It is the IRS that won't open up processing until January 29, except for a few test returns that they pull early. That's true for all tax software companies, CPA's, etc.
But it is possible to efile your Federal return now once all your required Federal forms are ready. Every January TurboTax has to wait on the IRS to finalize and approve forms. Some are being released today.
Open your return, and in the left menu column step through the screens in the REVIEW tab. It should tell you if you are awaiting any forms and which ones.
The Form 1040 and 1040A are projected to be available for efiling sometime today January 18. When they become available today, the column date in the FAQ below should change to the term "available."
Federal forms availability dates:
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1908854-forms-availability-table-for-turbotax-federal-products-exc...
State forms availability dates:
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1908857-state-forms-availability-table-for-turbotax-individual-per...
The
IRS will not start processing returns until January 29. If you efile
before then, your return will just sit stockpiled on TurboTax servers
until the IRS starts pulling them on January 29 (except for a few test
returns pulled early.) You won't be able to retrieve the return if you
notice a mistake, get an additional W-2, 1099, etc. If you efile at
this early point in time and need to change something, you'd have to
wait until after January 29 to first find out if your return was
accepted or rejected. If rejected, you could make any change and
resubmit. If accepted, that would require waiting on any refund, then
preparing an amended return, which can be a hassle.
Also, if you have EIC (earned income credit, aka EITC) or ACTC (additional child tax
credit), the IRS will start processing them on Jan. 29, but will not start releasing those refunds until February
15. That means people with those types of credits may not start receiving their
refunds until around February 27.
