TurboTax 2014 - cannot print on Mac, need Windows version

[mwm]

Hello,

I purchased the downloadable Mac version of Turbotax 2014 Home and Business in March 2018 in order to prepare an amended return. I cannot print my return. According to many threads in the Community, TurboTax and Apple had some licensing issue for the 2014 version so we cannot print. I am disappointed that TurboTax sold me this version if there was a known printing problem.  Can you provide me with the 2014 Windows version so that I can import my completed tax return from the MAC version that I purchased into the Windows version in order to print if for filing? 

[DoninGA]

TurboTax no longer supports tax year 2014 so they cannot supply you a Windows download for 2014.

Additionally, if you are amending the 2014 tax return for a tax refund, the time has expired for the refund.  The tax return with a tax refund for 2014 had to be filed on or before April 15, 2018 or with an extension October 15, 2018.

@macuser_22 Would care to comment on the TT Mac 2014 printing issues?

[macuser_22]

@mwmTurboTax only supports the current year and prior 3 years whose statute of limitations for a refund have not expired - that currently is 2018, 2017, 2016 and 2015.    2014 and earlier are not longer available or supported.

This forum is mainly a user-to-user discussion forum and not a direct link to TurboTax support, but nobody can supply the 2014 software since it is not longer available.  Even if you can find it 3rd party, the updates are probably not available and the software is useless without the same updates that were used to file the original tax return and if a state was included the .tax file will not even open without first installing the state which is not available.

If you need to amend 2014 it is beyond the 3 year statute if limitations to obtain a refund.  If because you owe additional tax then you might be able to get the Windows "amend" software which is not the same as the  full software (you need to contact customer support for than and to obtain a refund for the Mac software that you purchased and cannot use).  I don't know if they can help or not.

"I am disappointed that TurboTax sold me this version if there was a known printing problem..." 

In March of 2018 there was no "print problem" since the 2014 year was still supported then and printing worked fine. 

[I totally agree that it was just dumb to move essential print routines out of the internal program to an external server and I said so to the developers at the time - I foresaw what would happen in the future when the print server was discarded .  My understanding was that TT could not sell the product at the Apple store unless that software was removed from the product because Apple did not have a license with the 3rd party software that was used - Apple forced the issue - since then TT has written its own print routines.]

Here is a TurboTax FAQ for contacting customer support.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899263-what-is-the-turbotax-phone-number

As of May, 2019, TurboTax has dropped all support for the 2014 tax year. The "Secure Print Server" that was *required* to be able to print or make a PFD for 2014 ONLY no longer exists, so even you can get 2014 to run, it will be impossible to print anything.   (The "secure print server" was ONLY required for the 2014 Mac version and not 2015 or later.)

[Chris77]

I need to get copies of my taxreturns for 2014 and 2015. 

The website is impossible to navigate and I am totally stuck. The help site says I need to upgrade my account to Plus to get my history, and there is no where to do just that. Please help.

[mesquitebean]

@Chris77   

I can tell you how to upgrade and pay for PLUS to unlock prior online returns.    You're actually posting your topic in the wrong thread.  This thread is about a known printing issue in desktop 2014 MAC software , and your situation is different.  Normally it's best if people start their own new thread on their issue.  But since you're here, I can tell you what to do.

I need to ask you a bunch of questions before I can tell you how to pay to unlock prior returns.  First I need to be sure that you used Online TurboTax.

Were the prior returns prepared with Online TurboTax?  If so, log in to your account and look in the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents."   Choose each tax year and look for a link to download/print the PDF. When you try to download the prior returns, does it ask you to pay?     If that's your situation, I can tell you how to pay to unlock your prior returns.   The method to upgrade and pay to unlock them depends on what all you have done with your 2018 return.

So please answer all of the following about your 2018 return:

1. Have you already filed a 2018 return using Online TurboTax, or is one still in preparation?    Or did you use desktop software for 2018?  Or did you file elsewhere?
2.  If started or prepared Online, was the 2018 return in Free Edition or a paid edition?
3.  If you have started or filed a 2018 online return, is it in the SAME account as the locked prior online returns?

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

[Chris77]

Hi!

Thank you for your reply, I appreciate it. Please see my answers below.

Have you already filed a 2018 return using Online TurboTax, or is one still in preparation?    Or did you use desktop software for 2018?  Or did you file elsewhere?

I already filed with someone else. I have not used Turbotax in years and only need to get to my old files.

If started or prepared Online, was the 2018 return in Free Edition or a paid edition?

I tried upgrading and just got that i could start with deluxe but only pay when returning my 2018 taxes, which is a problem because I wont. I also tried downloading the desktop version, paid 70$ and it does not even work.

If you have started or filed a 2018 online return, is it in the SAME account as the locked prior online returns?

I only have one account and I have used that one for the previous returns.

[mesquitebean]

Normally the way to unlock a prior return is to minimally start a 2018 return in Free Edition in the same account, upgrade it to PLUS, and pay 19.99 by credit/debit card.  One doesn't have to actually prepare and finish the return. We could have told you the steps to upgrade and pay right away, but your situation has become more complicated.

You have a couple of choices outlined below.  I can tell you more when you choose.

Option One:

Did you actually start a 2018 online return in Deluxe?  If so, we can tell you how to downgrade it to Free Edition, then upgrade it to PLUS for 19.99.      Or if you haven't started a 2018 return at all, we can tell you how to start one in Free Edition, upgrade to PLUS, and pay the 19.99.    In either case you could use the Online Refund Request Form to get your $70 back for the software you purchased.   I'll tell you all the steps if you choose that path.

Option Two:

If you purchased 2018 software, that does qualify to unlock the prior returns, but it is not automatic since a desktop product doesn't sync with online products in that regard.   You would have to phone TurboTax Customer Support and tell them you purchased the software and ask them to unlock the prior returns and to refund the needless software purchase.   They may end up not even charging you anything, especially when you stress all the trouble you've been through.    We can tell you how to reach Support.

[Chris77]

I have already filled out a form to get my $ back.

I just need to get those two forms out of turbotax, I wish it was easier, this website is a joke.

[mesquitebean]

You wrote above:    "I tried upgrading and just got that i could start with deluxe but only pay when returning my 2018 taxes..."

If you have a 2018 online return started in Deluxe instead of Free Edition, then I need to tell you how to downgrade it to Free Edition first.

I'm going to be offline until later today, so in the interest of time,  I'll just assume that you did start one in Deluxe, so here's how to downgrade to Free Edition, then upgrade to PLUS and pay the 19.99.  

This will only work if the 2018 return and the prior returns are in the same account, which you affirmed above.

• Log in and open your 2018 return you started ("Take me to my return.")   If it's in Deluxe, then you need to downgrade first.
• Go to the left menu column and click on TAX TOOLS, then choose "Clear and Start Over."
• When it starts over, choose Free Edition.
• After some preliminary screens, you'll arrive at the MY INFO section.
• At that point see if there is an Upgrade link in the left menu column.   If it's not there yet, you'll need to enter some info into the MY INFO screens until you see an Upgrade link either appear in the left menu column or at the end of the MY INFO section.
• Then click on Upgrade and choose PLUS.   Do NOT upgrade any beyond PLUS, or you'll have the same problem again.
• Once you are in PLUS, then you need to pay the 19.99.
• In the left menu column click on TAX TOOLS, then PRINT CENTER.
• At the Print Center choose to "Print, save, view THIS  YEAR's return."   (Yes, you say "this year's" because you are paying for the 2018 return to unlock the prior returns.)   You don't actually have to print it.
• It will then ask you to pay.  If the Order Summary appears OK, then choose PAY NOW.
• You can pay by credit card or debit card (even though it only says "credit.")

NOTE:  If it should offer you the choice of paying later out of the Federal refund, that cannot be done for this purpose.  You have to choose PAY NOW.