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Story summary
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the average tax refund is 22% higher this season as the 2026 tax season began on January 26.
- The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has not released official filing data.
- Andrew Lautz of the Bipartisan Policy Center warns that early data can be misleading.
- With midterm elections approaching, refunds historically rise in mid-February due to credits such as the earned income tax credit.
