All my turbo tax information is missing. Where did it all go?

[AshleyRose · Accepted solution]

Is it possible that you are logging in with a different User ID and therefore, you are not finding the tax return that you started? Usually, this is the case if you log in a do not find your already started or completed tax returns and instead are being asked to start from the beginning.

To get a list of your User ID's and recover accounts, you can use the tool at the link below.  If you have more than 1 email address, you should run the tool on each one. 

NOTE: Before running the tool, log out of all Intuit accounts including this user forum, or you could end up in a loop.  Then clear your browser Internet cache, close your browser, then reopen it, and go to:

https://myturbotax.intuit.com/account-recovery/

[robertpat69]

I am missing ALL my turbo tax downloads and files. I've been using Turbotax for several years and just used a new download this past November 2018. I opened my computer today to start preparing returns for this tax season and EVERY single file and download is GONE!!!!

[craig-r-sanders]

All of my 2017 & 2018 data just disappeared. 2016 & earlier are still there.  Any ideas?

[eaglecitizen]

My saved 2018 return disappeared after installing TT updates. Now I have to start over????

[craig-r-sanders]

I had to enter my info from scratch today.  I quickly submitted it to save myself from the same fate twice in once tax year...

[pweeks]

The same thing just happened to me and I’m angry about it

[pweeks]

I found my file in the recycle bin. After opening 2018 turbo tax with their mandatory update, my file was missing. I searched everywhere on my computer except the recycle bin. I started my return over and when I went to save it as, it opened the file in the recycle bin and I saw my mostly completed file from April 8 2019. I restored the file and everything was there

[cole_reese]

I have experienced the same thing just now.  I found an "unsaved turbotax document", but all it had was some carryover information from my 2017 return.  All the K-1 information and 1099 information that  I had downloaded in to the return or manually typed in has disappeared.  So frustrating.  What is the point of using Turbotax year after year if this stuff is going to happen?  I've probably lost 10 hours of work!

[mesquitebean]

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@cole_reese wrote:

I have experienced the same thing just now.  I found an "unsaved turbotax document", but all it had was some carryover information from my 2017 return.  All the K-1 information and 1099 information that  I had downloaded in to the return or manually typed in has disappeared.  So frustrating.  What is the point of using Turbotax year after year if this stuff is going to happen?  I've probably lost 10 hours of work!

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Please explain more.   Start by stating what product you are using--Online TurboTax or desktop software?    If desktop software, is it for PC or Mac?

If you are in desktop TurboTax, and the tax data file you open is acting like it's a recently-started one, consisting only of the info transferred in from 2017, then you likely have another data file.   Search your entire computer for any file ending in *.tax2018 and also look in the Recycle Bin.      If you are using Online TurboTax, then you may have multiple accounts, and we can tell you how to look for another account.

[pweeks]

Check your trash file. I started to redo my return by just entering my data and address. I then went to save that and it opened the file, which was in the trash. I could see it was the file I had been working on by the dates. So, I found the file by searching in the trash and restored it. I then made several copies and saved them to OneDrive and Dropbox. Good luck

[dawnleeky]

Did you ever find a solution?!?!?  I have just realized I have the same problem!!

[pweeks]

yes, I found the whole folder file with my tax return in the trash bin. so I restored it to it's original location. Then I printed what I had completed, I also saved the file to one drive and dropbox. So, check your trash bin by searching for the file folder.  Looks like a programmer has a weird sense of humor

[PaulSperry]

I too just lost all my past files when TurboTax REQUIRED that I install critical updates to open (I didn't want to do this so that my previous returns wouldn't be changed by anything new in the update). I couldn't find the returns in my recycle bin, but DID find them when I searched *.tax2018. The upgrade for some reason moved my original Turbotax directory to be a subdirectory of my Roxio directory (disk burning!). I simply moved the files back to the Documents/Turbotax directory and everything was there. I'm both annoyed and relieved.

[mesquitebean]

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@ PaulSperry wrote:

I too just lost all my past files when TurboTax REQUIRED that I install critical updates to open (I didn't want to do this so that my previous returns wouldn't be changed by anything new in the update). I couldn't find the returns in my recycle bin, but DID find them when I searched *.tax2018. The upgrade for some reason moved my original Turbotax directory to be a subdirectory of my Roxio directory (disk burning!). I simply moved the files back to the Documents/Turbotax directory and everything was there. I'm both annoyed and relieved.

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Sorry you had that experience, but I don't understand it.   TurboTax cannot require you to download updates, so that's confusing.   I personally have never seen it "require" someone to do so.   A lot of folks don't ever update the program after filing their tax return for the reason you mentioned above.  After filing, I simply decline all updates.

AFAIK,  TurboTax doesn't use the term "critical updates."    Are you sure it wasn't Windows requiring you to do a critical Windows update?     There is a known history of Windows updates moving/deleting data files not just for TurboTax but for other programs as well.

I don't know if you are using the Windows PC version or the Mac version since it wasn't mentioned.  In any case, the following are the 3 choices in the updater preferences settings in the Windows version.  If you are using Windows, you get to them by launching TurboTax, then at the main window, click at the top on the ONLINE menu, then choose Updater Preferences.

Updater preferences:

1) Automatically download updates, but let me choose when to install them.
or
2) Ask me before downloading updates.
or
3) I will get updates on my own. (then one would manually check whenever desired).

As for moving your *.taxYYYY data files to a completely different directory, that's even more bizarre.  I'll ask around and see if anyone has ever witnessed such.