2025 Tax Return Disappeared

[CatinaT1]

Please refer to this help article for guidance on locating your .tax20xx tax file.  If you are using TurboTax Desktop, it will be saved on your computer drive.  

[user17745479049]

This has happened to myself and a neighbor as well. The search does not work, I can find every return on my computer except the 2025 return. Searching ".tax2025" does nothing, I can find everything searching just ".tax" and a multitude of other ways. Intuit has a problem, something is screwed up and we are stuck having to redo our taxes! Last year I use TurboTax.

[djfoxalicious]

Exactly!  And the worst part is, they treat us like we are idiots and don't know how to find our saved file.  I've been a lead tech for a IT/Communications company for over a decade.  I think I know how to search for files on my computer.  It's downright insulting!  Why they can't admit they have a problem is beyond me.  I will not be using turbotax anymore either.

[swintero]

This same thing happened to me last night, I had finished my taxes (but filed) earlier that day, and have been saving all along, so when I opened TurboTax Premier (PC Windows 11 download version) last night to file it made me do a couple minute update, after that update my tax file was gone! Searched  everywhere on my hard drive, but not there. Started them all over again today, ughh, so I will now also save a backup copy to a flash drive…I won’t get burned by this ridiculousness again. 

[wangdf]

The same issue happens to me as well, not just that, all of my previous tax return is gone too, and I checked the turbox folder under /users/xxx/, its creation time becomes 2024, this is really frustrating, and 100% sure it is the software bug 

[jr202468]

Same here too, last worked on it week ago. Opened TT today and it forced an update, then when I tried to locate the files, they were gone! Doesn't show as being a recent file either, looks like it is a clean slate. 

Went back to my nightly backups, and it shows that it was there yesterday and was backed up, but it was deleted today apparently. I think it was that update program that does it. At least I was able to restore mine from the backup. Not a happy camper! 

[mesquitebean]

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@ jr202468 wrote:

Same here too, last worked on it week ago. Opened TT today and it forced an update, then when I tried to locate the files, they were gone! Doesn't show as being a recent file either, looks like it is a clean slate. 

Went back to my nightly backups, and it shows that it was there yesterday and was backed up, but it was deleted today apparently. I think it was that update program that does it. At least I was able to restore mine from the backup. Not a happy camper! 

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Also look in the Recycle Bin.  Sometimes it ends up there.  After seeing these kinds of reports over the years, I save an extra copy of my data file to a flash drive after every work session--just in case.  It seems like it is more common this year.

[SteamTrain]

Still...it would be great if TTX assigned some tech person to investigate each of these instances...to find out what exactly is causing it.

That might take personal visits to some of these folks to see how their computers are set up.

Yeah, the users would have to agree, and it would take a fair amount of travelling, but this happens often enough that TTX really needs to deal with it.

I have Windows 11 (Home) on an HP All-in-one, with Desktop Premier. This problem has never happened to me in 20+ years of desktop TTX software use ....knock on wood...(updated yesterday as I was away for a week).

[jr202468]

Checked the Recycle Bin first and it wasn't there, that is when I started looking deeper. Found where it was on my hard drive using one of my recovery tools. Showed it as being permanently deleted (not to the Recycle Bin) at the same time as the TT Update.  Data already being overwritten by other files so not usable, but my NAS backup is fine.  So.... my thought is it has something to do with the updates and they either can't find their problem or just won't own up to it.

[user17750715997]

The same thing happened to me today. I've been using the same Turbo Tax Standard Desktop version for over 10 years and this never happened. I have searched all the hard drive and OneDrive files. I also looked in the recycle bin and no traces of them. I even made PDF copies and those are also gone. I have windows 11 and the only place I see a trace of them is in the start menu Recommended section. I see the full path but when I click the file it says it has moved or been removed. The whole folder I created in the application has disappeared. Something strange is going on with this version. Was it the first time you opened the application that this happened? I'm starting to think it may have something to do with Windows ransomware protection?

[mesquitebean]

I've asked a Moderator to see what they can find out from TurboTax Tech to see if they are even aware and working on this.

[lseymour2011]

I also completed my 2025 Federal taxes, filed them, it was accepted, and received tax refund.

a week later I received a late 1099-R from retirement and wanted to amend my return / file a 1040X.  

I also saved it multiple times.  I, too do not use the cloud and there are no recent .tax files.  under my account, I can only see a 2024 tax file I inputted manually.

Turbo Tax wants me to redo the whole thing.  It isn't funny.

There is obviously an issue,

[lseymour2011]

Forgot to add,.  I am now a senior. My whole life since 1979, I have held IT-=related positions, including 20 years in Aerospace IT and engineering, so if the file existed, I would be able to find it.

[mesquitebean]

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@ lseymour2011 wrote:

I also completed my 2025 Federal taxes, filed them, it was accepted, and received tax refund.

a week later I received a late 1099-R from retirement and wanted to amend my return / file a 1040X.  

I also saved it multiple times.  I, too do not use the cloud and there are no recent .tax files.  under my account, I can only see a 2024 tax file I inputted manually.

Turbo Tax wants me to redo the whole thing.  It isn't funny.

There is obviously an issue,

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Please explain what product you used.  Something is confusing.   You said the following:

           "Under my account, I can only see a 2024 tax file I inputted manually."   

What do you mean by "my account?"  A tax return residing in an "account" implies Online TurboTax.   In desktop TurboTax all tax data files reside on the computer.    Did you prepare your 2024 return in Online TurboTax or desktop TurboTax?  And what are you using for 2025?  And are you using a Mac or PC?

[lseymour2011]

My brother did my taxes using Turbo Tax and I uploaded that

If my taxes were done my logging in to my account online and saved them, where would they be?