@emountan
That is unfortunately the exact dilemma during this "limbo period" each November. You may not be able to get the 2017 return until the first week of December, although I'll tell you some things to try below.
This is a problem each year after Online TurboTax shuts down after filing season. Online TurboTax for 2019 opens the first week of December, and at that time one can start and upgrade a 2019 Free Edition return to PLUS (19.99), which will unlock all prior returns.
Or if you need it sooner, you can try this as a possible workaround. A user reported this worked for him.
Wait to try the following steps during hours when Customer Support is open. That interface may not be fully functional when they are closed. But here is a possible workaround to use when they are open. Hours are 5AM-5PM Pacific (8AM-8PM Eastern) Mon-Fri. They are closed on weekends this time of year.
Log in, and at the main Tax Home page immediately go to the top right corner and click HELP. Scroll way down beyond the suggested links and click on CONTACT US.
You may have to enter a question.
Choose to phone TurboTax Support, or it may say schedule a callback.
In any case, it may then ask you to pay for PLUS (19.99) to have phone support.
Once paid, then past returns should be unlocked.
It's not clear if during this November limbo period that method pays for 2018 PLUS or 2019 PLUS, but in any case, the net effect is unlocking prior returns, plus it gives you phone support privilege. If it pays for 2019 PLUS, then you have an extra year of access. You should be saving a copy of your return and/or PDF each year anyway (in a protected and secured safe place) so you don't have to worry about access problems.
Or you can try to contact TurboTax Support by phone during business hours:
https://support.turbotax.intuit.com/contact/
But it may either deny you phone access, or it may ask you to pay.
If you can't use those methods, another option is to download a free 2017 tax return transcript from the IRS if you qualify to open an IRS account. If you can't open the IRS account, a transcript by postal mail takes 5-10 days.
http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript
Also, if you need a prior return urgently and can't unlock it by that workaround above during business hours, and can't reach TurboTax Support by phone, you can contact TurboTax Support via messaging at Twitter or Facebook, tell them your situation and that you are a victim of the November limbo period, and see if they will unlock the 2017 return for you. Social media support is also only during the business hours I mentioned above.
https://twitter.com/TeamTurboTax
or
https://www.facebook.com/turbotax
