<\/p>\n
Americans know the Big Beautiful Bill will hit their taxes, but a new study has found many have no idea how it\u2019ll actually affect them.<\/p>\n
The poll of 2,000 U.S. taxpayers<\/a>\u00a0found 46% are aware of new tax law changes being applied this year, but 56% of those aware admitted they have no idea what those changes actually mean for them.<\/p>\n A majority (84%) said they pay attention to tax law changes, but only 55% do research on what tax rules or changes will be. In fact, 41% admit they do \u201clittle to no\u201d research on what the changes mean.<\/p>\n Similarly, four in five taxpayers said they were aware of the current administration\u2019s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and 67% believe incoming tax law changes, such as the OBBBA, will personally affect them \u2014 20% to a \u201csignificant or major\u201d degree.<\/p>\n Commissioned by\u00a0TaxSlayer<\/a>\u00a0and conducted by Talker Research, the study found two in three (63%) don\u2019t plan on making any financial decisions before these tax changes take effect that could help them, such as buying an EV, making large donations, or adjusting their investments.<\/p>\n Despite tax changes planned for this year, more than half (52%) believe the amount they\u2019ll pay in taxes and the amount they receive as a refund will be largely unchanged.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, 31% believe they\u2019ll pay more in taxes and 16% believe they\u2019ll receive a smaller refund; 17% believe they\u2019ll pay less in taxes and 31% believe they will receive a bigger refund.<\/p>\n \u201cEach tax season, there are a mix of factors that can influence your return \u2014 everything from life changes to updates in tax law,\u201d said Seth Babb, Head of Consumer Product at TaxSlayer. \u201cThis year, the changes introduced under the One Big Beautiful Bill are expected to affect a wide range of taxpayers. A little time spent understanding what\u2019s new can make a real difference in how confident and prepared you are to file.\u201d<\/p>\n Research also looked at how tax filing and tax refunds are set to look this year, compared to last year.<\/p>\n This year, 39% said they plan to file their taxes early, while another 58% plan to file just on time for April 15. This is a slight shift from last year, where 43% filed early and 54% planned to file on time.<\/p>\n Those filing early this year shared the same motivations for doing so as last year: getting their refund earlier (60% this year, 55% last year) and not having to deal with it when there\u2019s pressure (46% this year, 43% last year).<\/p>\n This tax year, the average American believes they\u2019ll receive $1,662 in their tax refund, a few dollars less from what it was last year: $1,700. Of the 80% of taxpayers who said they received a tax refund last year, 44% felt surprised by the amount they got back and 31% said they recalled feeling disappointed.<\/p>\n Over half (55%) believe their refund will roughly be the same this year as it was last year. Meanwhile, 18% believe their refund will be bigger and 16% believe it will be smaller.<\/p>\n Like last year, the survey found a majority plan to spend their tax refund money on necessities (57%) rather than luxuries (8%). However, the amount who felt it critical to use their refund on necessities dropped significantly from what it was last year (77%).<\/p>\n Those using their refunds for necessities plan to put their money towards groceries and essential goods (54%), paying for necessary bills like rent and utilities (53%), paying down credit card debt (37%), savings (29%), leaving it in their checking account (28%) or home repair costs (24%).<\/p>\n \u201cEven in a year with significant changes, people shouldn\u2019t feel pressure to become experts overnight,\u201d continued Babb. \u201cWhat matters is having reliable tools when it\u2019s time to file. While refunds may look different for many taxpayers this year, a little preparation and the right support can go a long way to prevent surprises.\u201d<\/p>\n Research methodology:<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Talker Research surveyed 2,000 American taxpayers who have access to the internet;<\/strong>\u00a0the survey was commissioned by TaxSlayer and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between\u00a0Nov. 13 and Nov. 17, 2025.<\/strong>\u00a0A link to the questionnaire can be found\u00a0here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n To view the complete methodology as part of AAPOR\u2019s Transparency Initiative, please visit the Talker Research\u00a0Process and Methodology page<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nPersonal Stakes in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act<\/b><\/h2>\n
Anticipated Consistency in Refund Totals<\/b><\/h2>\n