Respondents to an Omnisend survey said 2026 tax refunds are going to bills, savings and small feel-good purchases.
Although much of their refund cash will go to shoring up finances, a significant proportion of consumers will spend at least a proportion of the money they get back. Some 47.5% plan to devote up to 25% of their refunds and 24 expect to devote half or more on shopping.
In the survey, according to Omnisend:
- 56.7% of respondents said they expect to receive a tax refund in 2026.
- 17.8% of respondents said they would spend as soon as they got their refund, with 21.9% saying they would do so within one to two weeks.
- 38.9% of respondents planned to put refund money toward savings.
- 32.3% of respondents planned to put refund money toward bills, rent or mortgage payments.
- 21.7% of respondents planned to put refund money toward paying off credit card debt.
“Tax refunds are arriving in a pretty strained psychological environment this year,” said Marty Bauer, e-commerce expert at marketing automation platform Omnisend. “With ongoing economic uncertainty and global instability, people are treating this money less like a bonus and more like a buffer, something to put to work quickly to feel more secure. On one hand, that means covering essentials like bills, emergency savings and credit card debt. On the other hand, consumers are still carving out a portion for shopping, particularly in categories like clothing or simply ‘something special’. This ‘lipstick effect’ reflects a simple reality: especially in tougher times, people allow themselves small, feel-good purchases to regain a sense of normalcy.”
