Last couple years IRS has made this statement it seems like. You see mid-February or around February 15th. The only good thing is that it is usually close to 2/15, but do not count on sooner. Here's the official response to this topic from IRS website (first direct deposit last week in February)
Taxpayers who claim the Earned Income Tax Credit or the Additional Child Tax Credit may experience a refund hold. According to the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act, the IRS cannot issue these refunds before mid-February. The IRS expects the earliest EITC/ACTC related refunds to be available in taxpayer bank accounts or debit cards starting February 27, 2019, if these taxpayers chose direct deposit and there are no other issues with their tax return.
