Prior year tax return

[Kerry]

I need to access and file my 2017 taxes.  It tells me I need to pay before I can access my taxes.  How and where do I pay?  I have clicked on download and it takes me to a screen that says I need to pay.  

[mesquitebean]

NOTE: I revised this posting since I also see above that you need to file the 2017 taxes.   I'll provide more info on filing the 2017 return in my next comment in this thread.

I can tell you the concise steps to upgrade your return and pay to unlock 2017 once you answer some questions.

Was your 2017 return prepared with Online TurboTax?  If so, log in to your account and look in the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents."   Choose tax year 2017, and look for a link to download/print the PDF.   There is also a link to download the 2017 tax data file.  Do you find evidence of your return there OK, but when you try to download, does it ask you to pay?    If it was prepared in Free Edition last year, access will be locked.   If that's your situation, we can tell you how to pay to unlock your 2017 return.   The method to unlock it depends on what all you have done with your 2018 return.

Please answer all of the following:

1. Have you already filed a 2018 return in Online TurboTax, or is one still in preparation?  Or did you file elsewhere?
2. Was the 2018 return prepared in Free Edition?  If not, what edition?
3. Is the 2018 return in the SAME account as the 2017 online return?

We can tell you how to unlock a return once you answer all the questions above.   See my next comment below about finishing/filing a 2017 return which cannot be done online.

[mesquitebean]

Was your 2017 return prepared with Online TurboTax?  If so, log in to your account and look in the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents."   Choose tax year 2017, and look for a link to download/print the PDF.   There is also a link to download the 2017 tax data file.  Do you find evidence of your return there OK, but when you try to download, does it ask you to pay?    If it was prepared in Free Edition last year, access will be locked.   If that's your situation, we can tell you how to pay to unlock your 2017 return.   The method to unlock it depends on what all you have done with your 2018 return.

Please answer all of the following:

1. Have you already filed a 2018 return in Online TurboTax, or is one still in preparation?  Or did you file elsewhere?
2. Was the 2018 return prepared in Free Edition?  If not, what edition?
3. Is the 2018 return in the SAME account as the 2017 online return?

We can tell you how to unlock a return once you answer all the questions above.   See my next comment below about finishing/filing a 2017 return which cannot be done online.

[mesquitebean]

Was your 2017 return prepared with Online TurboTax?  If so, log in to your account and look in the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents."   Choose tax year 2017, and look for a link to download/print the PDF.   There is also a link to download the 2017 tax data file.  Do you find evidence of your return there OK, but when you try to download, does it ask you to pay?    If it was prepared in Free Edition last year, access will be locked.   If that's your situation, we can tell you how to pay to unlock your 2017 return.   The method to unlock it depends on what all you have done with your 2018 return.

Please answer all of the following:

1. Have you already filed a 2018 return in Online TurboTax, or is one still in preparation?  Or did you file elsewhere?
2. Was the 2018 return prepared in Free Edition?  If not, what edition?
3. Is the 2018 return in the SAME account as the 2017 online return?

We can tell you how to unlock a return once you answer all the questions above.   See my next comment below about finishing/filing a 2017 return which cannot be done online.

[mesquitebean]

Was your 2017 return prepared with Online TurboTax?  If so, log in to your account and look in the section "Your Tax Returns & Documents."   Choose tax year 2017, and look for a link to download/print the PDF.   There is also a link to download the 2017 tax data file.  Do you find evidence of your return there OK, but when you try to download, does it ask you to pay?    If it was prepared in Free Edition last year, access will be locked.   If that's your situation, we can tell you how to pay to unlock your 2017 return.   The method to unlock it depends on what all you have done with your 2018 return.

Please answer all of the following:

1. Have you already filed a 2018 return in Online TurboTax, or is one still in preparation?  Or did you file elsewhere?
2. Was the 2018 return prepared in Free Edition?  If not, what edition?
3. Is the 2018 return in the SAME account as the 2017 online return?

We can tell you how to unlock a return once you answer all the questions above.   See my next comment below about finishing/filing a 2017 return which cannot be done online.

[mesquitebean]

@Kerry 

You wrote:  "I need to access and file my 2017 taxes."

I revised the answer above since I saw belatedly that you have not yet filed the 2017 return and still plan to file it.

Once we tell you the steps to pay for PLUS and get access to your 2017 return PDF and tax data file, if it is completely finished and nothing else needs to be done to it, you can print and mail the return.  If there are both Federal and state returns, you mail each one separately to the respective tax agencies.    It's a good idea to mail by a method that has tracking, such as certified return receipt, priority mail, etc.

If you need to finish or make changes to anything in the 2017 return, that can only be done with 2017 desktop software.  You can purchase 2017 desktop software as a download at this page and install it on your computer:
https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/past-years-products/

Minimum system requirements for Windows version:
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901571-minimum-system-requirements-for-turbotax-windows-software

Minimum system requirements for Mac version:
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899173-minimum-system-requirements-for-turbotax-mac-software

If you are due a Federal refund, it takes about 6 weeks for the IRS to process a mailed return.

[Kerry]

1) My taxes were rejected because I did not have my AGI from 2017.  

2)  It is the same account I have used in the past since 2009

3)  I am not sure what edition I used, but i do know it was not free because we own another rental house and I also do a small business out of my home.  

[VolvoGirl]

In your original question you said you need to file 2017?  If you didn't file 2017 then use 0 for the AGI to efile 2018.

[VolvoGirl]

Do you still need to file 2017?  

How to finish a prior year online return

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/prior-year-return/help/how-do-i-finish-a-prior-year-return-that-i-...

[Kerry]

I do not need to make any changes to my 2017 taxes.  I just need to download/print and mail it off.  Thank you

[Kerry]

Ok.  That makes sense.  Thank you VolvoGirl

[mesquitebean]

Kerry wrote:

"I am not sure what edition I used, but i do know it was not free because we own another rental house and I also do a small business out of my home."

If you had those rental and business income items in your 2017 return, then you likely used the Self-Employed Edition last year.    Did you pay for the 2017 product last year?   If you DID pay for it last year, then access to the 2017 return should not be locked.  

And are you saying you have already tried to efile a 2018 return, which was rejected?    As VolvoGirl said above, when efiling 2018 you would say the 2017 AGI is 0.   

When you paid for the 2018 return in order to efile this year, that should have unlocked all prior returns in the same account.    What edition are you using for the 2018 return?

So if you have paid for the 2018 return, it's not clear at all why the 2017 return is still locked.  Or maybe I'm not understanding the whole picture.

[Kerry]

I put in "0" for the 2017 tax return and it did unlock all the prior year tax returns.  Thank you both for helping me.  Have a good day.