Minnesotans filing earlier, getting bigger refunds

St. Paul, Minn. (AP) — Minnesotans are filing their federal tax returns earlier and getting bigger refunds so far this year.

The Internal Revenue Service says that as of March 6, it had received an estimated 1 million federal income tax returns from Minnesotans - a nearly 2 percent increase over the same time last year.

The average individual refund was $2,811. That's a 9 percent increase, or $235 more than the same time last year.

More and more Minnesotans also are filing their federal returns from their home computers.

As of March 6, nearly two out of five electronic filers prepared their returns and filed on their own.

Taxpayers can get their questions answered March 21 at "Super Saturday" events in the Twin Cities, St. Cloud and Fergus Falls.