Illinois has 8th highest average federal tax refund in US. When will yours arrive?
Illinois residents receive the eighth-largest federal tax refunds on average in the U.S., according to a recent report.
Travel and finance publication Upgraded Points reported in a recent article “How Large of a Tax Refund Will You Get? Average Refunds by State and County” the average Illinois taxpayer receives a federal refund of $3,394.
The Upgraded Points article used data from the Internal Revenue Service to compile the ranking.
Nearly 70% of Illinois federal tax returns result in a refund, according to Upgraded Points, and 91.6% of those refunds are issued by direct deposit as opposed to a mailed paper check.
The size of the average tax return varies greatly by income. Here’s how average federal tax refunds for Illinois residents vary by income:
For residents making less than $50,000 per year, the average return is $2,498.
For residents making $50,000 to $100,000 per year, the average return is $2,840.
For residents making $100,000 to $200,000 per year, the average return is $4,118.
For residents making more than $200,000 per year, the average return is $14,709.
Here’s how the average federal tax refunds vary by metro-east county, according to Upgraded Points:
St. Clair County: $3,110
Madison County: $2,875
Monroe County: $3,070
Bond County: $2,711
Calhoun County: $2,758
Clinton County: $2,715
Jersey County: $2,743
Macoupin County: $2,709
The Upgraded Points report found Missouri has the 37th-highest average federal tax refund in the U.S., at $2,991. The top 10 states for highest average refunds were Florida, Texas, Wyoming, Nevada, Louisiana, Georgia, Mississippi, Illinois, Connecticut and Alabama.
The traditional deadline to file your taxes is Tuesday, April 15.
How long will your tax refund take to arrive?
If you file online, you can expect your Form 1040 return to be processed and any refund issued within about 21 days, according to the IRS, though it can take longer.
In Illinois, officials say filing early and electronically is the best way to receive a timely refund. You can check the status of your state refund with an online tool.
“Taxpayers are encouraged to file electronically as early as possible in the tax season and choose direct deposit in order to ensure the fastest processing and issuance of any refunds,” Illinois Department of Revenue spokesperson Maura Kownacki wrote in a Feb. 5 email to the News-Democrat. “If a taxpayer electronically files an error-free Illinois return, they should receive a direct deposit refund in approximately four weeks. In 2024, IDOR received a total of nearly 6.2 million IL-1040 returns. Of those returns received, close to 5.7 million were filed electronically, or close to 92%.”
Illinois officials encourage filers to take advantage of any tax credits they are eligible for, the Illinois Department of Revenue said in a Feb. 4 press release.
“Depending on circumstances, taxpayers may be able to reduce the amount of taxes owed or receive larger refunds through tax credits,” Illinois Department of Revenue Director David Harris said in the release. “I urge all taxpayers to double-check their eligibility status and take advantage of these benefits when filing their tax returns this year.”
Tax credits available to eligible Illinois taxpayers include the state Earned Income Tax Credit, Illinois Child Tax Credit, Education Expense Credit and more.
Do you have a question about taxes in Illinois for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Metro-east Matters form below.
