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Level 1
posted Feb 18, 2020 6:28:18 PM

Tax Year Prior to 2020: Lost My Return

I finished my 2019 tax return.  I tried to save it on a CD, but during the save attempt, the external storage unit crashed.  My entire return was lost.  I checked EVERY possible place on my computer, but to no avail!  I usually save my return first in the TurboTax folder in "Documents", but I was in a rush and didn't do that this time.  I DO have the return's .pdf file saved, but not the .tax2019 file.  I will need that to transfer my information on next year's TurboTax program.  Is there any way that I can get a copy of that .tax2019 file?  Both of my federal and state returns for 2019 have been accepted.  I just wish that I could retrieve my .tax2019 file some how!  Is there any way to do that?  Thanks a million for any help you guys can give me!!   

0 25 8611
24 Replies
Intuit Alumni
Feb 18, 2020 9:17:56 PM

For information regarding this topic, please see this related TurboTax FAQ, Find your tax data file (.tax file) in Windows

Level 1
Feb 19, 2020 3:13:38 PM

You don't understand!!  The original tax file .tax2019 is GONE from my computer!  It was lost when I was trying to save it to a CD.  I need to know if there is any way that TurboTax can send me another copy of my .tax2019 file??  

Intuit Alumni
Feb 19, 2020 3:37:50 PM

If you used TurboTax desktop, your returns are only stored on your computer (or any backup that you made).  TurboTax would not have copies but the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) can provide you with copies of your tax returns from the most recent seven tax years.

Please see the link below for information on how to obtain a copy:

New Member
Mar 9, 2020 6:33:02 PM

Seems to be a problem.  All mine have been lost and they were saved to my  computer.  Even going back to 2017.

All removed.  Program picks up nothing and I had 3 years worth.  No other files are missing.

 

Intuit Alumni
Mar 9, 2020 6:38:18 PM

Please see above response from CassLO if you are using the CD/Download. 

 

New Member
Mar 9, 2020 6:43:49 PM

I understand you do not have files.  What I don't understand is why only Turbo Tax files are missing. No other saved files are missing.

New Member
Jun 11, 2020 10:09:16 AM

Dude, I lost ALL my 2019 tax returns.  I did them last week, saved them and now as I was going to file, they are all gone.  Funny thing, when I logged into Turbo Tax, it asked me to re-register my product.  Not Funny....

Returning Member
Jul 1, 2020 1:15:08 PM

Entered 99% of my data. My computer updated over night (6/28/20) which is normal. When I started TurboTax the only tbt file was from 3/22/20 with only my personnel data.  This was hours and days of data input LOST! Very disappointed.

New Member
Feb 13, 2021 4:07:02 PM

yes! my .2019 file was also erased from my 2019 app when I had to update it upon launch and I now have to start from scratch for 2020. It's infuriating and  I don't feel good about it since others are saying that the information will continue to disappear upon upgrading which we're forced to do when it launches. 

Intuit Alumni
Feb 13, 2021 7:45:19 PM

If you are having issues and need assistance, please contact customer support. Please see the Customer Support phone number hereIf you would like to reach out through our website, please see the TurboTax FAQ below for contact information: https://support.turbotax.intuit.com/contact/

Returning Member
Apr 8, 2021 7:49:07 PM

I lost my refund check for 2019.I need help.  What is your phone number for help

 

Thanks

 

Craig

Intuit Alumni
Apr 9, 2021 9:18:05 AM
Level 1
Aug 29, 2021 10:56:36 AM

As far as I can see, nobody's problems have been resolved relocating TT files that have been deleted by the TurboTax software.

I have the same problem as those discussed above.  I purchased the CD/Download Mac version in early 2021 to file my 2020 taxes.

I subsequently filed my 2020 taxes (in May) and they were accepted (only to have an August bill sent to me from the IRS due to incorrect calculations by TT regarding Economic Stimulus Payments that I never received).  I have since calculated my taxes manually (exactly what I tried to avoid by purchasing TurboTax Deluxe for Mac), only to find out that my HSA contributions were not deferred on the federal portion of return that calculates Adjusted Gross Income.  Adding insult to injury, the software ADDED these HSA contributions when it carried the AGI number over to my California State tax return.  So a) I 
didn't get the benefit of the deferral on my federal return; and b) I paid taxes on a higher AGI to the state of California.

Too bad I didn't catch this before I filed.  Nevertheless, it's obvious now when compared against my manual spreadsheet calculations using the IRS instructions.

I want to file an Amended Return (worth $1910 to me) using the software I already paid for.  The problem is the software deleted the .tax file for 2020.

This is completely unacceptable!  This is TAX DATA upon which Intuit lives and dies.  Data that is extremely important to users, which appears to be unrecoverable.  Flippant answers above about clicking on links that don't contain answers are very insulting.

I'm only writing this so others will stop spending money on a product that assures guarantees, charges for audit defense (which I also paid for), etc.  But it can't do the most fundamental of all tasks required, which is to properly retain users' tax data.

I am a registered user with a phone number and email on file.  I look forward to hearing from somebody on your support staff, but I'm not holding my breath.

Level 15
Aug 29, 2021 11:07:06 AM

@DannyDiNardo This forum is not a direct link to TurboTax support.

Support is open from 5am to 5pm Pacific time, Monday thru Friday.

 

Use this website to contact TurboTax support during business hours - https://support.turbotax.intuit.com/contact/

Or -

Support can also be reached by messaging them on these pages https://www.facebook.com/turbotax/ and https://twitter.com/TeamTurboTax

Level 15
Aug 29, 2021 11:09:31 AM

@DannyDiNardo No one can call you from this user forum.   We do not have access to any of your information.   This is a public web site that can be seen by anyone, so your personal information is protected.   If you want to talk to customer support for help you have to initiate that support request:

 

To call TurboTax customer support

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

Customer support is available from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time Monday-Friday.

Level 1
Aug 29, 2021 11:43:39 AM

Same reply that everybody else gets when asking for the Customer Support telephone number.  Another link that sends me to more links.  Nowhere is there a telephone number indicated, as far as I can tell.

Level 1
Aug 29, 2021 11:50:47 AM

Sorry, the links do not provide any support for the problem of the Intuit software DELETING user TAX DATA.

Nor is there a telephone number to contact to get real answers.

This public forum should be informed as to how well Intuit supports their TurboTax product.  Even if I can't get support or advice here for the software issue, at least I am being counted among the other (hundreds, thousands?) users who have experienced the same.

As of today, it appears that I will need to re-add all of my 2020 tax return data in order to file and Amendment precipitated by inaccuracies in the TurboTax software.

Level 15
Aug 29, 2021 12:25:44 PM

@DannyDiNardo 

When using the TurboTax support website when support is

OPEN

you will get a toll free phone number and a Support Incident number - https://support.turbotax.intuit.com/contact/

 

As shown in these screenshot examples -

 

 

 

Level 1
Aug 29, 2021 12:38:01 PM

Thank you DoninGA.  That is helpful.

 

I will defer further TT engagement until I can contact somebody at Intuit.

Level 1
Aug 29, 2021 2:05:20 PM

The TurboTax software had me pay $1040 between the IRS and CA Franchise Tax Board.  I wrote the checks, trusting in the software.

I just finished the manual calculations. When I subtract the

401(k)

 HSA contributions that were supposed to be deferred for the purposes of calculating federal taxable income, I see that I should have been receiving a total refund of $870 between IRS and FTB.  That's a big discrepancy, worth $1910 net to my family's budget.

 

I could have paid a tax attorney $1000 to file my returns and still come out ahead of where TurboTax put me.

Level 15
Aug 29, 2021 2:20:07 PM

Were you an employee and got a W2?  You don't enter 401K contributions.   401K (But not ROTH 401K) come out of your checks pretax and have already been deducted from the wages in box 1 and you can't deduct it again.  See box 1 should be less than boxes 3&5.

 

You only enter it from your W2 box 12.  

Level 1
Aug 29, 2021 2:36:50 PM

I apologize if I misstated the case, or confused 401(k) with HSA.

I meant to say that my HSA contributions which are supposed to be deferred were instead included in my taxable income.  I know the HSA data was entered correctly.  The software even spit out the proper 8889 form.  And it forwarded that amount ON TOP OF of the miscalculated federal taxable income to calculate my state taxable income.

New Member
Dec 14, 2021 4:32:59 AM

Has anyone actually resolved the issue of missing tax data? I am missing return data for back to 2017 and loath to have to recreate all of those returns.

Level 2
Jun 26, 2022 2:18:52 PM

    This may help for future years (for those who download TT or install from CDs... by the way, I'll only ever buy the CD from now on, since Amaz*n has started removing the download links just months after purchasing newest TT version!! <angry face>). 

     I never save my .tax20XX files in the "default" /TurboTax directory - I only save the downloaded TT exe files there.  Instead, I create an entirely new directory in Documents simply called TAXES and within that, I create a directory for each tax year.  That's where I save my TT .tax20xx files, and all other data, including PDFs of TT Help files (found by right-clicking on virtually any box on the FORMS section & clicking on the "about ____" option).  

    Another thing I've noticed:  When working on a tax file, and you click "save," it saves it to your computer with a tilde (i.e., ~) in front.  If you then click File Exit, TT asks you if you want to save your file.  DO IT.  I used to not save it at that question, thinking "I JUST did this," but alas, I believe now that TT saves the file withOUT the tilde when you answer that question with a "Yes."  It also doesn't seem to remove the tilde files, which is a GOOD THING.  Those files act as a backup to your saved file.