Receiving a tax refund is one highlight most filers can look forward to during tax season. Nearly two-thirds of Americans receive a tax refund each year. With the cost of living rising due to sticky inflation, 38% of adults plan to use their IRS refunds this year to make ends meet, a new CNET survey finds.
Many filers are using refunds to pay bills, debt, rent or their mortgage. About one in six taxpayers are also using the money to fund emergency savings. Retail and tech purchases, often common uses for tax refunds, are not popular with filers this year. In fact, only 5% of respondents said they plan to make a big tech purchase (like a new TV, smartphone, laptop or tablet) using their tax refund in 2025.
Some filers are even suffering from tax anxiety — or "taxiety" — when it comes to filing their returns this year, with Gen Z (51%) and Millennial adults (48%) most concerned. Top fears include making a mistake on their taxes, exposing their personal information to scammers and owing the IRS more money than they can afford.
Here's everything our latest survey uncovered, including trends on how Americans filed their tax returns and the resources they used for tax advice.
Key takeaways
- 38% of filers surveyed plan to use their tax refund to pay bills or tackle unresolved debt.
- One-fourth of tax filers fear they'll make a mistake filing their tax return.
- One-third of tax filers, led by Gen Z and Boomers, are unsure about their free filing eligibility this year.
- TurboTax is the most popular method for tax filing, with 16% of filers using the software.
- Some filers seek tax advice from questionable sources, with 6% using social media for guidance and another 13% relying on AI chatbots. This number is highest for Gen Z: 15% will turn to social platforms, and 13% will use an AI chatbot like ChatGPT.
Tax filers are afraid of making a mistake on their return
No one wants to be audited by the IRS, but it can happen. According to our survey, 25% of tax filers worry they'll make a mistake on their tax return this year, led by Gen Z filers (33%) and millennials (27%). About one in five Gen X filers (22%) and Baby Boomers (20%) are also afraid of making an error on their tax return. Here's the full list of concerns tax filers noted:
Making a mistake on your tax return can be uncovered during an IRS audit. Audits occur as a result of suspicious activity flagged on your tax return. Think of them as a review of your financial books and tax forms, not necessarily an indictment that you did something wrong. In 2023, the IRS closed more than half a million audits, resulting in $31.9 billion in recommended additional tax payments for Americans.
"While we all need to make our best effort to file a complete and accurate tax return, mistakes will happen," said Jassen Bowman, an IRS-enrolled agent and tax expert. "The IRS has robust systems for catching errors via computer matching, and they will notify you if they catch something."
Getting a letter from the IRS can be scary, but Bowman doesn't want filers to panic when filling out their return. "There's no reason to beat yourself up over an honest mistake," he said. "There are procedures in place to address such situations."
Whether you have a simple tax situation (W-2, student loan interest, bank interest from a high-yield savings account or dependents to claim) or have additional forms (dividends, unemployment, child expenses, health savings accounts), online tax software is intuitive enough that it can coach you through the tax filing process. All the online tax services reviewed by CNET have maximum refund and tax accuracy guarantees. Online filing software has also become much better at catching real-time mistakes.
For more complicated tax situations or filing status changes, you may want to contact a certified tax professional. Most online tax software offers the chance to connect with a tax expert, but most do not guarantee you'll speak to an accountant.
"I always suggest taxpayers make time to understand their specific tax situation by asking questions to their tax preparer," said Jasmine Johnson, an accredited financial counselor and accountant.
Taxpayers leave no stone unturned for tax adviceÂ
Survey participants showed a willingness to exhaust all options for tax advice. About a quarter of filers choose to sit down or schedule a call with a tax accountant, whether they intend to file with an accountant or on their own.
Others turn to social media apps like Instagram and TikTok for tax advice. While you can find useful information on these platforms, it's a roll of the dice because not all shared tips are accurate. I often come across videos of tax professionals debunking inaccurate advice provided on Instagram and TikTok.
"Social media can be a great place for discovering tax tips and suggestions, but it shouldn't be the final source of advice," Johnson said. "I always advise taxpayers to do their own research, consult a professional, and fully understand the tax implications before applying or sharing any advice."
This year, many are also leveraging AI to help with their taxes: 7% of filers plan to use AI assistants like Gemini and ChatGPT to bolster their tax knowledge, and 5% plan to use AI chatbots integrated into tax services, such as H&R Block's AI Tax Assist.
AI can be a great tool, but it's not perfect. Earlier this year, when I tested the H&R Block AI chatbot, it gave me outdated tax information on IRS form 1099-K. Always double-check information that a chatbot provides you.
Many Americans are unaware if they can file for free
One-third of filers told CNET that they qualify for free filing and plan to file their taxes for free this year, while 13% said they qualify to file for free but still plan to pay to file anyway.
However, another 33% told CNET they don't know if they qualify for free tax filing. Johnson said that many taxpayers aren't aware of all of the free filing options, and the confusing tax jargon can make it hard for many to understand if they qualify.
"Terms like AGI (adjusted gross income), deductions and credits leave people unsure of what applies to them," she said.
There are several ways to qualify for free tax filing, even through IRS-offered programs. IRS Free File, as an example, allows anyone who earned less than $84,000 before taxes and deductions last year to file their taxes for free. You might also qualify to file for free with IRS Direct File, a newer offering available in 25 states.
Most online tax software providers in 2025 also have free tiers you can take advantage of. It can be tricky to figure out which one you qualify for due to set restrictions set by each preparer. TurboTax says roughly 37% of taxpayers are eligible for TurboTax Free Edition. H&R Block says 55% of its customers historically qualify for free filing. TaxSlayer and TaxAct also both have free filing options.
Then there's Cash App Taxes, which gives you one free federal and state return for free, no matter your tax situation. FreeTaxUSA also allows free federal returns almost anyone can take advantage of. I used this service to file my taxes this year.
When in doubt, Americans pay to file their taxes
Interestingly enough, 24% of filers surveyed by CNET said they believe they must pay money for their taxes to be done correctly. In reality, Bowman said modern tax preparation software does an amazing job of guiding you through the process.
"Because our tax code is so complex, it's really easy for the average person to become overwhelmed," he said.
The top option to file taxes was TurboTax at 16%, followed by 15% of filers who plan to file with an accountant.
If you're facing a tax bill, you might worry that you're leaving money on the table unless you pay for guided software or an accountant's expertise. Taking advantage of the deductions and credits you're eligible for, like student loan interest, business expenses or retirement contributions, can lower your tax bill.
One in six (15%) tax filers in our survey acknowledged they fear they'll owe more to the IRS than they can afford this year.
"Having a balance due can be scary," Bowman said, adding that even if people can't pay what they owe, the IRS offers payment plans and, in rare cases, may reduce your tax liability. If you think you're eligible for additional tax breaks and need filing advice, contact a certified public accountant.
Refunds offer needed reprieve from rising costs
With the cost of living rising due to inflation, many people will use their tax refunds to cover necessities in 2025.
Of those who plan to file a tax return this year, 38% plan to use their refunds to make ends meet by paying current bills (20%), tackling debt (18%), paying late bills (9%), putting it toward their rent or mortgage (7%), or a combination of these.
Others will use this money to create a savings account (16%), build an emergency fund (12%) or invest in goals (12%).
Less popular are options to spend tax refunds on leisure purchases. Only 7% said they would use IRS refunds to fund a vacation. Even fewer plan to make a large retail purchase like a new home appliance or new tech, including a smartphone, laptop or tablet.
You might count on your tax return to fund personal money goals each year. But if you receive a refund greater than $1,000, you may be pay the IRSÂ too much money in taxes during the year. Consider updating your withholding on your W-4 with your employer so that you have more money coming into your bank account each month.
Methodology
CNET commissioned YouGov Plc to conduct the survey. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The total sample size was 1,055 adults, of which 877 plan to file a tax return. Fieldwork was undertaken between Feb. 18-19, 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and represent all US adults (aged 18 plus).
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
