Fidelity Investment import not working.

[Mmm12]

I was using desktop downloaded from internet! I say was because I have chosen an alternative filing system. I have filed for a refund but will see how well they handle that!

[Polkadot1]

I am having the same "import was unsuccessful" issue.  I have multiple Fidelity accounts.  The import worked fine for my account with about 50 1099-B sales but DID NOT WORK for the account with 3,500 transactions.  (The two accounts have different logins.)  I had no problem importing last year with the same account when it had an even larger number of (about 5,000) transactions.  

I would really like to avoid having to mail in Form 8453 with the entire 152 page Fidelity 1099 attached.  I can't even imagine what issues that might cause.  I have visions of some low paid IRS staffer entering my SSN, and then clicking on random keys and generating copious, undecipherable letters related to auditing the return.

Please fix this Fidelity and TurboTax!

[GLUA]

I believe the problem is only with the CD or Download version.  I think it has to do with having a 1099B.  

I was able to import my 1099R a few weeks ago without a problem.  Now that there are 1099B accounts, it won't import.

An agent helped me import to the online version and then download to my PC.

[GLUA]

The CD/download programs are more powerful than the Online program.

A representative from Turbotax was able to help me setup an Online account and then import all of my 1099s.

She then helped me download a file I could use in the CD/download version to complete my taxes.

For me, I was getting a message about my 1099B.  

[Cheryld1]

This thread is quite long and very ocnfusing.  HOWEVER, I will provide the solution that worked for me.  And what I think may be "part" of the problem with this year's import interface.

1.  If you are using 2FA additional security (logging in requires a texted code), then turn this off temporarily.  I believe there is some issue with this feature.

2.  If you are logged into Fidelity in another WINDOW, log out and close the tab.

3.  When you attempt to execute the import from Fidelity it should now provide the "new window" asking for a UserName and Password.  Oviously you are requesting this import from within the TAX RETURN into which you are wanting data imported.  

It "should" work.  I am using Windows 11, Chrome (latest version) if that also helps.

4.  Turn 2FA back on if you have turned it off.

Problems I see ...

1.  The security this year is truly questionable.  I was able to import an individual's data into another individual's TAX return.  There is no checking of any kind.  

2.  If Fidelity is open in another window it simply thinks you are importing for that user.  This is stupid because many of us manage Fidelity accounts for our parents, our siblings or whomever.   We don't necessarily do their tax returns!

3.  I don't think the change this year was Qaulity Controlled or even BETA TESTED.  Shame....

4.  I attempted this import with 4 other banks/brokers.  There were other problems encountered that are similar but I won't confuse the community with even more revelations.

I have used Turbo Tax for over 20 years... so I am disappointed this year.

[MumofPaints]

Love this Gary!!!  Had to get into site just to Thank You for the chuckle! VooDoos curses and hexes!  

[Anonymous]

@GLUA 

Thank you very much for the tip about using the online version to import from Fidelity and then bringing it down to you desktop. I tried that and it worked 🙂

[GLUA]

I was hopeful but that didn't work for me.  I turned 2FA off and rebooted the laptop.  

It still comes back with the 1099B error message.  I guess it depends on what problem you were having.  

With 2FA on, I was able to import my 1099R.  Now that more tax forms are available, I can't import them.

What was the error message you were receiving before you turned off 2FA?

[scottx]

I tried to follow @GLUA's idea of starting an online return, importing from Fidelity, downloading a copy of that return, and then importing into my downloaded TT Premier program on my Mac. I started the return by just picking one of the online options where you pay when you file. You have to answer a bunch of questions before you can get to importing (as soon as the gray bar menu on the left appears jump to Wages and Income). I imported from Fidelity successfully!! And saved the return as a .tax file per the instructions (select Tax Tools, then Tools in the menu).

Here's the problem(s). Since I had already started a return and imported my info from last year's return, I did not see any way to import the .tax file without stating a new return. I was hoping I could select it and it would ask me what parts to import since I had already started a return. No luck but not too surprised. Thought I'd try.

So next I tried to import my prior year return on my Mac into the online return and then import from Fidelity, etc. Can do that but need to start over. OK fine, will lose a little bit of effort. So answer a few questions again and I try to import. Must be a .tax2021 file which I have. FAIL! Says "The selected file is NOT a previous year tax file or it is corrupted. Choose a different file and try again." Well it IS a prior year and it wasn't corrupted when I imported into the desktop version! Tried several times and no luck. UGH!

So next why not try to import the return I started on my Mac to a new online return, then import from Fidelity, then download back to Mac. Can't do that. Only works from online down to Mac. Can only import a prior year return from Mac up to online. UGH!

So tried to start a new return on my Mac, import the downloaded online version into that new return, and then import prior year return. No way to that either of course that I could see.

Maybe I missed something. Anyone know workarounds to the above? Otherwise this approach may work for some people but doesn't work for me unless I give up on BOTH having my prior year data imported AND my Fidelity data. Losing either is a pain. KILLING ME TURBOTAX!! The time I've wasted on this problem!! FIX IT!!

[tidf2]

@scottx 

You've tried some reasonable approaches.

My first suggestion would just be to double-check that you used the process described here:

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/import-export-data-files/transfer-last-y...

There's a section for importing prior year desktop file, into Online:

"If you used the TurboTax CD/Download software last year"

Which says to: 

1. Select Tax Tools and then Tools
2. Select Transfer last year's TurboTax return from your computer
   • If you don’t see this option, you may need to clear and start over

It warns to remove any password protection first, and I don't know if that is relevant. But maybe there is an attribute on the file that is blocking TT from accessing it, and the error message you get - "The selected file is NOT a previous year tax file or it is corrupted. Choose a different file and try again." - may be misleading. It could be file permissions/password protection/some other kind of access problem.

So on Mac, look at the .tax2021 file with Get Info and see if spot anything that could be an issue.

You could also copy that .tax2021 file to some other location on your Mac, and try to get Online to open it from the new location.

You could also try renaming the copy of it to a shorter file name than it probably has by default (the desktop program gives me very long .tax file names), and maybe even make sure it has no spaces in the file name.

These little suggestions would probably not make a difference, but are things I would try. You never know what idiotic thing it might be stumbling on.

Just some thoughts.

[scottx]

@tidf2 

All good ideas about idiotic things. 🙂 I did follow those instructions from a different location except I don't recall seeing "Remove any password protection" but that makes sense. I do password protect my TT file and it didn't ask for a password when I tried to upload. I really suspect that's it, or at least part of it.  And I should have thought of it. If so, they should change their error message to add that. And move that note up after step 1. I didn't try making the file name really short but did try removing spaces. And the other location said you needed to clear and start over, not "may need to", so I did.

I still have TT 2021 installed so I should be able to remove the PW. Will try again tomorrow. Whether it works or not you're awesome dude for these tips. Will report back.

And even if it works TT should still fix the **bleep** software!!

[KatrinaLO]

Please see our Help Article which provides additional troubleshooting steps for importing your 1099.  If this does not resolve your matter, please let us know here in the thread.  

One of our users @RichieR1  has a great workaround to import using multiple accounts here. Please try this, to see if it works for you.

You can also enable 3rd party data sharing in the services tab if you haven't done so at this time. Try clicking  edit next to third party data sharing and then click yes.

Different systems and browsers are causing these workarounds to be a solution for some and not others. Please let us know if you've tried everything and still unsuccessful in resolving the issue. 

@scottx 

[Mmm12]

Tried them! No luck! Not happy to pay for a tax program that has required so much time and instead of fixing the problem TT tax suggests that I try ways to workaround their problems!

[Polkadot1]

@KatrinaLO I also tried all of the recommended work-arounds and did not have any success with the import.

I called into TT support yesterday and discussed the issue of the import not working for those of us with several thousand (but less than 10k) 1099-B transactions.  The TT rep explained that both TT and Fidelity had enhanced their security protocols for the 2022 version of the software.  (For example, you have to log into a TT account first, before initiating the download.)

We tried using the Edge browser, tired clearing cookies and cache in Chrome, etc., to no avail.  We discussed the option of doing the download in TT Online, and pulling the .tax file into TT Desktop, but those in the know at TT said that I would basically have to enter all my tax into from scratch.  (This is not an option for me as I have a very complex return.)

So that left the only option being (1) wait for updates to fix as they are aware of the issue, but could give no info on whether or when there would be a fix, or (2) doing as they recommend in TT Desktop, creating a summary of what Fidelity shows for short- and long-term covered, and non-covered sales, and mailing the IRS the entire 152 page Consolidated1099 in PDF form that Fidelity offers for download on its website.  This is sent along with Form 8453 within 3 days of the IRS accepting the return.

I do not want to E-file and then mail in a 152 page supporting document.  This is a ridiculous route to go, when TT and Fidelity's programmers could work together on enabling larger 1099 downloads.  I am on a wired, high speed connection.  My end is not the issue, and many users are reporting this error with the programming.

Can someone at TT raise this issue to their higher ups, and get some priority put on fixing it?  We are only a little over a month away from the filing deadline and I don't want to file for an extension.  Thank you.

[scottx]

@KatrinaLO 

Thank you for the reply but please read all my posts over several days.

"Help article" - Know all of that. Tried it. Has already been posted multiple times before on here. Note in my first post yesterday I successfully imported into TT online so size limits not the issue. Just can't get it into TT desktop. Also, there is no direct way I know of to see the import file size to see if it's greater than 4mb because it doesn't download to our computers as a file but goes directly into TT if it works. Indirectly we can check the pdf or csv download file size and assume it's similar.

"enable 3rd party data sharing in the services tab" - Don't see a services tab in TT download or online version.

As stated in my 2nd post yesterday I still plan yet today to re-try using TT online to get it into TT desktop after first turning off PW protection.

So when are the TT employees monitoring this discussion going to talk to others in your company and find out the @#$@# is going on and post it here? Why have there been several posts where people call and are told there is an investigation going on or have been told how to use TT online to get it into TT desktop but you people are posting none of this?!!!