Can I transfer online turbotax in process to desktop CD version? Didn't pay for online yet. Thanks!

[VolvoGirl · Accepted solution]

Even before you pay for the online version you can switch to the Desktop program and you won't have to re-enter your information. To continue in the desktop version see this…….
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901476-how-do-i-switch-from-turbotax-online-to-the-turbotax-softw...

[VolvoGirl]

Oh, sorry that's the same info that Kasey posted.  You only have to pay for the Desktop program.  You don't have to pay for online too.  See my comment at the bottom.

[KaseyG]

You sure can, and here's how

1. Go to turbotax.com and log in to the account you already started a return in.
   
2. In TurboTax Online, My Account, then click Tools, and then select Save your 2016 return to your computer.
3. Browse to where you can easily find the saved file, such as your Desktop.
4. (Optional) Change the default name to something more meaningful, for example J Doe 2016 Tax Return.
5. Click Save.

Now, open the .tax2016 file in TurboTax for Windows:

1. Open your TurboTax 2016 program.
2. From the File menu, select Open Tax Return.
3. Browse to where you saved the .tax2016 file, and then click Open.
4. (Optional) Review, edit, or delete the info that transferred over.

Notice: If you have dependents, you'll need to revisit the dependent topic to ensure their info transferred correctly.  You can revisit this by going to the Personal Info tab and clicking on You & Your Family. 

[lisaliguori123]

This won't work if you haven't paid for online version. There is no Tools option under My Account, and therefore no way to download the .tax2016 file

[KaseyG]

Try following this FAQ, and maybe it will help transfer the information over. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://ttlc.intuit.com/replies/3302260">https://ttlc.intuit.com/replies/3302260</a>

[lisaliguori123]

Thanks, but again, there is no way to download the .tax2016 file from online if you haven't paid yet. So I believe the answer to this question is simply "no".

[KaseyG]

I was hoping it would let you download it for free, sorry! It looks like you are right, and that you cannot transfer without paying to get your tax forms.

[VolvoGirl]

Yes you can download the current year .tax2016 without paying for online.  To get all the options  to show up under MY Account you have to have your return open on the screen.  So on the tax timeline page say you want to Add A State and it will let you back in.

[jgazave]

I was able to save my 2020 return to my computer before paying ..... used the instructions above and they worked fine. I'm switching to the PC version.

[vivienne07]

how did you download the current year version and still make it work? It says "it only supports .tax2019" not .tax 2020

[AmyC]

@vivienne07 When you are in your current year return, you can follow the instructions above by KaseyG to use with the current year desktop version. The years must match for the software and the .tax file.

[MadCAD]

I found out differently.  The online version only saves a PDF of your tax return, which cannot be used as a file type to upload to a download version of TurboTax.  PDFs are essentially "read-only".  It is rumoured that the online version can save a copy of your return as a tax-data file, but it is not offered as an option.

The consequence of not saving my tax return as a data file means that were I to use the download version for a subsequent tax year, I cannot transfer all my personal information.

If you buy the download version, you can save your tax return in both file types:  PDF and data file.

You might wonder why I switched to online last year (2020 tax; Calendar year 2021)?  I was in between computers so had no personal storage device.  Neither does TurboTax because it doesn't archive my data.

I wish 2 bad choices made a right, but they don't.

[VolvoGirl]

@MadCAD    Yes you can transfer from Online to Desktop program.   You can download the .tax2020 file from online without even paying for 2020 or 2021 online.

If you used online last year.......

One way is to start a 2021 Online return and transfer into that. Then you can download the .tax2021 file from online for free and just OPEN it in the Desktop program.

OR

If you used the online version last year and need to transfer your info to this year's Desktop version there are 2 ways depending on what you have.

1. If you saved the actual .tax2020 file (not just the pdf file) to your computer before online was shut down in Oct. then start a new return and the very first thing you do is Transfer from .tax file. You can only transfer at the very beginning. You should be able to download the .tax2020 file from online.

How to Access prior year online returns
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/prior-year-return/help/how-do-i-access-my-prior-year-return/00/270...

If you can't get the side menus to open up to access the prior year..... You need to start entering some basic Personal Info in 2021 for the side menu to open up. Just continue a little ways into 2021.

2. If you didn't save the .tax file to your computer or lost it, there is a way to do it by starting a 2021 return in the Online version, transfer to that and then continue in the desktop version. You won't have to pay for Online.

First transfer into the Online version
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/entering-importing/help/how-do-i-transfer-last-year-s-return-into-...

Then to switch to the Desktop program
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/choosing-a-product/help/how-do-i-switch-from-turbotax-online-to-th...

How to Transfer into the Windows Desktop program
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/entering-importing/help/transfer-last-year-s-return-to-turbotax-fo...

How to Transfer into the Mac Desktop program
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-data-file/help/how-do-i-transfer-last-year-s-return-into-the-t...

[VolvoGirl]

And.....

If you used the Online version you should always save both the PDF file and the tax data file each year (before online closes Oct. 15) so you have a copy when you need it or if you ever need to amend it in the future. You shouldn't rely on getting a copy from Turbo Tax. Or if you want to use the Desktop program next year so you can transfer from this year.

Turbo Tax Online automatically saves
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/saving/help/how-do-i-save-my-work-in-turbotax-online/00/26235

Save the PDF
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/saving/help/how-do-i-save-my-turbotax-online-return-as-a-pdf/00/26...

Save the tax file
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/saving/help/how-do-i-save-my-turbotax-online-return-as-a-tax-data-...