Can I import .tax2020 files into TurboTax Home Business 2020?

[drewtetz]

I had entered the majority of my tax information online but need to use the program to finish. I can still download the .tax file from the website. Is it possible to import that previously entered information?

[VolvoGirl · Accepted solution]

Yes.  But you don't import it.  You just OPEN the .tax2020 file in the program.  Go up to FILE - OPEN.   So you can't import it into an existing desktop return if you already started one.  

You will need to first download any state programs you have in your online return.  After you get the program installed the first thing to do before you open your tax return is to update the program and install any state programs you had. Then open your file. So you first might need to start a fake return to be able to download the state program (go to FILE - NEW). Enter some basic information, then go to the state tab and download the state program. Then try to open your existing return, go to FILE - OPEN

[DavidD66]

Yes, you can switch from TurboTax Online to Desktop, and transfer all of your data.  For details on how to do so see the following TurboTax Help article:

How do I switch from TurboTax Online to TurboTax CD/Download?

The Desktop program has a Forms view will allow you to view your tax forms as you are working on your return.  It also allows you to see and enter information on the underlying worksheets and schedules. This feature allows you to resolve some tax issues that you can't in the online version.

[drewtetz]

Thank you so much!

I am able to open the .tax2020 file; however, none of the information from online is present. Furthermore, the filesize changes from 5mb to 3mb, which seems to suggest that it's clearing it & starting over. Am I doing something wrong, or is the information just not present in the online file?

[VolvoGirl]

Hmmm,  don't know why it's not there.  Not even your name, ssn etc?  Maybe you downloaded the wrong 2020 return?  You might have another online account?  Are you on Windows or Mac?  

[drewtetz]

Thanks for writing back (again!) I appreciate the help 🙂

It does populate my name, SSN, & the details from the previous year's return. However, none of the additional income/expenses/etc. that I had previously entered online seems to be present.

I can confirm that I've only had one online account, & I'm using a Mac.

[VolvoGirl]

Let's back up.  You are opening a .tax2020 in the 2020 program?  You are not transferring it into the 2021 program, are you?  The details from the previous year return are from the 2019 return?

Try downloading the tax file from online again.  Try to give it another name.  @macuser_22   any more ideas?

[drewtetz]

Yes, that's all correct; opening a .tax2020 in TurboTax Home Business 2020, & it returns details from my 2019 return (but none of the 2020 information I had entered online.) Thank you for the thoroughness!

Redownloading & renaming was a good suggestion, but unfortunately returns the same results. Notably, as soon as it opens in TurboTax, the file size changes from 5mb to 3mb, which seems to indicate that information is being discarded somehow.

[VolvoGirl]

All I can think of is you didn't enter any income into the online version.  Or you might have cleared and started it over for some reason.  Like if you knew you weren't going to file it?  Or you wanted to start it over.  Anything you remember doing?

[drewtetz]

Nothing like that, unfortunately; we had gotten 80% of the way through & even filed an extension, but unfortunately missed the final 2020 deadline after that. Trying to make good now.

I remember recording income/expenses, & definitely did not go back to clear or start over. 

Thank you for trying to help! I'm also at a loss as to what might be happening, the filesize shrinking really makes me think that it's just discarding information, but I'm not sure why or how to stop it.

[macuser_22]

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@drewtetz wrote:

Nothing like that, unfortunately; we had gotten 80% of the way through & even filed an extension, but unfortunately missed the final 2020 deadline after that. Trying to make good now.

I remember recording income/expenses, & definitely did not go back to clear or start over. 

Thank you for trying to help! I'm also at a loss as to what might be happening, the filesize shrinking really makes me think that it's just discarding information, but I'm not sure why or how to stop it.

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The information simply is not in the .tax file that you downloaded.   Perhaps you have mor then one online account and downloaded form the wrong one,  but if the data is not there then there is no way to recover it.

[macuser_22]

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@drewtetz wrote:

Nothing like that, unfortunately; we had gotten 80% of the way through & even filed an extension, but unfortunately missed the final 2020 deadline after that. Trying to make good now.

I remember recording income/expenses, & definitely did not go back to clear or start over. 

Thank you for trying to help! I'm also at a loss as to what might be happening, the filesize shrinking really makes me think that it's just discarding information, but I'm not sure why or how to stop it.

---

The information simply is not in the .tax file that you downloaded.   Perhaps you have mor then one online account and downloaded form the wrong one,  but if the data is not there then

[drewtetz]

Bummer, very disappointing to have wasted all that time only to have to do it all again. I am 100% positive that I had previously entered the information into this account & am still suspicious about the filesize rapidly decreasing , so I am pretty frustrated that it would be lost, but I suppose if it's gone it's gone.  Thanks for the reply.

[drewtetz]

After talking with customer service today, the answer that they gave me was that any data entered for income/expenses/etc. is cleared after a certain amount of time for privacy reasons. So, it's gone. Oh well, time to dig out those receipts again...

Thanks everybody who tried to help, looks like it's just an unfortunate circumstance & there's no way around it.

[VolvoGirl]

No that doesn't sound right.  There are lots of people like  you who need to finish a prior year and file, even older years.

How to  finish a return you started online
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/prior-year-return/help/how-do-i-finish-a-prior-year-return-that-i-...