Cant Upgrade to TurboTax plus

[ukeeba121545]

I can't see the upgrade button for TurboTax plus to upgrade even though I am following the direct instructions

[mesquitebean]

If you just started a new 2018 return, you may not see the Upgrade link in the left menu column until you enter a little info in the MY INFO section.    TurboTax instructions are confusing.  I can give you better instructions, but I have to ask a lot of questions first. 

Why do you want PLUS--are you wanting to purchase PLUS to unlock a prior return?   Was your prior return prepared with Online TurboTax?  If so, log in to your account and look in the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents."   Choose the tax year in question, and look for a link to download/print the PDF.   Do you find evidence of your return there OK, but when you try to download, does it ask you to pay?    If that's your situation, we can tell you how to pay to unlock your prior returns.   The method to unlock it depends on what all you have done with your 2018 return.

If you find no evidence at all of your prior online returns in that account, we can tell you how to look for multiple accounts.    A return prepared in desktop software (CD/download) will not be in an online account.

1. Have you already filed a 2018 return in Online TurboTax, or is one in preparation?  Or did you file elsewhere?
2. Was/is the 2018 return prepared in Free Edition?
3. Is the 2018 return in the SAME account as the prior online returns?

We can tell you all the steps to unlock a return once you answer all the questions above.

If all you need is the 2017 AGI, there should be a free link in the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents" when you choose tax year 2017.  There should be a link that says "View adjusted gross income (AGI.)"

There's also a free option if a return transcript will suit your purpose.   You may be able to immediately download one at the IRS website if you qualify to open an IRS account there.  Otherwise, to order a transcript to come by postal mail takes 5-10 calendar days.
http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript

[mesquitebean]

Why do you want PLUS--are you wanting to purchase PLUS to unlock a prior return?   Was your prior return prepared with Online TurboTax?  If so, log in to your account and look in the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents."   Choose the tax year in question, and look for a link to download/print the PDF.   Do you find evidence of your return there OK, but when you try to download, does it ask you to pay?    If that's your situation, we can tell you how to pay to unlock your prior returns.   The method to unlock it depends on what all you have done with your 2018 return.

If you find no evidence at all of your prior online returns in that account, we can tell you how to look for multiple accounts.    A return prepared in desktop software (CD/download) will not be in an online account.

1. Have you already filed a 2018 return in Online TurboTax, or is one in preparation?  Or did you file elsewhere?
2. Was/is the 2018 return prepared in Free Edition?
3. Is the 2018 return in the SAME account as the prior online returns?

We can tell you all the steps to unlock a return once you answer all the questions above.

If all you need is the 2017 AGI, there should be a free link in the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents" when you choose tax year 2017.  There should be a link that says "View adjusted gross income (AGI.)"

There's also a free option if a return transcript will suit your purpose.   You may be able to immediately download one at the IRS website if you qualify to open an IRS account there.  Otherwise, to order a transcript to come by postal mail takes 5-10 calendar days.
http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript

[mesquitebean]

Why do you want PLUS--are you wanting to purchase PLUS to unlock a prior return?   Was your prior return prepared with Online TurboTax?  If so, log in to your account and look in the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents."   Choose the tax year in question, and look for a link to download/print the PDF.   Do you find evidence of your return there OK, but when you try to download, does it ask you to pay?    If that's your situation, we can tell you how to pay to unlock your prior returns.   The method to unlock it depends on what all you have done with your 2018 return.

If you find no evidence at all of your prior online returns in that account, we can tell you how to look for multiple accounts.    A return prepared in desktop software (CD/download) will not be in an online account.

1. Have you already filed a 2018 return in Online TurboTax, or is one in preparation?  Or did you file elsewhere?
2. Was/is the 2018 return prepared in Free Edition?
3. Is the 2018 return in the SAME account as the prior online returns?

We can tell you all the steps to unlock a return once you answer all the questions above.

If all you need is the 2017 AGI, there should be a free link in the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents" when you choose tax year 2017.  There should be a link that says "View adjusted gross income (AGI.)"

There's also a free option if a return transcript will suit your purpose.   You may be able to immediately download one at the IRS website if you qualify to open an IRS account there.  Otherwise, to order a transcript to come by postal mail takes 5-10 calendar days.
http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript

[baileyb75]

Yes to all of those questions and I'm having the same issues. There is no upgrade button showing up on the left hand side.

[mesquitebean]

---

baileyb75 wrote:

Yes to all of those questions and I'm having the same issues. There is no upgrade button showing up on the left hand side.

---

One of the important questions was not a strict "yes or no" question.    It asked if you had already filed the 2018 return,  had one in preparation, or filed elsewhere.   Since you broadly said "yes" to all the questions above, I'll assume you already filed 2018 with Online TurboTax, so I'm going to tell you how to upgrade an already-filed 2018 Free Edition return to PLUS in order to unlock prior returns in the same account.

NOTE:  When you open your return back up, do not make any changes in it if it's already been filed.

• Log in and go to "Your Tax Returns & Documents."  Click that line or on the word SHOW to expand that section.
• Choose 2018 tax year.
• If you have already filed the 2018 return, there will no longer be a "Take me to my return" button.   So to open an already-filed return, click on "Add a State."  (you don't really add one.  That's just to open your return back up.)
• Once the return is open, go to the left menu column and click on Upgrade.
• On the upgrade page choose PLUS.    If PLUS is grayed out and can't be chosen, that means you are already in PLUS.  Do NOT upgrade any beyond PLUS, or you'll have problems.
• Once you are in PLUS, then you need to pay.
• In the left menu column click on TAX TOOLS, then PRINT CENTER.
• At the Print Center choose to "Print, save, view THIS  YEAR's return."   (Yes, you say "this year's" because you are paying for the 2018 return to unlock the 2017 return.)   You don't actually have to print it.
• It will ask you to pay.  If the Order Summary appears OK, then choose PAY NOW.
• You can pay by credit card or debit card (even though it only says "credit.")

  NOTE:  If it should offer you the choice of paying later out of the Federal refund, that cannot be done for this purpose.  You have to choose PAY NOW.

[baileyb75]

When I go back into the return it doesn't give me an option to select upgrade. I've tried it on multiple browser types and with my phone.

[mesquitebean]

Then you need to answer some questions.    Please address everything by number:

1) What is the story on your 2018 return?   Have you already filed an online 2018 return or not?   If you haven't filed one yet, have you started one?   Or did you file one elsewhere?

2) If you have filed one or have started one, what edition did you use for your 2018 return?  Was it Free Edition?

3)  When the return is open, what edition is currently displayed in the top left underneath the TurboTax logo?

4)  Are the 2017 and 2018 returns in the same account?

5) When you open your 2018 return, what menu items do you see in the left menu column?   When your return is fully open, you should see these menu items in this order.  You may have to scroll the left menu column to see everything.  It may scroll independently from the main part of the screen.

Tax Home
Previous Taxes
My Info
Federal
State
Review
File
Upgrade
Tax Tools
Sign Out

[baileyb75]

1-yes
2-free edition
3-free edition
4-yes
5-tax home
Amend
Cancel amend
Tax tools
Sign out

[mesquitebean]

baileyb75 

You again said "yes" to question #1, which is not a "yes or no" question.   It asked you to choose one of those three things I mentioned.     So I'll assume that means you have already filed your 2018 return, so that's why my instructions have been geared to that circumstance.   If you haven't filed your 2018 return, then the steps are different.

Please confirm that you are using Online TurboTax through a browser and not using the Mobile App on a mobile device.

With such few things in your list of left column menu items, it makes me think that you may not have fully opened the filed return or may be using the mobile app.   You appear to be missing about 7 items.  

After you log into Online TurboTax, you have to open the return back up.  Did you click on "Add a State" to open your already-filed return back up as I instructed in my first list of instructions above?

   NOTE:  The "Add a State" link is not related to the left menu column.   The "Add a state" link is found either on the Tax Home page itself or in the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents."  It may be in a little box.

If so, after you clicked "Add a State" and the return fully opens, do you see the rest of the left menu items I listed?

NOTE:  Do NOT click on "Amend".

[baileyb75]

Your question number one was three questions. I answered yes to the first question which makes the other parts null. I don't see how that is hard to understand. I am on a browser on my phone and I tried it on my laptop. I am not using the app. Yes I clicked on add a state before looking for the upgrade button. The items in the left hand column are what are listed after I click on add a state. The button just isn't there. I really need my 2017 to be able to file for student aid and have no way to get it.

[mesquitebean]

Sorry, but I don't know why you are not seeing an upgrade button and the other missing menu items in your left menu column when you open your return back up.   I think it's better to use a computer instead of a phone since menus and websites sometimes behave weirdly on a phone.  But you've said you already tried a computer and experience the same thing.

The only product that does not have an Upgrade link is the TurboTax Free File Program, which is different from regular Free Edition and has no upgrades since it is fully-featured.   You already confirmed above that you are using regular Free Edition, so I don't know why your return doesn't have one.  

I'll post in a back channel and see if I can attract anyone else to comment in this thread today.

You could try phoning TurboTax Customer Support, but without PLUS, you may not be able to speak to anyone since Free Edition without PLUS doesn't normally have phone support, so you may hit a roadblock.

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

If you can't get through to Support, you could contact a TurboTax Support agent directly by messaging at Facebook or Twitter.  Same hours as above.

https://twitter.com/TeamTurboTax
or
https://www.facebook.com/turbotax

Another alternative is to get a free prior-year return transcript from the IRS website.   If you qualify to open a free IRS account there, you can download one.  If you don't qualify to open the account, you can still order a transcript to come by mail, but that takes 5-10 calendar days.

http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript

Or if you wish to get additional ideas and don't get any comments in this thread, you can start a new thread of your own and title it something like:  "Need to upgrade to PLUS after filing 2018, but after opening the return with "Add a state", there is no upgrade link in the left menu column."   

If you decide to do that, you can use the blue button "ask a question" at this link:

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/after-you-file/discussion/02/203

[VolvoGirl]

Here's the article if you can't see the Upgrade button.   There is a link for Mobile Devices

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/upgrading/help/why-don-t-i-see-the-upgrade-option-in-turbotax-onli...

Then buried in the links it says (follow all the steps)........

How do I purchase PLUS after I've already filed my 2018 return?

To access a 2017 (or earlier) TurboTax return, you'll need to reopen your 2018 return so you can purchase PLUS.

If you’re ion the mobile app, sign out and sign in to TurboTax (web version) using your app login.

1. Sign in to your account.
2. Go to Help in the upper-right corner.
3. Select Contact us and type in Add PLUS Benefits, then Continue.
4. Select Talk to a specialist.
5. Then, select Get PLUS Benefits, and Talk to a specialist. (You will not actually contact a specialist at any point, these instructions are just to pay for PLUS.)
6. Follow the onscreen instruction to pay for PLUS.

[mesquitebean]

Thanks  VolvoGirl  for providing the FAQ link above.     One thing in particular that caught my eye in it is this:

A user's window might not be maximized and the left menu column could therefore be collapsed and needs to be fully expanded. Maybe that would explain why so many of the other menu items are also missing.  User appears to be missing 5-6 other menu items in addition to the Upgrade link.  They may simply be hidden and not expanded.   If the window is maximized and the left menu column becomes expanded, perhaps all the missing menu choices will appear.

 Menus are more likely to be collapsed when viewed on a phone.    I, too, think user should be exclusively doing this on a computer, since menus and features of phone websites are sometimes unpredictable and more difficult to troubleshoot.    Users says he is using Online TurboTax website and not the Mobile App.

[cramac33]

I have already filed my 2018 return online with turbo tax.  It was prepared in the free edition.  It was done through the same account as prior returns.

[Critter]

If your prior returns are locked then you must upgrade to PLUS & pay for the PLUS upgrade to unlock them... however this can ONLY be done when the ONLINE system is operational.  Right now the system is down while it gets transitioned to the 2019 version ... expected to go live sometime today however it may take longer.