Americans Eager to File Tax Returns This Year, According to NRF (Source: National Retail Federation)

Fatigued by rising gas prices and sinking home values, millions of Americans are breathing a sigh of relief in anticipation of a refund from Uncle Sam. The National Retail Federation’s 2008 Tax Returns Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, found that 61.2 percent of consumers have already filed their tax returns or will file a return by the end of the month. The survey also found that consumers filed earlier this year than they did last year; nearly one-third (28.5%) of Americans filed by mid-February, compared to 21.6 percent who had filed by that time last year. The remaining will file in March (23.7%) and April (15.2%).