Missing 2019 tax data file after turbotax software updates were applied

[IES]

When I go to c:\documents, I see a scd file.  I click on it and it's  a  list of tax schedules, which I cannot open.  When I googled scd file, Mr. Google says it's a File Type 1 Turbo Tax Schedule list exported by Turbo Tax preparation software.   I have no idea where it came from.  I certainly didn't create it.

When I go to c:\documents there are no tax files listed.  

When I go to c:\program files (x86) there is a list of my past tax files, using TurboTax.   When I click on any of them, I get a list of tax schedules but no way to use them.  

I think one of the Turbo Tax May updates moved the tax files from c:\documents into c:\program files (x86).  So of course my tax returns have disappeared because the data are no longer in documents, where  the data are supposed to be.  There must be some way to reverse the May update so the tax data are back in documents where the Turbo Tax program can find them instead of in program files (x86), where Turbo Tax can't find them.

I know I'm not the only person this has happened to.  It's been happening for years now.  I don't understand why the updates don't affect all computers but obviously some of them.

[VolvoGirl]

When you go up to File-Open doesn't your return show up in the box?

Your tax return file ends in .tax2019, .tax2020, .tax2021 etc.  Search your computer for it.  Check the Recycle Bin or Trash.  Check in One Drive, etc.  it should be in your Documents then in the Turbo Tax folder.  Check your backups.  Also if you have multiple Windows user accounts, log into each one and do the search for the *.tax2021 data file from within each one and checking the Recycle Bin in each one.

If you don't have the main .tax file you might have one that starts with a Tilde sign ~ like  "~your name.tax2021".  That file is if your computer crashes or your real file gets lost or deleted or corrupt so you can restore it.

See this post (scroll down) he found his files in the Administrator account

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/taxes/discussion/all-my-turbo-tax-information-is-missing-where-did...

Don't know if this will help any Turbo Tax users but one Quicken user found them......

What I found was that my Quicken Data files ended up in the One-drive Recycle bin. Not sure how, but I found them there.  I placed the files back onto the laptop and brought the files into Quicken and now have all my data back.

[VolvoGirl]

When you go up to File-Open doesn't your return show up in the box?   ..............

Your tax return file ends in .tax2019, .tax2020, .tax2021 etc.  Search your computer for it.  Check the Recycle Bin or Trash.  Check in One Drive, etc.  it should be in your Documents then in the Turbo Tax folder.  Check your backups.  Also if you have multiple Windows user accounts, log into each one and do the search for the *.tax2021 data file from within each one and checking the Recycle Bin in each one.

If you don't have the main .tax file you might have one that starts with a Tilde sign ~ like  "~your name.tax2021".  That file is if your computer crashes or your real file gets lost or deleted or corrupt so you can restore it.

See this post (scroll down) he found his files in the Administrator account

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/taxes/discussion/all-my-turbo-tax-information-is-missing-where-did...

Don't know if this will help any Turbo Tax users but one Quicken user found them......

What I found was that my Quicken Data files ended up in the One-drive Recycle bin. Not sure how, but I found them there.  I placed the files back onto the laptop and brought the files into Quicken and now have all my data back.

[NCperson]

@mbdd0 - do you have a back-up system where you copy your important files? did you look there? (and if you don't maintain a backup, this issue aside, I strongly recommend it... I use Carbonite, which is in the cloud, so it protected me with a backup as well as in case the house burns down with my back-up)

agreed looking in the recycle bin would be a good idea.   

[IES]

I will look into Carbonite. Thank you. I don't understand why Turbo Tax has not fixed the update problem. They say program updates do not erase files. What they don't say is the program updates obviously do move files. And obviously move them to places you wouldn't think to check or access. But it doesn't seem to affect all computers or there would be far more complaints than there already are. Or perhaps people have not had any reason to go back into their tax return to find the data missing after an update. I was able to finish our taxes and file on time. It was when I needed to file an amended return that I ran into this problem. In late May, I logged into Turbo Tax 2021 and made changes for the federal amended return and saved it. A day or two later, I went back to do an amended state tax return. I was asked to do an update (never again) and after the update, my entire tax return was gone. I've been working on this problem since then. Judging by the posts in this thread that I've been reading. we have all wasted too much of our time on this. I think the errant update was on May 25, 2022. I guess if there was an easy fix, Turbo Tax would have done it and they haven't. They have obviously known about this problem for years now. Perhaps it's a cost issue or perhaps they can't find anyone who knows enough who can untangle what's wrong with their update programming problem. Or perhaps they really don't care because they don't have a lot of competition. The only solution that I now see is to reject all updates or use another tax program. And save everything to an external drive.

[mesquitebean]

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@IES wrote:
 The only solution that I now see is to reject all updates or use another tax program. And save everything to an external drive.

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After I install TurboTax each year, the first thing I do is configure the updater preferences to turn off the automatic download of updates.   Then when I launch TurboTax each time,  I can choose whether or not to check for an update, or I can do a manual "check for update" at any convenient time if I wish to.   You may already know this, but here's the way to configure an option:   on the main TurboTax opening screen, click on ONLINE up in the top menubar, and then in the dropdown menu choose "Updater Preferences."

Backup your data file somewhere safe before you do a program update.    When I'm preparing my return, after every work session I save a backup copy of the *.taxYYYY data file to an external drive, such as a thumb drive or portable drive--just in case.   Then after filing season I also archive a backup copy of the final data file on an external drive.  In addition to the data file, I also save the return as PDFs for easy viewing of the return throughout the years.   I save two PDFs--one PDF of the return "as filed" and a PDF of the return that includes all the worksheets.

[NCperson]

I have been using the desktip version of turbo tax since 1995 (no kidding!) and I've never run into the problem being described here.  Also, I have had a process of backing up my hard drive using various methods as things evolved since 1993!

When you are using a laptop / PC unfortunately you are your own IT department.  

Even if you turn off the automatic updates, you still have to manually update the software to file.  if the root cause is the Turbo Tax downloads, turning off the the automated download will not prevent the problem as the manual download may cause the same damage. And the only difference between automated and manual in my view is when it occurs - the files that are downloaded and manipulated might be the same. 

the real solution is backing up the hard drive!!!

ps - here is an idea before all is lost....using file explorer, manually change the extension on each of the *.scd files to .tax2021.     it may be the file itself wasn't damaged but the extension was the only thing changed. 

[David1234]

I am on TT Deluxe, not Business. But a similar thing happened. I opened my Taxes 2019 from my Desktop drive, but there was no data. The program congratulated me that my taxes were complete, but there  was no data, not in the Summary, nowhere. It sent me back to start again: First Name. 

Lots of time wasted apparently. 

[IES]

The TurboTax help line told me that my problem was unique and no one else had the same complaint, which isn't true.

I still haven't found a fix.  A fix is necessary because it's going to happen again.  An update will move our tax files someplace else.  Obviously TurboTax doesn't know how to solve the problem and will not even acknowledge that there is a problem.

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[Critter-3]

The program looks on your hard drive for the .taxfile so did you save it to a removable storage medium ?   If so the program cannot see or run it from that location ... copy it back to the hard drive. 

[01945]

Missing 2022 tax data file after update Turbotax Premier 2022

Can somebody tell me where the file are on my Windows 10 laptop and what the file extension is?

Thanks Ed

[01945]

my user name is ed.debi

[NCperson]

@01945 - the file name would be *.tax2022, but until you create a tax return for the 1st time within the software, it won't be there. 

[IES]

It did not work.  You don't understand the question.

[IES]

Still no answer.