I lost my previous year TurboTax return file, wonder if TurboTax can upload prev year IRS transcript

[Yury M]

I lost my previous year TurboTax return file along with computer I filed my 2020 taxes on. I have couple of questions in this regard:

- I was under impression TurboTax filing works like many modern cloud-computing apps: your end-wok eventually saved in a cloud, but I just made a quick research and seems like Desktop version of TurboTax does not do so yet. Your TurboTax files die along with your desktop,even if you filed your taxes, am I right? Hope TurboTax will fix it soon, since that's how only old legacy apps operate

- I managed to take tax return script for 2020 from IRS, could it help me to file 2021 taxes? Does TurboTax have option of uploading the IRS script or I need t enter everything manually again?

Thanks,

Yury

[VolvoGirl · Accepted solution]

Sorry if you used the Desktop installed program the only copy of your return is on that computer and any backups you made.  Didn't you make any backups?  Can't see  Intuit ever letting you store your desktop return online.  It's up to you to save your returns.   There are many ways.  I save to a flash drive and burn a CD when I'm done filing.    Only the Online browser version saves your returns online.  But then you might not have access to it when you need a copy.  It's always up to you to save your returns as both the .tax file and pdf file.  

You need the file ending in .tax2020 to transfer into 2021.  Sorry you can't use the IRS transcript except for any info you might need to manually enter.  

[fanfare]

@Yury M 

since TurboTax CD./download has been around forever, at least since the beginning of the Internet, it is not a cloud-base app.

I guess you could call it legacy software.

PS always save your work before exiting the program.