• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, March 3, 2009

Hoping for a speedy refund, Americans are filing taxes earlier this year, and a greater number are also filing online, a survey from the National Retail Federation (NRF) finds. For people expecting a refund, 71% had planned to file by the end of February, compared to 37.5% of those who do not expect a refund.

Those who are getting a refund are also much more enthusiastic about electronic filing, with 59.9% filing online versus 38.9% of people who do not expect money back--which NRF says is another indication that taxpayers are psyched to get money back as fast as possible this year.

About two-thirds of all filers--68.4%--expect a check from Uncle Sam, down slightly from 69.2% last year. More young adults expect to receive a tax return than older filers, and fewer households with annual income less than $50,000 expect to receive a return than those who earn more than $50,000.

While the NRF--the leading retail trade association--is urging its members to time sales and special promotions aimed at refund shoppers a little earlier to take advantage of the shift, the poll suggests that few consumers plan to go shopping with those refund checks.

About 48% of those in the survey plan to pay down debt, compared to 47% last year and 43% in 2007. About 39% say they plan to save the money, while 26.7% plan to use their refunds for everyday expenses. Only 11%--down from 12% last year--say they intend to use the money on a major purchase, such as a car or furniture.

Overall, 53.4% say they plan to file online--with men, higher earners, and those between 25 and 34 most likely to do so.

The poll, conducted by BIGresearch and based on more than 8,400 consumers, also finds that more Americans are hiring help for their taxes: 25.7% versus 23.5% in 2008.