadline.
The increase in traffic to the IRS website is actually the most noticeable difference between this year’s filing season and 2017 — based on comparing cumulative statistics as of the same date a year ago and today.
Individual Income Tax Returns | 2017 | 2018 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Returns Received | 103,612,000 | 103,762,000 | 0.1 |
| Total Returns Processed | 101,028,000 | 101,082,000 | 0.1 |
E-Filing Receipts | |||
| TOTAL | 95,458,000 | 95,899,000 | 0.5 |
| Tax Professionals | 54,720,000 | 54,283.000 | -0.8 |
| Self-Prepared | 40,738,000 | 41,616,000 | 2.2 |
Web Usage | |||
| Visits to IRS.gov | 276,082,236 | 342,057,461 | 23.9 |
Total Refunds | |||
| Number | 80,296,000 | 79,100,000 | -1.5 |
| Amount | $228.951 billion | $226.558 billion | -1.0 |
| Average Refund | $2,851 | $2,864 | 0.5 |
Direct Deposit Refunds | |||
| Number | 69,293,000 | 68,220,000 | -1.5 |
| Total Amount Refunded | $208.475 billion | $205.555 billion | -1.4 |
| Average Refund Per Taxpayer | $3,009 | $3,013 | 0.1 |
Readers, have you filed your income tax return yet or were you planning to do it at the last minute?
Read More About the IRS
Don’t miss a single one of our stories about this year’s tax filing season — here’s a list of stories from our archives:
- What Happens If You Don’t File Your Tax Return?
- Which Tax Records Should You Keep — And How Long?
- What Are Post Office Hours on Tax Day 2018?
- This Tax Mistake Will Cost You a 50% Penalty
- Don’t Spend Your Tax Refund on These 7 Things
- When’s the Last Day You Can File Taxes in 2018?
- Which States’ Taxpayers Are Getting the Best Refunds?
- How the Wealthy Avoid Taxes in 2018
- Dude, Where’s Your State Income Tax Refund?
- How Long Can You Postpone Your Taxes?
- Tax Withholding Calculator Debuts on IRS Website
- Beware of Fraudulent Tax Return Scams`
- Will There Be More IRS Audits Under the New Tax Law?
- When Do You Pay Taxes on Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrency?
- What’s the Deal with the New Tax Law?
- Attention, Shoppers: 2018 Sales Tax Holidays
- Should You Prepay Property Taxes Now?
- Which Country Has the Highest Taxes?
- Can You Fit a Home Office Deduction Into Your 2018 Tax Return?
- What’s the Last Day for Income and Business Taxes in 2018?
Jackie Cohen is an award winning financial journalist turned turned financial advisor obsessed with climate change risk, data and business. Jackie holds a B.A. Degree from Macalester College and an M.A. in English from Claremont Graduate University.
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