I am trying to do the tax refund advance and I followed all the steps but it still says come back Jan 5 to e-file. Anyone else have this? Today IS the 5th.

[Critter-3]

Yes but Intuit is a west coast business and the 5th is not yet over and form availability is subject to change. 

Also check the REVIEW tab ... are there any forms in your return that is not yet ready to be filed ?   You will not be offered an advance until they are and you can actually file the return. 

AND the advance will not be released until the IRS accepts the return for processing and that date has not been announced yet ... my guess will be about the 23rd. 

FCB REFUND ADVANCE LOAN AGREEMENT

1. A. Status of Application; Approval and Funding of Loan. The amount of the Loan for which you qualify will depend, in part, on the amount of your estimated income tax refund. We have not yet committed to make any Loan. We will only be committed to make a Loan if and when we disburse Loan proceeds to you in the manner set forth below. Based on your representations made during the application process and in this Agreement, we agree as follows. If your request for a Loan is approved and all conditions to funding are met, we will advise you of the final approved amount of your Refund Advance Loan. You acknowledge that receiving this Refund Advance Loan has no impact or effect upon the timing of receiving your tax refund. If your federal income tax refund (“Tax Refund”) is paid by the IRS before the Loan is funded, your Loan will not be approved and the Loan will not be funded.

Refund Advance eligibility

Here are some of the eligibility requirements to qualify for a Refund Advance loan:

• You’re 18 or older
• You’re not a resident of North Carolina, Connecticut, or Illinois
• You’re e-filing your federal tax return with TurboTax
• Your physical address is listed on your tax return. Your address must be located in one of the eligible states and can’t be a PO box or prison address
• You’re not filing one of these tax forms: 1310, 4852, 4684, 4868, 1040SS, 1040PR, 1040X, 8888, or 8862
• You aren’t filing on behalf of a deceased taxpayer
• You must report income on a Form W-2, 1099-R , Sched C, or Sched CEZ

[xmasbaby0]

The IRS has not even announced yet when they will begin to accept 2022 e-files.  E-filing has not opened with them yet.  They will probably start accepting/rejecting e-files by the end of January.  If TurboTax lets you start e-filing earlier than that----and they probably will as a marketing ploy----then your return will just sit on a server waiting for the IRS.  While it is in pending on that server, you will have no ability or power to fix or change anything if you suddenly realize you have left out something or made a mistake. 

Employers have until the end of January to send W-2's, there are over a dozen kinds of 1099's that can still arrive in your mail in January and February....etc, etc. etc.  Many federal and state forms are not yet available, so if you file too soon you may be messing up.   When you rush to file too soon you risk making mistakes that will put your return under review or that will require you to amend later.  Those situations can take months to sort out.  And...if you are in a hurry because you are getting child tax credit or earned income credit, the IRS will hold your refund until mid-February because of the PATH act.   Every year we see people who rush to file and live to regret their haste.

[kiacaps96]

I filed early thru turbotax and have been looking for info about the refund advance status and found nothing helpful until I just read your response. Thank you for a real and honest answer and not just a rote replay of the rules for getting an advance.

[kiacaps96]

So once the return says accepted, how long should it take before the email about the advance decision comes thru? 

[SForrestLO]

Please see this Turbo Tax help article. Click on How will I know if I'm approved for Refund Advance and how long does it usually take?

Refund Advance application process.