How do I recreate my 2021 return based on PDF files from other software into TurboTax and use that to amend my 2022 return? My 2022 return is submitted and accepted.

In order to amend your 2021 return, it would have needed to be filed within Turbo Tax, otherwise, it is not an exact copy. 

I said I want to amend my 2022 return, not my 2021 return. 

The 2021 return was done by a professional accountant using some other software, not TurboTax.

I want to recreate the 2021 in TurboTax to make sure it matches what the accountant did, and then if it matches, then use that to generate carry forwards to my 2022, which I have already filed via TurboTax, but I can file an amendment if the carry forwards really results in a difference in tax liability.

The professionally prepared 2021 has a lot of extra taxes that are related to my investments, and it's better if I let the TurboTax software handle the carry forwards instead of overriding TurboTax when I run it on your cloud servers to insert the carry forwards, which in fact I have not been able to do, hence this need to recreate my 2021 tax return in TurboTax in order to re-do my 2022 return with the software-provided carry forwards.

I have read that I must download the 2021 TurboTax and run it on my own computer, which I will do. But after the 2021 is all filled in (but of course I'll not send it to the IRS), how do I feed that info into the online version of TurboTax 2022 to start my amendment? Or does that require me to download TurboTax 2022 to do the amendment instead of doing it online? 

Are there discounts or freebies in any of the 2021 TurboTax software, since it'll not be used to submit a filing but only to prepare carry forwards into 2022?

Since you have already filed 2022, it is a little more complicated.

Handle the 2021 return

1. You will need the 2021 download to prepare your return to match the accountant. This gives you a 2021 tax return on your computer.
2. You will go to your online account and download the software for 2022.
3. Import your 2021 return so it will update into 2022. Save it with a name that you can keep track of the fact that this is accountant based return.

Handle the 2022 return:

1. Back to the cloud and  download you tax file to your computer. The .txf will download. 
2. In the 2022 tax program, click  find a file, search your download (or wherever it saved the .txf), open the 2022 return. 
3. Click File, Save  - with a different name like 2022 filed.
4. Compare the files. 
5. Amend the one that was filed, if needed. You can use the forms mode to compare and correct the forms for proper carryover for next year.

You are not currently able to transfer from desktop to online.

I already paid for TurboTax online for 2022. Does that include a free TurboTax download for 2022 and 2021?

If not, then it seems expensive to pay for TurboTax download for 2022 and 2021 in order to do this exercise when I have already paid for TurboTax online for 2022.

That's paying for three copies of TurboTax.

If you feel you may not want to move forward or still trying to figure out what to do, you can always call support and see what your options are moving forward. You may need to contact customer service directly for assistance. Please see the following information here for more details.

@myhui 

I tried calling that number but the person answering the phone could not understand my situation.

Given that I have already paid for TurboTax Online 2022 and I have filed successfully, then:

Does Intuit offer a low cost or no cost license to TurboTax Download 2021 for the sole purpose of generating the carry forward information to send to TurboTax Online 2022? This software will not be used to file a return.

Does Intuit offer a low cost or no cost license to TurboTax Download 2022 for the sole purpose of generating a new return based on the carry forward information from TurboTax Download 2021? This software will be used to help me make a comparison between its calculation and TurboTax Online 2022 so that I will use that difference to file an amended 2022 return.

There is no discount product for calculation purposes. You would need to purchase the 2021 TurboTax software download. Please see the below TurboTax Help Article for information on purchasing older versions of TurboTax.

Where can I buy old versions of TurboTax?

@myhui