My wife's previous tax returns are held hostage and won't download because she didn't pay for TurboTax in subsequent years with her old account when we paid to file jointly with my TurboTax. It's her files and she should have unlimited access. Also, you should be responsible and create a merge process for status changes like married or whatever. Shame on TurboTax.
Your spouse's past returns are not being held hostage. You are just not going about getting them in the way you need to, and no payment is required.
You have to access your own account and/or print it for yourself using exactly the same account and user ID that you used when you prepared the return.
Start a 2022 return online and enter some personal information so that the menu on the left opens up and lets you access your past year returns. You do NOT have to complete or file the 2022 return.
Many people have multiple TT accounts and forget how to access them. Log out of the account you are in now.
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901535-forgot-your-turbotax-online-user-id-or-password
Or did you use the desktop version of TurboTax? If so, the files are on your own hard drive or any backup device you used like a flash drive.
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901486-how-many-turbotax-accounts-do-i-have
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901535
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901659-find-your-tax-data-file-in-mac
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900721-find-your-tax-data-file-tax-file-in-windows
To get a copy of your previously filed returns prepared with online TurboTax https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900748-how-do-i-get-a-copy-of-a-return-i-filed-in-turbotax-online
I wish what you wrote was possible. You are well informed on TT, so I hope you have the next steps.
I am able to access my wife's TT account without any issues. The "Your tax returns and documents" section at the bottom displays the filed years and the available downloads for each selected year.
Despite my attempts to start a new tax return or select different options, I continue to receive the same message. This situation leaves me feeling trapped because I didn't want to pay TT twice for the same service and it also restricts our access to my wife's files.
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Download your past TurboTax returns
Looks like you didn't file with us last year or you filed using a TurboTax product that doesn't include access to prior-year returns.
To download your prior-year TurboTax returns, just get started with your 2020 tax return in the TurboTax product that's right for you.
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If she filed a prior year return then you must log into the same account that you used for those tax years and START the 2022 return but you don't need to finish or pay.
If she used TT thru the IRS FREE FILE options then access to the 2018 returns and earlier are no longer available.
You have to access your own account and/or print it for yourself using exactly the same account and user ID that you used when you prepared the return.
You may need to start a 2022 return by entering a little information so that the side menu on the left opens up and allows you to get to the past year returns.
Many people have multiple TT accounts and forget how to access them. Log out of the account you are in now.
Account recovery
https://myturbotax.intuit.com/account-recovery/
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901535-forgot-your-turbotax-online-user-id-or-password
Or did you use the desktop version of TurboTax? If so, the files are on your own hard drive or any backup device you used like a flash drive.
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901486-how-many-turbotax-accounts-do-i-have
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901535
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901659-find-your-tax-data-file-in-mac
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900721-find-your-tax-data-file-tax-file-in-windows
To get a copy of your previously filed returns prepared with online TurboTax https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900748-how-do-i-get-a-copy-of-a-return-i-filed-in-turbotax-online