How can I access 2016 return filed with Turbo Tax. Have already bought 2017 Home and Business.

[rahamies]

Lost my Turbo Tax files on the computer. Using Turbo Tax Home and Business, not an option when scrolling below

[mesquitebean]

How was your 2016 return prepared--in desktop software (CD/download), or at TurboTax Online?

[rahamies]

TurboTax Online

[mesquitebean]

Have you located the 2016 return in your online account  under "Your Tax Returns & Documents", and in the year 2016, and when you try to view/download/print, does it tell you that access is locked and you have to pay?    Or do you not find it at all?

[rahamies]

Thanks

[mesquitebean]

Hey, wait.  I haven't given an answer yet.  I was still questioning  you.   I don't know what you need to know.

[rahamies]

No I have not located it, where can I go?

[mesquitebean]

Log into  your account online.
Go to the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents."  click that line or on the word SHOW to expand that section.
Choose 2016.
Then look for a link "Download/print the PDF."
What happens when you click that link?  Can you retrieve it, or does it ask you to pay?

There is also a link to "download the *.tax file".   You can download the *.tax2016 data file so you can transfer it into your 2017 desktop software.

If it asks you to pay, we can tell you how to contact TurboTax Support since you already bought 2017 Home and Business Edition.

If you don't find evidence of a 2016 return at all in that account, we can tell you how to look for multiple accounts.

[rahamies]

Hi, did as you said and it asked me to pay, pls advise how to contact support in order to do it. On the other hand I read that Turbo Tax cannot save the returns and we must go to IRS to ask for them?

[mesquitebean]

That's false.  Where did you see such?

TurboTax has saved online returns for years.   At some point in time, if people don't keep using a paid product, access expires, but the returns do not disappear.   They can pay for a current product to unlock the access.   See this FAQ:
<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/3355524-when-does-access-to-my-prior-year-turbotax-online-returns-...>

That having been said, it's best if people always make their own backup copies each year,  and store them safely and securely against computer theft, hacking, etc.   Then they don't lose access to them.

I'll tell you below how to contact TurboTax Support so you can tell them you bought the 2017 software.

[rahamies]

OK, thanks! I am in South Africa until mid May, maybe I can email them?

[mesquitebean]

Can you phone 800 number in the USA?  It won't be free internationally.

They don't have email support.

They do have Twitter and Facebook, where you can message a TurboTax agent directly.

[rahamies]

Yes, I can phone all numbers in USA., will try via Facebook, too. The contact link below just goes to articles etc and I am dancing around ..

[mesquitebean]

The contact link in the Answer below works fine but only if in the USA.  There is a short form to fill out below the suggested articles, but it requires a USA phone number.   Plus they are closed right now, so that doesn't function until they open.   You didn't drop the important info about not being in the USA until the end.  I wouldn't have given you that method if I had known.

Here are your current options:

(800) 446-8848.

<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/TeamTurboTax">https://twitter.com/TeamTurboTax</a>
or
<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/turbotax">https://www.facebook.com/turbotax</a>

[rahamies]

Hi, contacted them just now on Facebook and got the telephone number. Thank you so much !