According to my account, I am already a Plus Member and have paid for it. Why does it still say I need to pay for plus to access previous year returns?

[mesquitebean]

 Please answer all of the following, then we can give you some suggestions.

1. Have you already filed a 2018 online return, or is it still in preparation?
2. When did you upgrade to PLUS--prior to filing 2018, or after filing 2018?
3. How did you pay for PLUS--did you pay the 19.99 with credit/debit card, or did you choose to pay out of your Federal refund when you filed the return?
4. Is your 2018 return with PLUS in the same account as your prior returns?

[Gzyn]

I never filed my 2016 return. I want to access it and finish it.  It wants me to pay. How do I do that?

[mesquitebean]

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@ Gzyn wrote:

I never filed my 2016 return. I want to access it and finish it.  It wants me to pay. How do I do that?

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We can tell you how to upgrade a 2018 online return to PLUS and pay 19.99 to automatically unlock the *.tax2016 data file.    Then the only way to continue to work on and finish the 2016 return with TurboTax is to purchase 2016 desktop software (CD/download), which can be done at this page:

2016 TurboTax software:
https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/past-years-products/2016/

The 2016 return cannot be efiled.  It has to be printed, signed, dated, and mailed.   If you also have a state return, it needs to be mailed separately to the state tax agency.   When mailing returns, it's a good idea to use a method that has tracking, such as priority mail or certified return receipt, etc.

If you have located your *.tax2016 data file, but access is locked and it asks you to pay, then please answer all of these questions, then we can give you precise steps to pay and unlock the 2016 return.

1. What is the story on your 2018 return--have you already filed a 2018 return in Online TurboTax, or is one still in preparation?  Or did you file elsewhere?
2. Is/was the 2018 return prepared in Free Edition?
3. Is the 2018 return in the SAME account as the 2016 online return?

You may be able to avoid the 19.99 if you simply start the 2016 return from scratch in your purchased 2016 desktop software and not download the return from your account.  If you don't want to start from scratch, you "could" purchase the 2016 software then phone TurboTax Support and ask them if they will unlock the 2016 tax data file for you based on your 2016 software purchase, but they may not since that's not the normal method.  Their usual protocol is to tell you to purchase PLUS to unlock any old data file.   If you want to try:

Hours are 5AM-5PM Pacific (8AM-8PM Eastern) Monday-Friday.

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