See this TurboTax support FAQ for moving the tax data file - https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/data-systems/move-tax-data-file-another-computer/L5fFkMkhr_US_en_US?uid=melv9091
The 2024 tax data file will have a file extension of .tax2024
What I would do on the old computer, is copy the whole Turbo Tax folder that is under your Documents. That should be where the .tax files and pdf files are stored. Also if you haven't done it, I would open each year in the program and save it as a pdf file, go to FILE - SAVE TO PDF so you don't need the program installed to view your return. Copy that folder to a flash drive or best yet is to burn it to a CD or DVD and then you will have a backup of them. Then on the new computer copy the folder (or files) from the flash drive to your Documents folder.
You only need the tax return data file ending in .tax2024 to transfer into 2025 to transfer into next year. You can't transfer the programs. They have to be installed from the CD or Download. You don't need to install older programs unless you need to amend or you didn't save the pdf file. And they only support the last 3 years. If you install an older year you won't be able to update it or download any state programs, so you won't be able to open your return.
See this article on how to move your tax return to another computer…….
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-data-file/help/how-do-i-move-my-tax-data-file-to-another-computer/00/26128
Put in on an external drive and move it. Or package up a zip file and email it to yourself. Or restore from your cloud backup.
If you are moving to a new compute, do whatever you're doing with everything else.
Is there a way to transfer the file so the current year Turbotax can transfer data?
@florence3 wrote:
Is there a way to transfer the file so the current year Turbotax can transfer data?
See this for moving tax data files to another computer - https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/data-systems/move-tax-data-file-another-computer/L5fFkMkhr_US_en_US
@florence3 Where is your 2024 file and what do you want to transfer it into? Into the Online version or into the 2025 Desktop program on another computer?
@VolvoGirl : I've got my 2024 desktop Turbotax on my old computer and will be downloading desktop 2025 to a new computer. I understand how to transfer files from one computer to another, but that alone doesn't allow the Turbotax program to see the data and transfer for my 2025 taxes.
I'd like to transfer data do ensure I catch everything from the previous year rather than starting from scratch. Is this possible? I did download 2024 to the new computer, but not sure how to save a file in there.