Returns were ACCEPTED for processing (even the early test batches) however those PATH returns did not start processing until 2/15 which is why the first refund approvals & DDDs did not hit until the 22nd or later as they plowed thru the millions of returns that had piled up. This is what the IRS said would happen no matter what the filers wanted to happen or hoped would happen.
The IRS approves 9 of 10 returns in 21 days or less however the PATH returns clock doesn't start until 2/15 or later ... this was a law change a couple of years ago and it will not be changed anytime soon since it effective in stemming the fraudulent refund payouts.
Now the 9 of 10 is for the entire tax season which means of the 150 million returns filed some 15 million will be reviewed for some reason and a good portion of those returns will be the PATH returns ... reviews do not need to be evenly distributed over the course of the tax season ... so it is not surprising that there are a lot of delays right now.
