Bought TurboTax Online Live from Costco this year.... and now am on a different platform???

[katine]

I have been using Turbo Tax Online for years.  This year, I saw Costco had a good deal on it, so I bought the Turbo Tax Live Online from Costco (instead of paying for it through Intuit as I normally do).  I got the software code from Costco, logged into my EXISTING Turbo Tax Online account, and thought everything would be fine.

When I sat down to start doing my 2020 taxes, Turbo Tax was acting like it had never seen me before - none of my information from previous years is showing up.

When I click on "documents" in the vertical black Turbo Tax menu, it shows my previous years' tax returns there, but I cannot do a year-over-year comparison between 2020 and 2019!!!!

I called Turbo Tax, spoke to a nice lady who basically said that even though it's the same product, it's essentially a different "environment" and even though I logged in with the same login I used last year, I can't link my 2019 tax data to this 2020 tax return.  And, if I go back to buying directly from Intuit next year, that won't link to my 2020 tax return on the Costco environment.

Had I known this, I would have never bought it from Costco......  this is the kind of thing that seriously should have been disclosed like when you log in.  So now, I cannot figure out how to get out of the Costco environment and back on the regular Intuit environment so I can have all my years of tax data literally in the same place.  

I tried to "import" last year's return, but that doesn't get the data into the platform so that I can do the YOY compare of the actual data, and have my personal information automatically there in the 2020 return.

Can anyone help?????  I am happy to re-do my 2020 return and return the Costco version (if I can) but I can't find how to do that.  

Thanks,

[SteamTrain]

All I've got is the FAQ that explains it pretty well

You use the special activation link in this FAQ and when you log in there, you are supposed to use your prior UserID/PWD from the old existing account....that supposedly links you directly to that old account:

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/register-or-activate-services/help/how-do-i-activate-turbotax-live...

[katine]

Thanks for the reply.  At a glance, it seemed hopeful, but I DID sign in using my existing Turbo Tax Online account that I've been using for the past 5 years..... but none of my data is connected; none of the info that should carry over from year to year is doing so.  Now, I've returned the Costco purchase for a refund, and am hoping that once they process it, it'll wipe this off my account and I can log in and start 2020 over.  I even tried deleting the 2020 stuff I've already done and starting over, and Turbo Tax won't let me since the software was already activated. I just spent >1 hour on the phone with a Turbo Tax person (I was trying to get technical support) who was sweet, but could only search the online help info. She was telling me that you can't buy Turbo Tax Self Employed Live Online at the store, you can only buy the  download/desktop version, but that's not true, I even showed her my costco account and a screen shot of the product I purchased that CLEARLY says "Online."   What a mess.  Intuit better get to fixing this problem since it's major.  To not have my YOY data carry over is ridiculous.  My Quickbooks isn't connected either.  This sux.  

[katine]

**UPDATE*** for anyone else (I can't imagine I'm the only one) who has this problem.

I was able to resolve this -- sort of.  What I mean is I was able to prepare my 2020 tax return and get 2019 data in there.  What I did was retuned the Costco version of turbo tax (yes, even though it's online and should work, and even though I already registered the registration code online....) and what this did was delete the work I had already done on the 2020 return. (I could not delete it myself and start over, which I wanted to try to see if I could upload the 2019.tax file to the system, which was not working for some reason with my 2020 data in there).

Once the 2020 return data was gone (after my return to costco, they deactivate the code) I was able to go to "tools" then "upload previous year tax return" (do not just upload the PDF), it has to be the .tax file..... 

Once I did that I was able to see my 2019 data and do side by side comparisons, all my data was imported and it worked smoothly.

What I don't know is whether there's a way to get here WITHOUT giving up the Costco discount.... so maybe I didn't need to really return the costco product if I uploaded the previous year's return BEFORE starting?  I have no idea. But the Turbo Tax help folks had never heard of this problem before and were insisting that you cannot buy the *online* version of their software in retail stores. I shared my Costco screen print of my order to prove otherwise....

Good luck!

[QuinntinMiller]

I also logged in using my existing Turbo Tax Online account, which I have been using for the past few years. None of my data is connected. This is strange and I don’t understand why.

[Critter-3]

The 2021 ONLINE program is not functional yet ... not until sometime in December.  So what did you actually buy ?   The online access  or the DOWNLOADED version ?

[xmasbaby0]

@QuinntinMiller The 2021 online software is not available yet.   If you purchased software from Costco or some other retailer and it has a license code, you purchased the CD/download that you have to install to your own computer.   You do not "log in" to use it.   You open the program from your own hard drive.   If you have been an "online" user in the past, you can transfer your 2020 tax data to the 2021 software but you have to follow the directions to do so correctly.

How to transfer last year’s return? https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900883

[kristin33IN]

Hi,

I'm really sorry that you had all these problems.  I was just about to buy the Costco version to save over $100, but having read about your multiple headaches and wasted time, I've decided to fork out the extra $$$ and stick with the on-line turbo tax I was using before.  So, even though you sound like you got screwed, I hope you can feel a tiny bit better by knowing that you have saved a lot of other people from going through what you went through.  You ARE appreciated!!!!!

[xmasbaby0]

@kristin33IN Whatever you are reacting to in this thread is months old.   No one else has posted to this thread since November.  If you are still inclined, you could purchase desktop software from Costco and should not have problems, as long as you have a computer that meets the system requirements.

[srpeluso]

More current intel:

Bought the software at Costco in CA on 1/2/22.

Attempted to download it.

Was unable to find any link that references downloading current tax year product when the CD was not provided. 

Called once on 4/16 and waited almost 15 minutes on hold before being disconnected. 

Tried unsuccessfully to find the information I needed via online chat. 

Called a 2nd time on 4/16, with a support ID. Still waiting to speak with a live rep. 

Note: in this day & age, when one can reasonably expect to navigate a web portal with a minimum number of clicks, how is it that one has to answer several irrelevant questions before one is put on hold to speak to a person?

[CarissaM]

If you purchased the software at Costco, it should have came with the CD or license code to download and license the software. You can follow the instructions here to install your software. 

If there is anything specific we can assist you with, please let us know. @srpeluso

[attaulbari]

Hello, gone through people comments and kind of in limbo if i should return turbotax premier from costco.  Following are the one i'd like to use platform using costco purchased turbotax plan.

1- able to see older tax records for past 5 years

2- add premium support to assist with some of complex paper work.

Let me know if above is achievable using costco purchased product.

[Critter-3]

If you bought the downloaded/CD program : 

1- able to see older tax records for past 5 years   Yes for both ... if you have been using TT the past 5 years.

2- add premium support to assist with some of complex paper work.  NO ... that is only available with the ONLINE versions.    https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/online/file-your-own-taxes/#see-pricing

[Taxwb]

I bought the CD software from Costco and are having problems importing my financial data from Wells Fargo and I'm wondering if I have to update the actual software to fix that problem and can't get any help

[MichelleLO]

Yes, you will want to make sure your TurboTax software is up to date before importing from your financial institution. Please see the below TurboTax Help Article for instructions. 

How do I update my TurboTax CD/Download software program?

@Taxwb