topic Can I open 2020 tax file in later version turbotax? My laptop having turbotax2020 installed just died in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

Can I open 2020 tax file in later version turbotax? My laptop having turbotax2020 installed just died

mave589991 — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 07:08:40 GMT

I received a CP2000 notice from IRS, which saying my 2020 tax return has inaccurate excess social security tax withheld. I saved all files (tax and pdf), and want to use check in turbotax what's wrong with it. However, my laptop with turbotax2020 installed died, and I can't use newer version to open the tax file. Could you please help?

Re: Can I open 2020 tax file in later version turbotax? My laptop having turbotax2020 installed just died

bluedeb — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 16:11:14 GMT

You can only open a .tax file in the software for that year. You cannot open a .tax2020 in a later version of TurboTax. You can reinstall the 2020 tax software on a different computer that you own, then hopefully, you can access a copy of your .tax2020 file.

Re: Can I open 2020 tax file in later version turbotax? My laptop having turbotax2020 installed just died

bluedeb — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 16:13:12 GMT

If you saved your 2020 tax return as a PDF, you can open it in Adobe Reader. Hopefully, you can get your hands on the PDF file.

Or, if you prepared your 2020 tax return in the Online version of TurboTax, you can sign back into that account with the same UserID & password you used to prepare your tax return, you can pull up your 2020 tax return.

Re: Can I open 2020 tax file in later version turbotax? My laptop having turbotax2020 installed just died

xmasbaby0 — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 16:14:32 GMT

As for the excess Social Security-----a common mistake that causes that is entering all of the income for a joint return under only one spouse's name. So you need to see if that is what you did.

When you enter all of the W-2 income under only one name on a joint return. The IRS refunds the “excess” Social Security. Now they have matched your W-2’s to the return and they want that money back.

You should always save your own W-2’s for your records—now you need to look at them to check. Look at your W-2 Box 4 What does it say? Is it more than the maximum for the tax year? Those maximums are for EACH person.

2016 Maximum $7347 2017 Maximum $7886 2018 $7960.80

2019 $8239.80 2020 $8537.40 2021 $8853.60 2022 $9114.00

Check the worksheets from your tax return to see if you entered all of the W-2 income for both spouses under only one of the names on a joint return. That is the most common reason for this problem. Unfortunately, it is user error. As you prepare your return, several screens alert you to it.

And if you did in fact make the mistake of entering all of the income for your W-2’s under only one spouse’s name, you may have made that same mistake on the next year’s tax return if you transferred all your data over from the past year to the next. Check to see—before you get another IRS letter.

On your 2020 return if you had excess Social Security it flows from Schedule 3 to line 31 of your Form 1040

If you made that mistake on your 2020 return, better check your 2021 return too to see if you made that same mistake again---before you get another IRS letter.

Re: Can I open 2020 tax file in later version turbotax? My laptop having turbotax2020 installed just died

mave589991 — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 16:17:05 GMT

Thanks very much.

I used desktop version turbox. I have tried to reinstall on a new computer, but the activation failed which saying I have activated it on another machine.

Any suggestion is appreciated.

Re: Can I open 2020 tax file in later version turbotax? My laptop having turbotax2020 installed just died

NCperson — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 16:29:47 GMT

@mave589991 - call customer service and explain - 1-800-446-8848

Re: Can I open 2020 tax file in later version turbotax? My laptop having turbotax2020 installed just died

Critter-3 — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 16:58:12 GMT

If you saved the PDF then you don't need to go thru the effort of reinstalling the program.

Re: Can I open 2020 tax file in later version turbotax? My laptop having turbotax2020 installed just died

Mike9241 — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 17:46:10 GMT

@Critter-3 would the PDF show whose name/SSN was used to report the wages even show in the pdf?

Re: Can I open 2020 tax file in later version turbotax? My laptop having turbotax2020 installed just died

mave589991 — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 19:42:47 GMT

Thanks! I finally get the 2020 turbotax activated again. But now the challenge is when I try open the 2020 tax file, it asked me to pay another $45 to download my 2nd state tax forms (I have two state tax forms), and won't let me view the file before finish the payment. Is that reasonable?

Re: Can I open 2020 tax file in later version turbotax? My laptop having turbotax2020 installed just died

VolvoGirl — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 19:52:18 GMT

You should be able to download it again. How to download your purchase
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/installing/help/how-do-i-download-the-software-i-purchased-at-turbotax-com/00/26075

Re: Can I open 2020 tax file in later version turbotax? My laptop having turbotax2020 installed just died

mave589991 — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 20:02:04 GMT

Thanks!

I found my receipt for the 2nd state of turbotax 2020, however it did not show in the download tab of my intuit account. Not quite sure why it is not there.

Re: Can I open 2020 tax file in later version turbotax? My laptop having turbotax2020 installed just died

Critter-3 — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 20:07:08 GMT

Contact Customer Service
5am-5pm Pacific Time Monday -Friday
https://support.turbotax.intuit.com/contact/

What is the Turbo Tax phone number
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/using-turbotax/help/what-is-the-turbotax-phone-number/00/25632