topic Does Turbo Tax delete your saved information after a certain period of time has elapsed? in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

Does Turbo Tax delete your saved information after a certain period of time has elapsed?

syeverett — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 07:17:28 GMT

I finished my return but it was missing one piece of information. It took several months before I got back to it to complete it. Now it's all gone.

Re: Does Turbo Tax delete your saved information after a certain period of time has elapsed?

VolvoGirl — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 23:29:52 GMT

No it is still there. Online is now closed for 2021 and prior. Online is only for 2022 now. You have to switch to the Desktop program.

How to finish a return you started online,

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/prior-year-return/help/how-do-i-finish-a-prior-year-return-that-i-...

You will first need to download the tax data file from Online. It will end in .tax2021, .tax2020, .tax2019 etc. You can download the tax file for free. Then you need to install the Desktop program.

After you get the program installed the first thing to do before you open your tax return .tax file is to update the program and install any state programs you had. Then open your file. So you first might need to start a fake return to be able to download the state program (go to FILE - NEW).

If you didn't pay for the Online version you will have to buy the Desktop program download. You can buy the last 3 years of Turbo Tax here,

https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/past-years-products/

And you will have to print and mail your returns. So be sure to attach copies of your W2s and any 1099s that have withholding on them. You have to mail federal and state in separate envelopes because they go to different places. Get a tracking number from the post office when you mail them for proof of filing.

Then when you file for 2022 you need to enter 0 for the 2021 AGI since you are filing 2021 late.

Re: Does Turbo Tax delete your saved information after a certain period of time has elapsed?

Mike9241 — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 01:12:32 GMT

you should know that Turbotax only retains returns for 56 years as does the iRS after that they are permanently deleted. best to save a copy as a PDF on your computer and fo extra insurance on a thumb drive incase one or the other goes bad which they do.

Re: Does Turbo Tax delete your saved information after a certain period of time has elapsed?

VolvoGirl — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 01:31:01 GMT

@Mike9241 You left out a dash -