Can't open tax return, get message: has the wrong tax year or some other issue that prevents us from opening it. Please make sure you have the right file and try again.

[amfentress]

I cannot open my 2017 return which I had most finished. I a using 2017 program. Help! getting message: has the wrong tax year or some other issue that prevents us from opening it.  Please make sure you have the right file and try again.

[VolvoGirl]

How are you trying to open it?  Are you opening the App first then go to FILE - Open?

[amfentress]

I'm on Apple computer. Tried opening from app, tried just opening the file. Nothing works.i found o e post that said to right click and open another way but that's not working

[AnthonyC]

Are you using the desktop program (i.e. you installed an app or software on your computer) or the online (access directly from a web browser?  It shows you are asking from the online program, but I suspect you are using the software.

[AnthonyC]

I am just going to assume that you are using the software from your question.  I also use a MAC and ran into the same issue.  I was able to fix it and reopen my files using the steps below (reinstalling the program).

[AnthonyC]

Try uninstalling the TurboTax program and then reinstalling the program.  You need to follow all the steps outlined in the article below (its a bit tedious to uninstall TurboTax on a MAC, but you have to follow all the steps or you may not fully uninstall the program).  After you have reinstalled, you should be able to open the .tax file again.  

Please make a copy of your .tax2017 file and put it on a USB or other device before you uninstall.  While the file is separate from the program, you don't to accidentally erase it during the process.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/replies/3301991

[djholroyd]

I have TurboTax Premier 2019 installed. I just opened the program (Mac OS 10.15), which self updated and can't open my saved file with the error "Document has the wrong tax year". Being required to uninstall the program and reinstall it as a fix is bull **bleep**.

[MarekCyzio]

The same issue here, installed the latest update of TuboTax and now I cannot open nearly completed 2019 tax return. 

[JotikaT2]

It depends.

First, I recommend trying the following steps.

Updating state loop

If this does not resolve your issue, please contact us by doing the following:

Click the Help button on the top menu bar.

1. Then select TurboTax Help Center.
2. A popup window will pop up and allow you to type in a search or ask for help.
3. Once you type in your information here, you will also be prompted to have someone call you if needed on the next screen.  You will need to enter your information in this section.

[Cephas2000]

I have this same issue. 

- Apple Mac Mini running macOS Catalina Version 10.15.4

- Intuit turbotax Deluxe 2019 2019.r30.042

Taxes had been complete in late April. In late May, I attempted to re-open the file and received the "has the wrong tax year or some other issue that prevents us from opening" error

The best answer I found on this site was to completely uninstall and reinstall turbotax. Despite that (repeated attempts), I'm still receiving the same error.

What other steps might I try?

[macuser_22]

---

@Cephas2000 wrote:

I have this same issue. 

- Apple Mac Mini running macOS Catalina Version 10.15.4

- Intuit turbotax Deluxe 2019 2019.r30.042

"has the wrong tax year or some other issue that prevents us from opening" error

---

That is a problem with the .tax2019 data file and not the application.

Possible reasons:

1) The .tax 2019 data file contains state information and the state software is not installed.

2) The data file has lost the "open with" application pointer.     Start TurboTax 2019 and then use the top menu bar "File -> Open Tax Return.   Then locate and select the .tax2019 data file that you want to open.

3) Some sort of unrecoverable corruption happened to the .tax2019 data file.     Use your backups or TimeMachine Backups to locate a prior copy of the data file and recover a non corrupted copy.

[Anonymous]

Mine was  because the file was stored on iCloud so that TurboTax app couldn't read it from local. Solved by File -> Open Tax Return... -> locate the return file, double click to download it from iCloud to local -> Open, boom, everything got back on track.

[unhappy_customer]

This was my issue - go to the TurboTax Menu (just to the right of the Apple menu) and select Download State. If your package included a state download and you've already downloaded before, etc. you won't be charged again. It's a confusing interface, bad error message, and seems to be tax updates that 'break' the installed state.

[hrplan]

I am so relieved that I read through the entire thread of entries before proceeding with trying to recover my 2019 TurboTax return that was filed on July 15th.  

Uninstalling and reinstalling applications doesn't make sense... but I guess you never know. Then I read the reply to the user who was instructed to restore from backup....eeek!

Fortunately before doing anything I did notice that there was a cloud with a down arrow symbol pointing to download it from icloud.  So when I read this message, it made sense.  I downloaded it from icloud and opened the file as I normally would.  No need to 1) uninstall and reinstall the app on my macbook; 2) recover my file from backup. 

Thank you for your post!!!

Helen

[millermack1]

So I got this error today working on a MacBook running MacOS Mojave trying to open a TurboTax for Mac 2019 file in TurboTax for Mac 2020. Rather than the software uninstall/reinstall trick, instead I focused on why the file might have been corrupt. Turns out I was trying to open my 2019 Tax file from Dropbox where I have the "SmartSync" feature turned ON to save space on my hard drive. Dropbox SmartSync doesn't download the file until you need it. This feature doesn't appear to work through the File--Open request made by the TurboTax program. So I opened a Mac Finder window, used the two finder click on the file I wanted to open in the Finder to bring up the Mac file menu, and the DropBox Features menu pops up. Where it says "SmartSync" you move the pointer over to the "Local" field and just click on the word Local. It will then fully download the file to your Hard Drive. Now the file is ready to be opened by TurboTax. Voila.