My refund status says “We are still processing your refund. A refund date will be provided when available”

The IRS did not start accepting tax returns until February 12th, 2021. They did take a few earlier for testing. That is why "Acceptance" took longer. Then when you file TurboTax gives you an estimated refund date based on the average 21 day time frame of most filers. Once you are accepted, you are on the IRS payment timetable. Only the IRS knows the status of processing your tax return, whether you owe taxes or are due a refund. In prior years, the IRS issued more than 9 out of 10 refunds to taxpayers in less than 21 days last year. The same results are expected for 2021.

The messages and bars on the Where’s My Refund? tool change all of the time; and sometimes the same message is displayed continuously, or the bars disappear entirely (they may return later).  The disappearance of the bars, as a stand-alone action, signifies nothing important at all. The behavior that you observe is more likely an indicator that your tax return (and refund) is simply moving through the processing system. 

Please  in keep in mind that the IRS doesn't always move as fast as taxpayers would like (especially when waiting for a refund).  Also taxpayers who report certain items of income (such as self-employment) or certain tax credits (such as dependent care) can experience longer wait times for the IRS to process their original tax return, and ultimately issue a tax refund.

Please see the TurboTax FAQ link below for more information:

• When will I get my IRS tax refund?
• Where's My Tax Refund? The IRS Refund Timetable Explained