Delete last year's return

[asml84]

Last year (tax year 2017), I started working on my federal return using TurboTax but then decided to file it myself. The information in TurboTax for tax year 2017 is therefore incomplete and inaccurate.

This year (tax year 2018), I decided to file with TurboTax. However, the inaccurate/incomplete information from tax year 2017 is still available in TurboTax, even though I never filed it using TurboTax. Even worse, this inaccurate/incomplete information shows up in a "5-year history" when I download/preview my 2018 federal return.

I just want to delete it and don't see any reference to it in my 2018 federal return!

[VolvoGirl · Accepted solution]

Well you cant delete it from your account.  You could start fresh with a new online account.  Or There is a tricky way to clear out transferred info in the Online version.  But doing this will also clear out all your entries.  Go to Tax Tools > Tools > Transfer from your computer > Continue > then Continue without transferring. 

[asml84]

Argh, I can’t believe they can’t add a delete button. I have already filed for an extension and paid for TurboTax Premier using this account, so I can’t just create a new one. Or can I and the purchase and extension will get transferred?

[VolvoGirl]

No you are stuck.  Does the incorrect 2017 info affect anything in your 2018 return?  Like carryovers?  You will have to manually change anything that it needs from 2017.

[asml84]

I don’t think it affects anything in my 2018 return, but I don’t want inaccurate 2017 data (that doesn’t match my actual return for 2017) get transferred to the IRS.

I don’t think abandoning a previous return and coming back later is uncommon. It’s pretty unacceptable that there’s no solution to this. Do you know how I can get in contact with Intuit. I want a refund.

[macuser_22]

Federal record retention laws and IRS e-file regulations prevent deleting any tax related information for 3-7 years.

[asml84]

But I didn’t even file! I just filled out some fields without much care or thought to get a rough estimate. And now, a year later, TurboTax all of a sudden treats it like an actual return.

[brandyn]

The only time TurboTax will treat information entered into the system as an actual/filed return is If you

A: E-filed your return

or

B: Chose "I'll print and mail in my return".

Turbotax software is setup to assume customers are going to do as they say (or indicate) in their account so it's treated as if you did print and mail in the return because that's what you said you were going to do.

[Critter]

OK ... the 5 year comparison is NOT sent to the IRS ... that is for your use only and if you do not want to start over again then just ignore the 2017 info column ... it will not be sent to the IRS ... only current year tax returns are sent and ONLY if you actually click on the Transmit now button.

[ObrutMooz]

Great post- my question exactly. If TurboTax wanted to make the tool ACTUALLY usable by real people because this is a real situation for lots of people, just let us go back and edit the prior tax year by entering our 1040 values that we ended up doing on our own to synchronize our records. We all have our reasons, make the tool flexible for real life.