I have tried several times to find a way to buy a copy of my 2017 return but it seems impossible, help me please.

Let's start at the beginning.   Was the 2017 return prepared in Online TurboTax?   If so, log in and at the Tax Home go to the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents."  Expand that section and choose tax year 2017.   Do you find the return?   If so, what happens when you click on "Download/print the PDF?"    Does it ask you to pay to access?

If you only need the 2017 AGI, there should also be a free link there to "View the adjusted gross income (AGI.")

Or do you not find any evidence of the online 2017 return in your account at all?   If not, then we can tell you how to look for multiple accounts.

If access to the 2017 return is locked, and it asks you to pay, then how to unlock the 2017 return depends on what all you have done for your 2018 return.  Have you already filed a 2018 return with Online TurboTax, or is one still in preparation?  
Is your 2018 return in the SAME account as the 2017 return?

You appear to be using "Live Basic", at least that is what is indicated next to your username above.  That is an upgrade to Free Edition that includes live tax help from a CPA/EA and a final review of your return, which they will sign.  Live Basic is 79.99 for a Federal return and 34.99 for a state return.    Is that the product you used for your 2018 return?

I used turbo tax basic online for 2017. I do have 2018 in progress with turbotax but have decided to use a CPA due to a job change. All i want to do is get a copy of my 2017 return which turbotax prepared. I am perfectly willing to pay but all information given to me has me going in circles with no set options. I will upgrade, i will pay etc. Just give me clear access to the procedure needed to be performed.

The way to unlock a 2017 Free Edition return is to start a 2018 return in Free Edition in the SAME account and upgrade it to PLUS and pay 19.99.    However,  you have an additional problem.  You appear to be using "Live Basic", at least that is what is indicated next to your screen name above.  That product is a lot more expensive.   If I tell you how to pay for it like it is now, it will charge you 79.99 for a Federal return.

If you first downgrade to Free Edition, then upgrade to PLUS, it will only cost you 19.99.   I will tell you how to do all that, and you can decide if that's what you want to do.

I'll assume you prefer to pay the 19.99 instead of 79.99.   So if you don't intend to use TurboTax to prepare your 2018 return, here's how to downgrade from Live Basic to Free Edition by using "Clear and Start Over."

<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2586254-how-do-i-clear-and-start-over-in-turbotax-online">https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2586254-how-do-i-clear-and-start-over-in-turbotax-online</a>

Once you clear your 2018 return, when it starts over choose Free Edition as your product, then follow the steps I'll leave you in an answer below.

Or if you want to just pay for Live Basic at 79.99, you don't have to clear the 2018 return, but can still follow the payment steps that  you'll see in my answer below.

Please clarify something first.

What did you mean by this statement:
" I do have 2018 in progress with turbotax but have decided to use a CPA due to a job change. "

Does that mean a TurboTax CPA as part of your current product or an outside CPA?    Does that mean you don't intend to use TurboTax to prepare your 2018 return, or does that mean you intend to use TurboTax for 2018 but want the TurboTax CPA help that is in your Live Basic product?   If you intend to keep using TurboTax for the 2018 return and the TurboTax CPA, then you don't need to clear and start over.  You can just pay for the Live Basic to unlock the return.

My answer below gives you both options, so you can choose whether to continue and pay for Live Basic or starting over in Free Edition and paying for PLUS.

NOTE:  In order for this to work, your 2017 and 2018 returns must be in the SAME account.

If you don't intend to use TurboTax for 2018 and decided to downgrade to Free Edition using "clear and start over", then here's how to unlock access to your 2017 return by paying for PLUS at 19.99.

If you decided to continue in Live Basic (79.99 for Federal and 44.99 for state, if applicable), then you do not need to upgrade any farther.  In that case you can skip the first steps below about upgrading and go right to the payment steps (the last 5 steps in the list below) to pay for your Live Basic. 

• If you cleared your return and started over in Free Edition, then go to the MY INFO section.
  
• See if there is a link in the left menu column for UPGRADE.   If not, then you may have to fill out a screen in that personal info section first.  If so, do that.  You can either continue completing the rest of the My Info section, if you wish, and it will eventually ask you if you want to upgrade to PLUS.  Or after filling out the first screen of personal info, you can go back to the left menu column and click Upgrade again, and this time it should let you upgrade.
• NOTE:  If the PLUS option is grayed out, that means you are already in PLUS.  Do not upgrade any farther, or you'll have problems.
• So once in PLUS, you need to pay for it.
• While the return is still open, click in the left menu column on Tax Tools, then choose Print Center.
• Then choose "Print/save/preview this year's return."  (Yes, you say "this year's" since you are paying for the 2018 return to unlock the prior returns.) You won't actually have to print the 2018 return.
  
• On the next screen choose to "Pay now".
• The next screen should be an Order Summary.  Review that, and if all is OK, click Continue.
• It should then prompt you for payment by credit or debit card.  The screen only says "credit card", but it will take a debit card.