IRS 2018 Audit

[adibenedetto081]

When I completed by 2018 taxes, Turbo Tax was unable to transmit them.   The IRS needs the .tax2018 file which will provide the details as to that I tried to transmit the returns.   I need to open the file, all i can do is download the file.  How can I open it?  Or how can it be sent to me?

[VolvoGirl]

You need the 2018 program installed to open a .tax2018 file.  But it is too late to get the 2018 program.   If you have old .tax files you can try converting them to pdf files at  Www.Taxprinter.Com 

It might be expensive.  They are not connected with Turbo Tax.

[SteamTrain]

@adibenedetto081 

Are you sure you can't download the PDF file from within your tax account?

If it is available to you, it would contain everything that's in the .tax2018 datafile.

(but yeah, if you haven't paid for TTX back then, or perhaps more recently, they may not allow you to get the PDF now)

[adibenedetto081]

Thank you.  The .tax file, I am told, has a transcript of my online transactions. It will prove that I was unable to e-file.   I can download the tax return PDF, that’s not a problem.  

I did purchase audit support and they were not helpful at all. They told me to go back to TurboTax and get TurboTax to send me the.tAX transcript. TurboTax no longer talks to people. 

[VolvoGirl]

The IRS can't do anything with the .tax2018 file.  It won't help you.  If you couldn't efile back then you should have a reject email saying why.  If you didn't efile then did you mail it?  Proving you couldn't efile doesn't mean anything.  You can always print and mail it.  

[xmasbaby0]

@adibenedetto081 Not sure I understand what you are hoping to accomplish by showing them you could not e-file.   If your e-file was rejected, you could have printed, signed and mailed the return instead.   That is done quite commonly.    If you did not do that and you were going to get a refund, you have now forfeited the refund.  But if you owed tax due for that one, you still have to pay, and now the IRS will charge you a late filing penalty and interest.   If you did not file----print, sign and mail it asap.   

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/state received the return.

Federal and state returns must be in separate envelopes and they are mailed to different addresses.  Read the mailing instructions that print with your tax return carefully so you mail them to the right addresses.

[adibenedetto081]

I did print it and mail it and they cashed my check.  Ironically they say they didn’t get the return.  I sent them copies of the cancelled check and the return 3 times separate times, Certified mail return receipt requested and each time I received a return receipt.    I had to hire a tax attorney as this is five ridiculous years later and that dot tax file is what he’s looking for.   I need to prove I tried to e-file 

[SteamTrain]

Sorry, but the .tax2018 tax file, is unreadable gibberish by itself. 

And as already stated by others,  the IRS cannot do anything at all with that datafile, nor can a tax lawyer/accountant/attorney unless that person happens to have 2018 TTX already installed on their own computer ( IF the file also contains a state file, you cannot open the data file without that state software installed too, even if you only need the Federal part.)

You'd need the 2018 software to open that datafile (along with the state software installed too...if the file includes any state) ...and then what shows up in the software is only printable as a PDF file.  The full PDF file shows everything, and there would be an electronic filing page which would just show the last time you attempted to e-file.  That's why I had suggested you just attempt to download the 2018 PDF file from your account (if your account allows you to do so)....that shows virtually everything that is in the datafile. (though I can imagine one or two exceptions)

Problem is, that you cannot get the 2018 software in a usable form: i.e updated to allow you to open that  .tax2018 datafile if you don't already have it installed on your own computer (with a state(s) set too if one or more are in your file.)

And the 3rd party tax printer service (noted in one of the posts above) is your only option to open and print out what is in that 2018 datafile if you cannot download the PDF file from your account.

[Mike9241]

@adibenedetto081 I think what you are looking for is the electronic filing history from the file tab. from what I've been able to determine is that it's not in the PDF even if all form and schedules are selected. The only way I could view it was to open the file .tax20xx with the program. (i no longer have the 2018 file so i used 2019) 

[SteamTrain]

Yeah, that tax filing history listing can only be seen when using the desktop software, and displayed using a selection from the top "File" dropdown menu.

The only way to get that now is to find some family member, or a "trusted" friend who may have used TTX 2018 as their desktop software, still has it installed, and is willing to let you open your .tax2018 file on their computer.

[Mike9241]

@SteamTrain admittedly, I don't know if the online .tax20XX file even has this info. 

[SteamTrain]

@Mike9241   Yeah, that's why I omitted that initially, and in one post indicated:

" (though I can imagine one or two exceptions)"

Certainly if a person uses only the desktop software, several attempts to e-file would show in that special electronic filing history dropdown.  But is it also somewhere encoded in the Online software's .tax2018 datafile such that it will show if they open it with the Desktop software later?

One or two "helpers" in the past have e-filed from Online test accounts using phony names and SSNs they know will be rejected (gutsy).  Those folks might be able to use their Online datafile where they've done that and see what shows up later in their desktop software...but I've never-ever wanted to attempt that.

[adibenedetto081]

Yes exactly what I’m looking for is the transaction history. I don’t have the software and that’s why I was hoping TurboTax could provide it to me. Thanks for your time