Missing 2019 tax data file after turbotax software updates were applied

[mesquitebean]

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@marionbry601 wrote:

YES I NOTICE SOME OF MY FILES MISSING 2018, 2019,2020, AND ONE 2021

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In Windows, the default folder is the \Documents\TurboTax folder.  

Search your entire computer system for *.tax or any file ending in *.tax2018, *.tax2019, etc.   Also look in the Recycle Bin.

If you are using Windows and have multiple Windows user accounts. log into each Windows user account and do the search from within each user account.

One user said he found his files by logging into the Windows Administrator account (Admin) and looking in the Documents folder and was able to move them to the Documents folder of his Windows user account.

If Windows, see if it could have moved the files to OneDrive and also check the OneDrive Recycle Bin. 

And check other cloud storage you may have.

In the future, it's a good idea to back up important files to an external storage device/media, etc. just in case.

[IES]

I feel so stupid not having a backup copy on a thumb drive.  I will in the future. 

[IES]

Do you think it might be a bad update from TurboTax?  I called them and was told no one else had the same problem.  Not true. 

[NCperson]

@IES - did you do the search? it is possible you inadvertantly moved the files (and the whole folder) elsewhere on your harddrive; I've done that personally. 

[IES]

I use Seagate as automatic backup.  The TurboTax update wiped my tax returns from there as well.   How can an update wipe out something on my computer AND my Seagate backup as well?  I don't understand. 

[NCperson]

are you confident it was EVER backed up on the seagate drive...just because it's missing doesn't mean TT deleted it 

did you search the seagate drive for another backup?

[Critter-3]

A program update has no effect on files that are saved and surely cannot affect things saved on a removable storage device.  

[Gene1950]

This happened to me. I prepare 5 or 6 returns for myself, family and friends each year, and all but two disappeared from 2021,2020, and 2019. So I tried searching just *.tax, and found the files had been moved to the HRBlock folder, even though I haven't used that in many years. I opened that folder and just did a series of drag and drops to get the files back where they belong.

[Critter-3]

SAVE the PDF (with and without the worksheets)  PLUS the .taxfile for each and every return for every tax year on a removable storage medium like a thumb drive ... then you always have a copy and know exactly where they are.  

[IES]

Excellent advice. 

I am still searching for my missing tax files.  I may have to hire an IT professional. 

[IES]

I tried to reinstall TurboTax premier for 2021. I noticed the install location is c:\program files (x86) TurboTax \individual 2021\   and it can't be changed.  The default location is supposed to be Documents. 

It is not.  What's going on?

[DoninGA]

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@IES wrote:

I tried to reinstall TurboTax premier for 2021. I noticed the install location is c:\program files (x86) TurboTax \individual 2021\   and it can't be changed.  The default location is supposed to be Documents. 

It is not.  What's going on?

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No, the default location for the TurboTax program files is Not Documents.  The TurboTax software was corrected installed in the directory you listed.  What is stored in the Documents directory and in the TurboTax folder is the tax data file for your tax return and any saved PDF's of tax returns.

[IES]

The documents directory has tax files but in scd format which the tax program doesn't recognize.  So the data is there but can't be accessed by premier 2021. 

The program was working fine until one of your updates moved my tax files and data.

I know I am not the only person this has happened to.   This update problem has been going on for years now.

Your updates move files and should not. 

[NCperson]

@IES 

1) so if you do 'file", "open" and try to access the data files, the software doesn't recognize the datafile as it is not a *.tax file? 

2) do you have a back-up of the data files that you can re-load?  

[DoninGA]

@IES 

The TurboTax tax data files only have a file extension of .taxYYYY, where YYYY is the year of the data file.  Such as .tax2021 for tax year 2021.  The full file name would be shown in this format in the Documents directory/TurboTax folder - 2021 Doe J Form 1040 Individual Tax Return.tax2021

PDF files would be in the format - 2021 Doe J Form 1040 Individual Tax Return_Records.pdf

An SCD file is a calendar file created by Microsoft Schedule+, a discontinued time management program that was part of Microsoft Office.

This file type has never been used by TurboTax.

I am using 2021 TurboTax Premier edition for Windows with the latest release and have no issues with the files in the TurboTax folder.

Current Version 021.000.0738 (click on Help at the top of the screen, click on About TurboTax, click Version)

Do a hard drive search, both physical, network and/or cloud for the data files using *.tax* Search parameters

Contact TurboTax support for further assistance if required -

See this TurboTax support FAQ for contacting support - https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/using-turbotax/help/what-is-the-turbotax-phone-number/00/25632

Support can also be reached by messaging them on these pages https://www.facebook.com/turbotax/ and https://twitter.com/TeamTurboTax