why are other companies able to provide their customers with advances starting now but turbo is still saying waiting on irs to approve one or more documents

[xmasbaby0]

Some of those places  charge an exorbitant fee or interest for the refund loans they are offering now.   If you want to go to one of those places, go ahead.    If, however, you want to use TurboTax and wait for an advance for which you do not pay an extra fee or interest, then you are subject to the rules that have been established by TT.   The advance loan is not issued until your return is accepted by the IRS, and the IRS will not begin to accept e-files until late January.

https://turbotax.intuit.com/refund-advance/

[Opus 17]

Turbotax does not offer traditional refund anticipation loans.  Instead, Turbotax may offer you an advance after you file your return.  So it only covers the 3 weeks or so between filing and refund approval by the IRS.  Since you can only get an advance after you file, no advance is possible until the IRS approves all forms and turns on e-filing for the season.  But, also different from other companies, Turbotax does not charge interest, and does not demand repayment if the IRS changes your refund. 

In other words, Turbotax does it differently and they can make their own rules.