# That was faster than expected(tax return accepted) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 29, 2018, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-faster-than-expected-tax-return-accepted/807764 "2018-01-29T23:07:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2018, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-faster-than-expected-tax-return-accepted/807764/1 "2018-01-29T23:07:43Z")
I keep a pretty good track of my stuff during the year, and can usually fill out my whole tax return without the official papers, but I wait for them anyway just because I’m a bit wussy about things with prison potential :). I got the last form today, checked it against my already entered expectations, and everything looked good so I sent it off efile. I kind of expected that since today was the first day they were opening the gates at all, and a lot of people already had them in the pipeline, plus the shutdown complicating things a couple weeks ago things, plus a couple weird extra complications in my return this year, that the process would be a bit slower this year. But 6 hours later, and I got the accepted email, yay. Maybe the refund will be super quick as well. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-faster-than-expected-tax-return-accepted/807764/2 "2018-01-30T01:02:45Z")
I don’t even know what this means, to have one’s tax return “accepted.” I’ve been sending them in for 45 years and have yet to get a rejection slip. ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-faster-than-expected-tax-return-accepted/807764/3 "2018-01-30T02:51:49Z")
The IRS won’t even start looking at them until Jan. 29. ([cite](https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/2018-tax-filing-season-begins-jan-29-tax-returns-due-april-17-help-available-for-taxpayers)) Even so, it’s good to get them in early [before someone else files your taxes and snatches your refund](https://www.komando.com/tips/300138/protect-your-tax-return-from-crooks-and-hackers/all). ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-faster-than-expected-tax-return-accepted/807764/4 "2018-01-30T03:06:38Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > I don’t even know what this means, to have one’s tax return “accepted.” I’ve been sending them in for 45 years and have yet to get a rejection slip. Do you ever file them electronically? If you do, you will get back an email telling you that it was received and presumably there weren’t any obvious errors. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-faster-than-expected-tax-return-accepted/807764/5 "2018-01-30T03:24:06Z")
> [@phall0106](#): > > The IRS won’t even start looking at them until Jan. 29. ([cite](https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/2018-tax-filing-season-begins-jan-29-tax-returns-due-april-17-help-available-for-taxpayers)) Getting through the acceptance process on the first day that quickly, without it already being submitted earlier is one of the things that really surprised me. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-faster-than-expected-tax-return-accepted/807764/6 "2018-01-30T06:04:39Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > I don’t even know what this means, to have one’s tax return “accepted.” I’ve been sending them in for 45 years and have yet to get a rejection slip. If you file online you get an email from the feds and your state that it has been accepted. It is just an electronic review of the return, all boxes checked, etc. Later you receive an email stating the refund (if earned) is approved and a pay date. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-faster-than-expected-tax-return-accepted/807764/7 "2018-01-30T13:30:57Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > If you file online you get an email from the feds and your state that it has been accepted. It is just an electronic review of the return, all boxes checked, etc. Later you receive an email stating the refund (if earned) is approved and a pay date. > > Dennis Oh, OK I didn’t know that… thanks. ---
**Author:** ![WildBlueYonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-faster-than-expected-tax-return-accepted/807764/8 "2018-01-30T17:36:50Z")
what’s wrong with filing on the 1st of January? Why arent they ready?? I efiled yesterday I think, I forgot a number, the software didnt say I was missing anything so this morning I got an email saying I had to fix it. Filed it again and an email shortly, it was accepted. Now to wait for the money 2nd year in a row we didnt have to pay 😃 ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2018, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-faster-than-expected-tax-return-accepted/807764/9 "2018-01-30T18:13:24Z")
W-2s aren’t due until the end of January. I got mine last week (in a horribly bad system, rant for another time). 1099-DIV and -INT and stock transactions don’t typically come out until mid February. So Jan 1 is not an option for most people. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-faster-than-expected-tax-return-accepted/807764/10 "2018-01-31T02:35:55Z")
One of my brokerage accounts won’t be sending out tax forms until mid February, so I’ve got a while before I can file. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-faster-than-expected-tax-return-accepted/807764/11 "2018-01-31T16:08:07Z")
My return was accepted about 15 minutes after I efiled Monday evening. [IRS.gov](http://IRS.gov) says to expect my refund by this Friday. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-faster-than-expected-tax-return-accepted/807764/12 "2018-01-31T16:21:32Z")
I tried to file in TN and I got an email back saying a necessary form hasn’t been approved yet and that I can’t file till Feb. 8. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2018, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-was-faster-than-expected-tax-return-accepted/807764/13 "2018-01-31T18:20:10Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > My return was accepted about 15 minutes after I efiled Monday evening. [IRS.gov](http://IRS.gov) says to expect my refund by this Friday. You got an approved already? lucky.