Hi, I'm trying to pay for my 2015 return . The instructions aren't accurate. Can some please help?

[mesquitebean]

What are you doing?   Are you trying to pay to access an old return whose access is now locked?  If so, we can give you better and easier instructions than those provided by TurboTax.

Was your 2015 return prepared with Online TurboTax?  If so, log in to your account and look in the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents."   Choose tax year 2015, and look for a link to download/print the PDF.   Do you find evidence of your return there OK, but when you try to download, does it ask you to pay?     If that's your situation, we can tell you how to pay to unlock your 2015 return.   The method to unlock it depends on what all you have done with your 2018 return.

If you find no evidence at all of your 2015 online return in that account, we can tell you how to look for multiple accounts.    A return prepared in desktop software (CD/download) will not be in an online account.

Please answer all of the following:

1. Have you already filed a 2018 return in Online TurboTax, or is one still in preparation?  Or did you file elsewhere?
2. Was the 2018 return prepared in Free Edition?
3. Is the 2018 return in the SAME account as the 2015 online return?

We can tell you how to unlock a return once you answer all the questions above.

There's also a free option if a return transcript will suit your purpose.   You may be able to immediately download one at the IRS website if you qualify to open an IRS account there.  Otherwise, to order a transcript to come by postal mail takes 5-10 calendar days.
http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript

[mesquitebean]

What are you doing?   Are you trying to pay to access an old return whose access is now locked?  If so, we can give you better and easier instructions than those provided by TurboTax.

Was your 2015 return prepared with Online TurboTax?  If so, log in to your account and look in the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents."   Choose tax year 2015, and look for a link to download/print the PDF.   Do you find evidence of your return there OK, but when you try to download, does it ask you to pay?     If that's your situation, we can tell you how to pay to unlock your 2015 return.   The method to unlock it depends on what all you have done with your 2018 return.

If you find no evidence at all of your 2015 online return in that account, we can tell you how to look for multiple accounts.    A return prepared in desktop software (CD/download) will not be in an online account.

Please answer all of the following:

1. Have you already filed a 2018 return in Online TurboTax, or is one still in preparation?  Or did you file elsewhere?
2. Was the 2018 return prepared in Free Edition?
3. Is the 2018 return in the SAME account as the 2015 online return?

We can tell you how to unlock a return once you answer all the questions above.

There's also a free option if a return transcript will suit your purpose.   You may be able to immediately download one at the IRS website if you qualify to open an IRS account there.  Otherwise, to order a transcript to come by postal mail takes 5-10 calendar days.
http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript

[mesquitebean]

What are you doing?   Are you trying to pay to access an old return whose access is now locked?  If so, we can give you better and easier instructions than those provided by TurboTax.

Was your 2015 return prepared with Online TurboTax?  If so, log in to your account and look in the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents."   Choose tax year 2015, and look for a link to download/print the PDF.   Do you find evidence of your return there OK, but when you try to download, does it ask you to pay?     If that's your situation, we can tell you how to pay to unlock your 2015 return.   The method to unlock it depends on what all you have done with your 2018 return.

If you find no evidence at all of your 2015 online return in that account, we can tell you how to look for multiple accounts.    A return prepared in desktop software (CD/download) will not be in an online account.

Please answer all of the following:

1. Have you already filed a 2018 return in Online TurboTax, or is one still in preparation?  Or did you file elsewhere?
2. Was the 2018 return prepared in Free Edition?
3. Is the 2018 return in the SAME account as the 2015 online return?

We can tell you how to unlock a return once you answer all the questions above.

There's also a free option if a return transcript will suit your purpose.   You may be able to immediately download one at the IRS website if you qualify to open an IRS account there.  Otherwise, to order a transcript to come by postal mail takes 5-10 calendar days.
http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript

[mesquitebean]

What are you doing?   Are you trying to pay to access an old return whose access is now locked?  If so, we can give you better and easier instructions than those provided by TurboTax.

Was your 2015 return prepared with Online TurboTax?  If so, log in to your account and look in the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents."   Choose tax year 2015, and look for a link to download/print the PDF.   Do you find evidence of your return there OK, but when you try to download, does it ask you to pay?     If that's your situation, we can tell you how to pay to unlock your 2015 return.   The method to unlock it depends on what all you have done with your 2018 return.

If you find no evidence at all of your 2015 online return in that account, we can tell you how to look for multiple accounts.    A return prepared in desktop software (CD/download) will not be in an online account.

Please answer all of the following:

1. Have you already filed a 2018 return in Online TurboTax, or is one still in preparation?  Or did you file elsewhere?
2. Was the 2018 return prepared in Free Edition?
3. Is the 2018 return in the SAME account as the 2015 online return?

We can tell you how to unlock a return once you answer all the questions above.

There's also a free option if a return transcript will suit your purpose.   You may be able to immediately download one at the IRS website if you qualify to open an IRS account there.  Otherwise, to order a transcript to come by postal mail takes 5-10 calendar days.
http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript

[mesquitebean]

NOTE:  A couple of places above referenced a 2017 return, when it should have said "2015".  The tax years have now been corrected, but you may have been emailed the original response with a couple of typos.