Online tax preparation and e-filing for 2018 returns is now permanently closed. You had until midnight on Tuesday, October 15 to finish and attempt to e-file; if your e-file was rejected you had until October 20 to make corrections and re-file. Now it is too late to efile any return … they must be mailed in.
To finish a prior year return started in TT online:https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2559403-how-do-i-finish-a-prior-year-return-that-i-started-in-turb
If you already paid for your online software you can ask customer support for a download of the desktop software.
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899263-what-is-the-turbotax-phone-number
If you didn't already pay for your 2018 product prior to the shutdown, you can either purchase directly from the TurboTax website as mentioned above, or you may find the product at a discount as a download at Amazon, etc. CAUTION: There are a lot of scam sites, so do not try to purchase from any "too-good-to-be-true" discount site on the Internet that you find in a search. You might end up with pirated software, ID theft, malware, etc. Only a few large well-known sites like Amazon, NewEgg, Staples, Office Depot, etc., are authorized to sell TurboTax downloads.
When you mail a tax return, you need to attach any documents showing tax withheld, such as your W-2’s or any 1099’s. Use a mailing service that will track it, such as UPS or certified mail so you will know the IRS and/or your state received the return.
If you are getting a refund, there is no penalty for filing late. If you owe tax due, then file and pay the amount due as shown on the Form 1040, but expect a bill later from the IRS for the penalty and interest you will owe. Only the IRS will calculate this—TurboTax will not calculate it.
I bought deluxe version to file 2018 taxes but it did not take me where I can file and now it keeps trying to make me buy a product which has been paid for.
Sounds to me like you're trying to use the online version of the program. Long story short, that's physically impossible since the online version of TurboTax 2018 has not been available since Oct 16th, 2019.
Did you purchase TurboTax 2018 on a physical CD that you can hold in your hand? Or did you purchase the download version of the CD? If the latter, after you downloaded it, did you double-click the file to physically install it on your computer? If the CD, did you run the setup.exe program on the CD to physically install the program on your computer?
If yes to the above, then there is a "TurboTax Deluxe 2018" icon on your desktop. You *HAVE* to double-click the icon to start the program physically installed on your computer.