How do I import my current year tax information from my online account to my desktop Turbo Tax software?

[HelenC12]

To save your TurboTax Online return as a tax data file so you can retrieve it in TurboTax CD\Download:

1. Sign in and open or continue your return.
2. Select Tax Tools and then Tools from the left menu (on mobile devices, tap in the upper-left corner to open the menu).
3. In the Tools Center pop-up, select Save your 2019 return to your computer.
4. The file will download with the name taxReturn.tax2019.
5. (Optional) Locate the downloaded file and change the default filename to something more recognizable, for example JohnDoeTaxReturn.tax2019 (just make sure you don't change the filename extension to the right of the dot).

Your online return is now saved in a format can be opened in the TurboTax software.

To open your tax return in the TurboTax software you installed, launch TurboTax CD\Download and,

• Click Continue under the return you want to open, or
• Select Open Tax Return from the File menu (Windows) or TurboTax menu (Mac), browse to the location of your .tax or tax data file (not the PDF), select it, and then click Open.

Please note that you'll need to use the same tax-year TurboTax program to open your tax file. For example, use TurboTax 2019 to open your 2019 return, not your 2018 or 2017 return.

Source 1 and Source 2: TurboTax FAQ's

[J_Arriola]

The button "Save your 2019 tax returns" is not available to me in the Tools Center.

[DavidD66]

Make sure you are in your tax return.  After clicking on Tax Tools, then Tools, you should have a pop up window titled Tools Center.  See the screen shot below:

[MeleDC]

I downloaded the .tax2019 file to my Mac, but when I try to open using the 2020 Mac Software (which I received from Turbotax to file this 2019 taxes) I get an error that says:

The document "TurboTaxReturn.tax2019" has the wrong tax year or some other issue that prevents us from opening it.  Please make sure you have the right file and try again.

The file is saved as downloaded. I have not touched it or done anything to it. I already filed my returns online but I need to amend using the software because of an issue with the online turbotax amendment options. What should I do?

[mrbillbenson1]

I am being stopped at every step of the way. When I open 2018 TT Deluxe (had to reinstall because I have a new computer) I was treated first to the disappointment of noticing that Intuit charged me TWICE in April 2019 for the 2018 download. Also, even though I saved the completed return on April 27, which is after the date I filed the return so I know it was complete, When I use File Open to open that I get a Error 190 which when I click on the link for that there is no page associated with it. The software tells me that it has 'loaded my 2018 tax return but "let's go download your New York and New Jersey" returns, and when I click those Intuit/TT is trying to get another $40 plus out of me for each of those even though they were purchased in April 2019 as well when I was completing my return.

Thanks be to GOD that I have no paid a dime for any software to do my 2019 return. I am hopping right over to H&R Block if I cannot get this resolved ASAP. I cannot stand a company who already charged me TWICE for the Deluxe product when I only conducted a single transaction, and now wants to charge me again for products I already own. I log in to Intuit and no mention is there for any software, I am living off emails with links to the software. I wish I could sue this company for fraud, I really do. I have spent so much time on this lame issue.

[mrbillbenson1]

I had the nearly same problem last year. This software hardly has any mechanism at all for doing amendments. I had to print the federal forms and put things in by hand, using lots of white out and a calculator.

Product sucks and I am already getting ripped off by it this year so I am switching to H&R Block which served me well for years until some person recommended TT to me, and their advice was very bad.

[mesquitebean]

@ mrbillbenson1 

Sorry you're having trouble.   Unfortunately, I don't think your issues can be completely resolved on this user community bulletin board.   This is not a direct route to TurboTax Support, so no one here can do anything about your charges here anyway.  You should phone TurboTax Support so you can explain everything to them in realtime, and they can question you.  They can push you any 2018 state downloads you paid for so you don't have to pay for them again. 

And if you were charged twice for your 2018 product, TurboTax Support should be able to straighten that out.

If your 2018 tax file has state returns in it, then you have to install the state software before you try to open the *.tax2018 data file, or you'll get that error 190.

TurboTax Support hours are 5AM-9PM Pacific (8AM-12 Midnight Eastern) 7 days.

You can use this contact form to get an incident number and phone number.   When filling out the form, in the dropdown menu be sure you indicate you are using the CD/download version.
https://support.turbotax.intuit.com/contact

[damle]

The instructions given here are missing a crucial step. After you "sign in, open, and continue your return" you have to take another step to download the 2020 file.

Once the online 2020 is opened, click on the "Finish and File" section of the return, and the click "Continue," even though you're not going to actually file your return.

Once you're on the "File your Return" screen, then go to the left menu, look for Tax Tools, and then Tools. You *should* now be able to download the work you've already done on your 2020 online return and open it with the desktop version.