Why is my refund is still not accepted? It usually takes two days max. It's been 8 days.

[Affordabletaxes2021]

The IRS doesn’t start accepting returns until Jan 23. Until then , the return is sitting in a IRS server somewhere waiting until they open. 

[xmasbaby0]

MY RETURN IS IN PENDING—what does that mean?

Did you e-file?  Did you click that big orange button that said “Transmit my returns now?”  If so, your return is now in “pending” on a server.  Do not try to change anything while your return is in pending.On January  23 the IRS will begin to accept/reject e-files.   Watch your emails—including your spam folder—for the notice about whether your e-file has been accepted or rejected.  If your return is rejected you will be able to make corrections before re-filing.   If the return you e-filed is accepted you will have to wait until it has been fully processed and then amend it to fix any mistakes or omissions.  It has been taking the IRS six to nine months—sometimes longer—to process amended returns.   If you e-filed your state return there will be another email later that tells you if the state was accepted or rejected.

WARNING:   Do not try to change anything on your return while it is pending.

[Critter-3]

Technically the IRS will not start processing returns until 1/23  however they will pull some (not all) of the millions of returns that are sitting on POOLING servers accross all the income tax companies participating in the efile process to test their efile system.  HOWEVER even if you get pulled in an early test batch and actually get accepted for processing before the 23rd  they will not actually start processing returns until the 23rd.  Being in a test batch has it's own risks ... from time to time returns in early test batch have gotten stuck in the pipeline or even lost for months.  I personally don't file any of my client's returns until the IRS system is up and running smoothly for at least a couple of days and my client's like my conservative approach.  Of course we don't offer any of those riduculus advances or prices bank products and I am happier for it. 

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-sets-january-23-as-official-start-to-2023-tax-filing-season-more-he...