The Department of Revenue has issued just over 1.5 million tax refunds tax season began in February. It hopes to have the last refund mailed out and direct deposited by the end of this week.

Department of Revenue spokesman Ted Farnan says electronically filed returns took an average of three business days to get back to taxpayers. Paper returns have been taking about seven business days.

He says all returns should be processed by the end of this week, except for those that had errors.

In addition to income tax, the Department of Revenue also collects fuel and cigarette taxes, and taxes for municipalities and counties, which are returned to those entitites. The rest goes into the state’s general revenue fund.

If you still haven’t gotten your income tax refund from the Missouri Department of Revenue, there’s an online tool that can help. Go to www.dor.mo.gov and check your refund status — you’ll need your social security number, your tax filing status and the exact dollar amount of your expected refund.

As of May 16, the dpartment has issued 1,567,466 individual income tax refunds totaling $713,035,354 for an average refund of $455. At this same point last year, we had issued 1,370,514 refunds totaling $613,012,103 for an average of $447,” Farnan says. “Also as of May 16, in 2011, we have received 409,782 individual income tax returns with payments from taxpayers that total $283,005,781, for an average of $691. At this same point last year, we had received 394,582 returns with payments totaling $248,190,722, for an average of $629.”

The Department also processes many returns where people do not get a refund or have to make a payment. As of earlier this month, it had processed more than 663,000.