Importing 2020 return from turbo Tax in Turbo Tax 2021 doesn't work with PDF File.

[bobj007]

Is anyone else having an issue importing prior year (2020) in Turbo Tax 2021?  I have the file but Turbo Tax does not import it when I browse or is searches on it's own.  Any help would be appreciated

[rjs]

You can't transfer a TurboTax PDF. You have to use the .tax2020 data file.

[bobj007]

Thanks, I thought it said it would accept a PDF file.

[rjs]

It will transfer information from PDFs created by certain other software. But only a very limited amount of information gets transferred - possibly no more than your name and address and a few other bits of information. It's nothing like the thorough year-to-year transfer that you get from the TurboTax data file.

[ajmartin11]

According to the Turbo Tax program it clearly states that it will import Turbo Tax data either from the .tax2020 or .pdf files created by Turbo Tax's 2020 version.   If this is incorrect as you suggest in your post then they need to fix the program to clearly state the limitations on importing information from a PDF file created by 2020 version of Turbo Tax.

[tagteam]

@ajmartin11 

As @rjs indicated, transferring from a PDF results in only a limited amount of information being transferred, such as your personal information and, possibly, AGI. 

See https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/entering-importing/help/how-do-i-transfer-last-year-s-return-into-...

In order for all relevant information to be transferred, the transfer needs to be done from a (TurboTax) .taxXXXX file.

[VolvoGirl]

According to the FAQs you can transfer from a Turbo Tax PDF into the Windows Turbo Tax program but not into the Mac program.

Mac says if you used other software

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/entering-importing/help/can-i-transfer-from-a-pdf-to-turbotax-for-... 

[bobj007]

It could be a miss print but what I can say is that it will not recognize a turbo tax pdf and will not import any portion of the previous years return.  So the statements that it does is incorrect. 

[bobj007]

It does not transfer anything from a turbotax pdf as it does not recognize it as a turbotax file.  It only imports a "*.tax file" from turbo tax

  I am chalking it up to a miss print rather than say they are misrepresenting the product.

[VolvoGirl]

Do you have the .tax2020 file from last year?  If you used the Online version you can download it to transfer into 2021.

I assume you are on Windows?  

You need the file ending in .tax2020 on your computer.   If you don't have the main .tax file you might have one that starts with a Tilde sign ~ like  "~your name.tax2020".  That file is if your computer crashes or your real file gets lost or deleted or corrupt so you can restore it.  The .tax and pdf files should be in your Documents in a Turbo Tax folder.  Or search your whole computer and Recycle Bin for all files ending in .tax or .tax2020.

Find your Tax file in Windows

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-data-file/help/find-your-tax-data-file-tax-file-in-windows/00/...

If you used the Desktop program last year.  Here's an idea.  Do you still have 2020 installed?  Try opening 2020 program and see if you can get your 2020 return to show up in it.  Go to FILE - OPEN.  Then save it again with a name and place you can find.  Go to File - Save As.

[bobj007]

Appreciate the response.  I did locate the .tax2020 file from a backup of my old computer but I should not have had to do that according to the turbotax literature.  It never recognizes the pdf tax file.  Resolved now but turbotax needs to change their statements on importing pdf's or actually fix their product so that it does.

[VolvoGirl]

Did you get the .tax2020 file to transfer?  Even if you transferred from the pdf it only transfers very basic info like your name and address and ssn and AGI. Be just as easy to manually enter all your info.  

[bobj007]

I found the .tax2020 file and transferred the information from there.  It transferred all the information I expected would transfer.  It did not transfer anything from the PDF file.

[sweettimber]

I am also having the same issue.

I have used TurboTax as a download to my Mac for 2019 and 2020. Last year, despite having the filing on my computer, I was unable to import any data (and we have 7 kids) from the previous year. Now, same thing is happening. I open TT2021 and it cannot find any TT files. 

It's super frustrating because you would think a program would be able to locate its own file type? I will try saving...but I too have a .pdf saved. It does not bring up any .tax files automatically. 

I've read what people have written to help OP and will try the same. 

[bobj007]

As  Champ indicated in the first response, TT DOES NOT import PDF's that were created by TT, it only imports ".tax" files created by their software.  However, TT states it imports PDFs from other applications with limited information but does not say it will NOT import PDFs created by TT which it needs to clarify.  It is frustrating.