topic Transfer last year's return to 2021 TurboTax for Windows in Get your taxes done using TurboTax

Transfer last year's return to 2021 TurboTax for Windows

oceanbob6 — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 05:20:44 GMT

Wow, it took me over 15 minutes just to find a place where I could ask a question. TT continues to amaze at it lack of simple support. Okay it clearly says TT20121 Premier will transfer the data from last years return. Last year I used the online version produced a PDF but this years desktop version reject it with a simple the import was unsucessful. I've been using TT for years, every year it's always the simple things that it says it does that just plan don't work and there is never any help. Looks like another year of spending hours to get anything done on TT. Anybody have this problem or know why TT can't even recognize a PDF from their own software??

Re: Transfer last year's return to 2021 TurboTax for Windows

DoninGA — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 22:33:43 GMT

See this TurboTax support FAQ for transferring a 2020 PDF to TurboTax 2021 for Windows - https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/using-turbotax/help/can-i-transfer-last-year-s-pdf-into-the-turbotax-for-windows-cd-download-software/00/27259

It would be better to transfer from the 2020 tax data file from the online return to the 2021 return instead of the PDF.

To access your prior year online tax returns sign onto the TurboTax website with the User ID you used to create the account - https://myturbotax.intuit.com/

Scroll down to the section Your tax returns & documents. Click on the Year and Click on Download .tax file

See this TurboTax support FAQ for transferring a 2020 tax data file to the 2021 return - https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/entering-importing/help/transfer-last-year-s-return-to-turbotax-for-windows/00/26145

Re: Transfer last year's return to 2021 TurboTax for Windows

oceanbob6 — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 23:11:21 GMT

You make it sound so simple just like the links provided, but nothing works as your limited instructions suggest. I login with my account but there is no place to scroll down anywhere?? I clicked around , somehow found Documents but it only provides the PDF. Downloaded that and this time TT21 says it's too big!!

Sorry if I sound agitated but this simple step was the first thing I tried to do this year and nothing, once again is working. The steps you provide can not be followed, something is missing and so much time gets wasted.

Re: Transfer last year's return to 2021 TurboTax for Windows

oceanbob6 — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 14:41:17 GMT

Finally figured out how to get it to transfer from last year, there was more to it than the simple instructions given. Now all the company 1099 DIV from last year, don't show up in the new 2021. I have no idea what it imported but even using a .tax file appears to be a worthless waste of time. As it kept telling me, I down to typing it all in again!! The only reason I chose TT was to avoid having to do this every year but I spent so much time trying to get it happen that it simple isn't worth it. Can anyone give a hint as to why this DOESN'T work or even better how to fix it????