My state taxes in the "Tax home" page are ready to mail, but my FEDERAL taxes have "STARTED" next to it. how do I file them?

sfentedamers — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:32:49 GMT

Re: My state taxes in the "Tax home" page are ready to mail, but my FEDERAL taxes have "STARTED" next to it. how do I file them?

mesquitebean — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 09:02:26 GMT

What method do you want to use to file the Federal and state returns?

If at the Tax Home your state return says "Ready to mail", that means TurboTax thinks you are electing to file it by mail. If that's indeed your filing choice, then you have to print, sign, date, and mail it yourself. TurboTax does not mail it for you. OR you can go back to the FILE tab and change the filing option to efile, if you wish.

If you want to efile both of them, then open your return interview and check to be sure everything is OK. Go through the Federal review and state review sections to be sure each has no issues. Then go the REVIEW tab and look there, too.

Then when you move to the FILE tab, you should be able to choose the filing method for each one. If you had initially chosen "file by mail" for the state return, you can change it there to "efile" if desired. The FILE section will also have you choose any refund option (if applicable), and ask you to pay your product fees, etc. A later screen will ask you to verify your efiling by entering your 2024 AGI. And a signature screen will ask you to "sign" the return by entering your birth date, today's date, and a 5-digit PIN (it will say you can use any 5 digits of your choice, except it can't be all zeros.)

As you proceed through the efile section, be sure you go all the way to the final screen and click on a big orange button "Transmit Returns Now." After that you should get emails that your return has been transmitted, followed by later emails (up to 24-48 hours, but can be much sooner) saying if the efiled returns were accepted or rejected. You can also check your efile status at any time by logging in and looking at the Tax Home screen.

Re: My state taxes in the "Tax home" page are ready to mail, but my FEDERAL taxes have "STARTED" next to it. how do I file them?

mesquitebean — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 09:05:51 GMT

ADDENDUM:

At the Tax Home, if TurboTax thinks you were finished, the return interview may be closed. If that's the case, then to open it back up look for a link "Add a State." That doesn't really add one, but will open the interview back up so you can go through the Review sections and move to the FILE tab.

topic My state taxes in the "Tax home" page are ready to mail, but my FEDERAL taxes have "STARTED" next to it. how do I file them? in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

My state taxes in the "Tax home" page are ready to mail, but my FEDERAL taxes have "STARTED" next to it. how do I file them?

Re: My state taxes in the "Tax home" page are ready to mail, but my FEDERAL taxes have "STARTED" next to it. how do I file them?

Re: My state taxes in the "Tax home" page are ready to mail, but my FEDERAL taxes have "STARTED" next to it. how do I file them?