I'll assume you are using Online TurboTax. Are you wanting to retrieve a copy of the in-progress return, or are you wanting to download the *.tax2024 data file? The data file can only be opened in a copy of the 2024 personal desktop software, so I'll assume you want a PDF for easy viewing.
Here's how to get a PDF copy of your 2024 in-progress return. You can take the PDF to your consultant, or you can print out the return from the PDF.
NOTE: Be aware it's not safe to email tax files or sensitive documents in regular email which is not secure. The files contain way too much personal info and financial info, including possibly bank account info.
You will have to pay in advance to have access to the PDF. The steps below tell how to do that.
- Open your return, and in the left menu column, choose Tax Tools, then Print Center.
- Then choose "Print/save/preview this year's return."
- On the next screen choose to "Pay now".
- Note: It may try to upsell you on add-ons like MAX, which you can choose or decline.
- The next screen should be an Order Summary. Review that, and if all is OK, click Continue.
- It should then prompt you for payment by credit or debit card. The screen only says "credit card", but it will take a debit card. If it should offer you the option to "pay later" out of the Federal refund, that can't be used for this purpose. You will need to pay now by credit/debit card in order to download/print prior to filing.
- Then you should have an option of which PDF to download/print/view. "Just my tax returns", or "include government worksheets (optional)", or "include government and TurboTax worksheets (optional.)"
Be sure to store any of these sensitive tax files safely and securely to guard against computer theft, hacking, etc.
