I e-filed my federal return a few weeks ago with TurboTax On-Line; now I want to file my state return with the Desktop version. However, the Desktop version says I can't file the state without e-filing the federal ... I went to File > Electronic Filing > Check Electronic Filing Status and it says it was accepted, but it still won't let me e-file the state.
(The on-line version wants $59 to activate the state; I bought the download version to help my daughter, and the download version lets you file 3 (?) state returns.)
You have kind of a confused mess. You cannot "mix and match" using online and desktop software. You cannot e-file a state return unless you have e-filed a federal return. And you did indeed e-file federal but you used online software. Now you are trying to use desktop software to prepare a state return. The only way you might be able to make that work for you is to prepare a federal return AGAIN------make it match the one one you already filed-----then prepare the state. You will have to file by mail. You will not mail the federal one since you already e-filed it, but you can mail the state that you prepared using desktop. Your desktop software will have no way to recognize that you e-filed federal online, so you will not be able to e-file state.
"Your desktop software will have no way to recognize that you e-filed federal online" --- well, it does, though, because the Desktop software File menu has that option I mentioned, where it checked my filing status and found it had been accepted.
Your desktop software does not have any of the information from the federal return you prepared online even if it is showing that you e-filed. The only way you are going to get information into a state return using that desktop software is to prepare a federal return that matches the one you already filed so that the information flows from the federal to the state return. There is a way to switch from online to desktop but I am not sure if it will allow you to do that AFTER you already e-filed.
I doubt that you will be able to e-file the state return----but see what it will let you do once you get the state prepared. Worst case---you save the $25 state e-file fee and pay for a stamp to mail the state.
Here is how to switch to desktop from online----again----I do not know if you can do this after you already e-filed that federal return.
@VolvoGirl Do you know if it is possible to switch from online to desktop after e-filing federal so user would not have to prepare federal again?
At some point, I did already download my .tax file from the online version and started up the Desktop version (I think it was before I finished up and filed using the online version). So I already have all my federal info in the Desktop version, and it used that info to start the state version. I'm all ready to file the state, and yes, I could print it out, but I was hoping to e-file to get the refund sooner.
So when you said you filed using online---that was not what happened? You started with online and switched to desktop before you filed? No wonder it is showing that you e-filed using desktop......so, sure, just prepare and e-file your state return. All that stuff I tried to tell you about online and desktop was not necessary if you switched to desktop before you e-filed. And....if you e-file using desktop there is a $25 state e-file fee.
@xmasbaby0 Sure I don’t see why you couldn’t switch to Desktop after Efiling.
@gjcoram since it does show federal accepted in the Desktop program have you tried Efiling state? As far as I remember no one has ever tried or asked that.
"I e-filed my federal return a few weeks ago with TurboTax On-Line"
That statement turned out to be incorrect; the return was actually e-filed using the desktop software that the user switched to before e-filing.....so all the software gymnastics I thought they might need turned out to be unnecessary after all. @gjcoram Good luck with the state e-file!
Yes, I tried e-filing state, and it says "You Cannot E-file This Return. We know it's not what you wanted to hear at this point. ... This return cannot be e-filed before your federal return has been e-filed. You'll need to e-file this return at the same time as your federal return, or after your federal return has been e-filed."
No, I e-filed with TurboTax online. I had downloaded the .tax file when I was about 99% done with federal, started playing around with the Desktop version, but then went back and e-filed using the on-line version.
(Yes, I know I made my life complicated. I have been using TT Online for a few years, but this year, I'm helping my daughter and my mom, and the Desktop version lets you file 5 federal returns whereas the online version wants each person to pay separately.)
Ok. Then download the newest Online .tax2024 file and open it in the Desktop program. See what that does about state.
If you use Forms mode in your desktop software do you see your 2024 federal Form 1040? We cannot tell what you have done.
@VolvoGirl - Indeed! Now it shows the federal has been filed. Thank you!
Yes, it did - and asked for the $25 e-filing fee. (I had hoped that, since I had paid once for my daughter, that this had enabled the e-filing feature - like how I only had to pay for the state edition once. But alas, no.)