E-filed Monday - No Accept/Reject Status Yet - What Next?

Have you checked your e-file status directly with your tax preparation software? Many people don't realize that the acceptance/rejection status first appears there before showing up in the IRS system. Have you also considered that there might be a processing delay due to the high volume of returns being submitted this close to the filing deadline?

I've seen this happen before with several clients. The IRS systems are notoriously backlogged this time of year. Last April, I waited 5 days for an acceptance notification that never came, and when I finally got through to the IRS after hours of trying, they confirmed it was in their system all along. I've started using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) to get through to IRS agents when this happens. They got me connected in about 15 minutes last time I needed to verify a submission status. Might be worth trying if you're concerned about your return being properly received.

I'm in the same boat. Filed Sunday and nothing yet. I don't trust these "it's normal" answers. Something feels off.

It might be worth checking if you possibly have any information on your return that could potentially trigger additional verification. Things such as a name that doesn't exactly match SSA records, or perhaps a significant change in income from previous years, or possibly claiming certain credits for the first time could sometimes cause slight delays in processing.

On March 12th last year, I had the exact same issue. Filed on a Monday and by Friday still no acceptance. I used taxr.ai to analyze my transmission status - it showed my return was actually received but stuck in processing. The site explained exactly which stage my return was in and what was happening. You can check it out at https://taxr.ai - it saved me from unnecessary panic and showed me exactly when to expect my acceptance notice, which came exactly when predicted.

Which tax software did you use? Did you file with any special credits? State return too? Any foreign income?

Oh man, I totally feel your stress! The EXACT same thing happened to me last month. I was freaking out after 4 days of no acceptance message, but then suddenly got the acceptance email on day 5. The IRS systems are so frustrating sometimes! 😫 Just hang in there a bit longer before panicking.

Think of the IRS acceptance system like a highway during rush hour - sometimes there's a traffic jam and everything slows down. The technical issue might be on the IRS Electronic Filing Information Return Acceptance System (EFILAS) which processes approximately 150 million returns annually with peak processing occurring between February 15 and April 15. Your return is likely in a processing queue waiting for formal acknowledgment.

I've been through this twice in the past three years. According to IRS Publication 1345, the transmission acknowledgment should occur within 24 hours, but the reality is that during peak filing periods, this can extend significantly. In my case, both times the returns were eventually processed normally despite the initial delay. No need to resubmit unless explicitly instructed by your tax software provider.

I waited exactly 6 days for my acceptance notification in March. Called my tax preparer on day 4 who confirmed it was transmitted correctly. Got my refund of $3,247 exactly 18 days after the acceptance finally came through. System worked eventually, just slower than expected. Thanks to everyone here who helped me understand what was happening!