topic Prior year returns not showing up to download! Where are they?!?!? in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

Prior year returns not showing up to download! Where are they?!?!?

WillyMcG — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 08:14:24 GMT

I have used the online version since 2012 and have used the same login ID. I can find my tax returns to download going back to 2019 but nothing else from 2018 to 2012. Where are my documents?

I vaguely recall some service called the Vault where my documents were going to be stored but I don't see that anywhere anymore.

Re: Prior year returns not showing up to download! Where are they?!?!?

xmasbaby0 — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 13:15:00 GMT

You have to access your own account and/or print it for yourself using exactly the same account and user ID that you used when you prepared the return.

Start a 2023 return online and enter some personal information so that the menu on the left opens up and lets you access your past year returns.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/prior-year-return/help/how-do-i-access-my-prior-year-return/01/27010

Many people have multiple TT accounts and forget how to access them. Log out of the account you are in now.

Account Recovery

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901535-forgot-your-turbotax-online-user-id-or-password

Or did you use the desktop version of TurboTax? If so, the files are on your own hard drive or any backup device you used like a flash drive.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901486-how-many-turbotax-accounts-do-i-have

To get a copy of your previously filed returns prepared with online TurboTax https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900748-how-do-i-get-a-copy-of-a-return-i-filed-in-turbotax-online

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901659-find-your-tax-data-file-in-mac

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900721-find-your-tax-data-file-tax-file-in-windows

You can get a free transcript from the IRS or for a fee of $43, an actual copy of your tax return.

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506.pdf

SAVE YOUR TAX RETURN !

EVERY year before mid-October you should save a copy of your tax return as a pdf and print a copy of it for your records. That way you will not be searching online frantically when you need it for a lender, FAFSA forms, your next tax return, etc.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900937-why-should-i-save-a-pdf-copy-of-my-return

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899779-what-s-the-difference-between-the-tax-data-file-and-the-pdf-file

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1912466-how-do-i-save-my-return-as-a-pdf-in-the-turbotax-software-for-windows •

NOTE: TurboTax and the IRS save returns for seven years. Returns older than seven years are purged.

Re: Prior year returns not showing up to download! Where are they?!?!?

WillyMcG — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 13:35:08 GMT

I'm not sure you read my post. I use the same ID for login going back to 2012 and I only used the online version. I used the feature to find my old documents and there are no documents going back past 2019.

Re: Prior year returns not showing up to download! Where are they?!?!?

xmasbaby0 — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 13:44:30 GMT

@WillyMcG I read your post. You may believe you only have one account. We hear that all the time from people who actually have more than one account. So.....use the recovery tool "just in case" you have a forgotten account. In order to get to your past returns you have to start a 2023 return and enter enough personal information to get the side menu to open up and let you get to the old returns. Returns older than seven years ago are gone. TT and the IRS only save returns for seven years.

If you still cannot locate your old returns:

To call TurboTax customer support

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899263-what-is-the-turbotax-phone-number

Customer support is available from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time Mon- Fri

Re: Prior year returns not showing up to download! Where are they?!?!?

WillyMcG — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 13:51:16 GMT

Also this link does not work:

To get a copy of your previously filed returns prepared with online TurboTax https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900748-how-do-i-get-a-copy-of-a-return-i-filed-in-turbotax-online

Re: Prior year returns not showing up to download! Where are they?!?!?

xmasbaby0 — Fri, 29 Dec 2023 13:58:33 GMT

Customer support will be available today or on January 2. Call them next week for help.