File won't Open

[mprice62]

Why won't TurboTax open a file it created after I quit and wanted to finish it later?

Why won't TurboTax open last year's return (same error msg on.tax 2020 or .pdf) to lead me through this year's return when I can open the .pdf file in my own PDF software?

These same errors have happened for the last three years and have led to retyping the whole return in twice and I have spent at least 3 hours with the support line.  Nothing has been fixed.  Maybe we need the file format to see what is happening.  Very frustrated and am thinking about canceling my advantage plan for next year.

Mike Price

[SForrestLO]

If there is a specific error message, please provide that for additional asistance. 

You can view these Turbo Tax help articles.

How do I open my tax return in the TurboTax software I installed?
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/accessing/help/how-do-i-open-my-tax-return-in-the-turbotax-softwar...

If you have old .tax files you can try converting them to pdf files at Www.Taxprinter.Com https://www.taxprinter.com

It might be expensive. They are not connected with Turbo Tax. Use it at your own risk.

[mprice62]

There is no error number, just a box that says the file must be corrupted, even the pdf file.  But, I can open the pdf file with my pdf software.  I just don't get it.

Mike Price.

[KatrinaLO]

What version of Windows are you using? Please see the information in this TurboTax FAQ here for assistance.

[mprice62]

It doesn't seem to matter.

I use Windows 11 build 22567 and turbotax will not open either .tax2021 or .pdf.

I then moved both turbotax and .tax2021 to my Wife's machine using the original Windows 10 and turbotax would not open either .tax2021 or .pdf.  I can access on either machine the .pdf files .

My main question is:

1.  How can a file created with TurboTax and saved to my machine not be able to open it?

2.  How can files created with last years TurboTax (.tax2020 and .pdf) not be able to open them on either Windows 11 or Windows 10, but my pdf program can??

Seems to me as a rookie, there must be a glitch in the program or you think we would get an error when we save them.

 Oh well, I am tired of it.

Thank you for your interest in my problelms.

Mike Price

[CarissaM]

Are you trying to use a 2020 return using the 2021 software? If so you would only be able to view the return while using the 2020 software. 

You can import the 2020 return into 2021 in order to complete the 2021 return. 

[neil4tt]

I have the exact same issue as Mike. [I am an experienced TT user for 25+ years, and also a computer savvy professional and clearly there is some TT bug that is affecting us both].

On Windows 10 desktop, these are the two issues:

1. TT2021 cannot transfer a 2020 return (it shows a pop-up that goes away in a few seconds and nothing happens). It does this with multiple different returns, different versions of the same return, and saved copies returns on different media (USB, CD-ROM and hard drives).

2. Actually, TT2020 cannot even open the return that was filed by it a year ago (I filed three different returns and has the same issue with all of them and it says Error reading the tax file).

I have tried the links provided by Carissa in a separate thread and they have not helped yet.

Thanks,

Neil

[dana_utz]

I am having similar problem w my 2021 return. (And had the same problem w my 2020 return.) Today I am ready to efile the return but TurboTax made me install the latest update. After finishing that I chose my file to open and received message that "the document .xxxxxxx.2021tax.icloud has the wrong tax year or some other issue that prevents us from opening it." What is going on??? Don't see an option to speak w a real person. 

[dana_utz]

Figured out problem on my own. Rather than using menu option File > Open Recent (which has worked in the past), I clicked the link "Open a different return". That worked. But there is a bug to be fixed.

[CarissaM]

Thank you for posting the resolution you were able to use to get the issue fixed. Please let us know if we can assist you further. @dana_utz

[Fredph]

THANK YOU for this solution...("open different return")...that solution worked for me too... Turbotax, THIS is A MAJOR bug if you can't open last years taxes!!!!!

[Ebony A]

We are glad that this resolution provided by dana_utz has worked for you - thanks for the update and all feedback will be reviewed @Fredph.