Can I import last year's Turbotax file, prepared w/CD version of Turbotax, into Turbotax Online? It has all historical IRA contributions, etc. that I don't want to lose.

[Asnman]

Used Turbotax Deluxe on Windows 10 PC.  When I tried Turbotax Online, it only gave me the option of uploading a .pdf copy of my previous year's return.

[mesquitebean · Accepted solution]

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@ Asnman wrote:
Can I import last year's Turbotax file, prepared w/CD version of Turbotax, into Turbotax Online? It has all historical IRA contributions, etc. that I don't want to lose.
Used Turbotax Deluxe on Windows 10 PC.  When I tried Turbotax Online, it only gave me the option of uploading a .pdf copy of my previous year's return.

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EDIT NOTE:   Additional product information added to this answer 3/28/2021 at 9:40 PM Pacific.

Yes, if you have the *.tax2019 data file from last year's return,  you can transfer it into a 2020 Online return.  But if you already started a 2020 online return, then you'll have to clear and start the 2020 return over in order to do the transfer.   Here's how:

• With your 2020 online return open, go to the left menu column, and click on TAX TOOLS, then TOOLS.
• In the Tools window, choose "Transfer last year's TurboTax return from your computer." 
• It will tell you it will clear your return and ask "Are you sure?"   If you agree, choose "continue".
• On the next screen, which says "Transfer Last Year's TurboTax Return", use the Browse feature to point TurboTax to the location of your *.tax2019 data file on your computer, then continue to do the transfer.
  

NOTE:

If you have never used Online TurboTax before, be aware that Online Deluxe is not as fully-featured as the desktop Deluxe version.  

• Online Deluxe cannot handle Schedules D, E, or F.  And it cannot handle a Schedule C with expenses, or enter a K-1.
• And the online editions do not have Forms Mode like the desktop product.
• Unlike the desktop product, the online product can only prepare 1 Federal return per account per tax year.   The desktop editions can prepare multiple returns.
• There is an extra preparation fee for a state return in the Online product.    A state program may be included in some of the desktop products.  Deluxe desktop (CD/download) comes in two versions--with state or without state.
• In the Online products,  the fees are for preparation, and free efiling is included.
• In the desktop editions one can efile up to 5 Federal returns for free.  There is a 24.99 state efile fee.  There is no state efile fee for New York state and no fee to print and mail the state returns. 

[mesquitebean]

@ Asnman 

Oops!   There was a sentence included in error in my original answer to you above that shouldn't have been there.  It was for another user and applied to his unique situation.  I saw it right after I pasted the steps and sent your answer.    But you may have been emailed a copy of the original answer.    If so, you'll see these words next to one of the steps: "you won't really be doing this".  That does NOT apply to you.  I've removed those words from the steps in your answer above.   Sorry for any confusion.

I also added some additional product comparisons between the Online and desktop versions.

[Asnman]

Thanks for your very quick reply.  Your comparison between the 2 versions was very helpful - I was looking for something similar online but couldn't find it anywhere.  In particular, your note about the online version not having the Forms Mode caught my attention, since I've had to use that in the past to fill out a very basic form that the questionnaire from the CD-based version did not ask about (it asked about the form in the prior year's version, so I knew to expect it.)

I hope you don't mind a couple follow up questions:

1) If I import my *.tax2019 file, will that populate a lot of the inputs for the online version, similar to how it does for the CD version (e.g., names, addresses, bank accounts, employer, etc.)?

2) Do you know if the online version will retain and continue to carry forward the historical IRA contributions like the CD-based version does?

Thanks!

[mesquitebean · Accepted solution]

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@ Asnman wrote:

I hope you don't mind a couple follow up questions:

1) If I import my *.tax2019 file, will that populate a lot of the inputs for the online version, similar to how it does for the CD version (e.g., names, addresses, bank accounts, employer, etc.)?

2) Do you know if the online version will retain and continue to carry forward the historical IRA contributions like the CD-based version does?

I'm a fellow user and don't work for TurboTax.  But I've been a volunteer helper in the forum for a long time.

1) Yes, transferring the *.tax2019 data file into Online TurboTax works the same way as far as the transferred info goes, so it should populate the items you mentioned for 2020.   Check it carefully to be sure everything transferred over.  

  As I mentioned previously, as you work on the return if you have items that Online Deluxe can't handle, it would ask you to upgrade, such as Schedule D, E, or F; or Sched C with expenses, or enter a K-1, etc.

2)  Historical IRA contributions, any basis (if applicable), etc. "should" transfer from the 2019 data file into 2020 and then next year into 2021--IF you use the same Online account year after year.   But after filing the 2020 return, I'd still make a backup--just in case-- to include those IRA worksheets and others, because that's just me. 😁   I wouldn't want to have to rely completely on the TurboTax "Cloud" where there could be unexpected server crashes and data loss, although rare, could conceivably happen in a worst-case scenario.  I would hope TurboTax has a lot of its own backup and redundancy, too.   See my next paragraph below:

After efiling, the PDF that can be obtained at the Tax Home is mainly just the basic return "as filed."   I also recommend that after efiling and the IRS has accepted the efile, filers download a full PDF of their return including all the summary pages and worksheets  (we can tell you the maneuvers to get it.)  The full PDF should include all the worksheets, such as carryover worksheets as well as the IRA Contributions Worksheet, IRA Information Worksheet, IRA Deduction Worksheet, Roth IRA Worksheet, etc. for your records.  This makes for easy viewing throughout the year and is a backup of everything--just in case.    And filers can even download and archive the actual *.tax2020 data file if they wish.    But you must take care with both types of files (PDFs and data files) to store them safely and securely.   They not only have your tax info and personal ID info, but can also have bank account numbers, etc.  So guard against computer theft, hacking, etc.

[Asnman]

Thank you again for your extremely thorough reply!  More thorough than many replies I've seen from Turbotax employees.  You not only answered my questions but added a lot of helpful suggestions.  I do plan to save the *.tax2020 file, and was also glad to hear that the online version will allow you to save the .pdf version of your return that includes all the worksheets, just like the CD version does.

[mesquitebean]

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@Asnman wrote:

Thank you again for your extremely thorough reply!

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You're welcome.  Good luck.

We can tell you how to get that PDF with all the worksheets once you've efiled and been accepted.

Keep the following in mind when working on your return:

Until you pay for your online return, the only thing you can preview for free is your Form 1040 and Schedules 1-3.  We can tell you how. 

If you need to see other forms/worksheets, it is possible to pay in advance to have viewing/printing privileges of all forms during return preparation.   We can tell you how to do that if you find yourself in need of that.  But you won't be able to edit on them; i.e., it is not like Forms Mode in the desktop product.

[Asnman]

Just letting you know that I completed my taxes and my IRA basis appears to have transferred intact.  I was able to download my .tax2020 file and also downloaded the full PDF file by doing the following:

Add a State>Tax Tools>Print Center>Print, Save, or Preview This Year's return

checked the boxes for both 2020 Federal return and 2020 State return, and "include government and TurboTax worksheets".  Viewed the file then saved it as a .pdf.

Thanks again for your very thorough and helpful comments!

[mesquitebean]

Great news!   You're welcome.   I'm glad it all worked out for you.   Yes, that is indeed the method to get the full PDF.

Good luck!

[fanfare]

Why would you switch to ONLINE version.?

It has limited capabilities compared to CD/Download.

[serdiug]

I started using TurboTax Premeir from a CD and it failed at Federal deductions.

I completed all income investement etc & have the file saved to my hard drive.

I returned the CD to Walmart and would like to start using the OnLine version.

Will the online version let me upload the file *.tax2020?

[mesquitebean]

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@ serdiug wrote:

I started using TurboTax Premeir from a CD and it failed at Federal deductions.

I completed all income investement etc & have the file saved to my hard drive.

I returned the CD to Walmart and would like to start using the OnLine version.

Will the online version let me upload the file *.tax2020?

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No, sorry, you cannot move a *.tax2020 data file started in desktop software into a 2020 Online return.  You'd have to start a new Online return.  You CAN, however, upload last year's *.tax2019 data file (if you have it), so that the 2019 data will transfer into a new 2020 online return.   Actually, I see I already told someone how to do that higher up in this thread.

You said your CD version "failed at Federal deductions."    I'm not sure what that means, but did the program crash?  If so, did you speak by phone with TurboTax Support?

[Asnman]

I just noticed that the PDFs from the online version don't have bookmarks like the PDFs from the CD version.  Does anyone know how to download the PDFs that include the bookmarks?  It would make figuring out which page to go to a LOT easier.  Thanks!

[Asnman]

I switched because I got the online version of TT Deluxe for free, and the $50 I paid for adding on the State return included the efile fee for the State return.  Had I purchased the CD version, it would've cost about $50 including the State return, and another $20 or so for the State efile fee.

[mesquitebean]

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@ Asnman wrote:

I just noticed that the PDFs from the online version don't have bookmarks like the PDFs from the CD version.  Does anyone know how to download the PDFs that include the bookmarks?  It would make figuring out which page to go to a LOT easier.  Thanks!

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My 2019 PDF from Online TurboTax has the bookmarks.   I can't look at a 2020 PDF created in Online TurboTax right now, but it shouldn't be any different.   See if the screen image below explains why you aren't seeing bookmarks.  Your Bookmarks menu may be collapsed, or the main viewing area of the PDF reader may have expanded and moved left and thus overlying it.    I'm using Adobe Reader.   I don't know what PDF viewer you use.

If you are reading the PDF with a browser instead of a PDF reader, it also can have the bookmarks collapsed.  Look for a tiny arrowhead on the left.  A PDF viewed in the Edge browser, for instance, has a Contents button in the upper left, which opens the "Table of Contents", which has a tiny arrowhead to expand the Bookmarks list.

These are actually 2 images from Adobe Reader showing the left column.   Click the Bookmarks icon to list the pages in the return.  If you don't see the Bookmarks icon, click the tiny arrowhead at the extreme left to expose it.

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