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2016 is likely just gone. TurboTax and the IRS save returns for seven years, and then they are purged.
You have to access your own account and/or print it for yourself using exactly the same account and user ID that you used when you prepared the return.
Start a 2023 return online and enter some personal information so that the menu on the left opens up and lets you access your past year returns.
Many people have multiple TT accounts and forget how to access them. Log out of the account you are in now.
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901535-forgot-your-turbotax-online-user-id-or-password
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901486-how-many-turbotax-accounts-do-i-have
Or did you use the desktop version of TurboTax? If so, the files are on your own hard drive or any backup device you used like a flash drive.
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901659-find-your-tax-data-file-in-mac
You can get a free transcript from the IRS or for a fee of $30, an actual copy of your tax return.
https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506.pdf
SAVE YOUR TAX RETURNS !
EVERY year before mid-October you should save a copy of your tax return as a pdf and print a copy of it for your records. That way you will not be searching online frantically when you need it for a lender, FAFSA forms, your next tax return, etc.
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900937-why-should-i-save-a-pdf-copy-of-my-return
NOTE: TurboTax and the IRS save returns for seven years. Returns older than seven years are purged.
How are you trying to view it? What is the error? What kind of file? The pdf file or the .tax2016 file? Turbo Tax and the IRS only keeps the last 7 years. If they still have it……..
How to Access prior year online returns
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/prior-year-return/help/how-do-i-access-my-prior-year-return/00/270...
If you can't get the side menus to open up to access the prior year..... You need to start entering some basic Personal Info in 2023 for the side menu to open up. Just continue a little ways into 2023. I had to go though about 12 screens.
If you used the Desktop CD/Download program then the only copy is on your computer and not saved or stored online. So you need to make and keep your own backups.
Or request a transcript from the IRS
https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript
Or get a copy of your return using form 4506
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506.pdf
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