Import from Financial Institution -- Why does it force me to "Delete Old Data" when importing Spouse's Tax Forms?

[Polkadot1]

My husband and I have separate logins for Marcus by Goldman Sachs and separate accounts.  I'm attempting to import the 1099-INT forms from both logins (each under our separate SSNs) into our joint tax return.  Once the first import is made (which works fine), I move on to the second import and when the second individual's set of forms (another login, same institution) are found and ready to import, my only option is to "Import and Delete Old Data" for Marcus.  Thus, I have to manually enter one of the two individuals' forms.  This was not a problem in past years' TurboTax software.

The programming apparently doesn't envision that you would legitimately want to conduct two imports from the same financial institution!  This will present a huge problem when I get around to importing our brokerage account data from other institutions when they are released in a few weeks.  These are complex consolidated 1099s with an enormous number of transactions.

Can someone look into this?

[MarilynG1]

After completing the first import, log out of your bank's portal.  If you're using TurboTax Online, clear your Cache and Cookies.

In the Investments section, choose 'Add Investments' and start the process to sign in to your institution with the second set of credentials for importing.

@Polkadot1 

[Polkadot1]

That did not work.  I am still being prompted to "delete old data" when initiating a new (second) import from the same financial institution.  In this case, Fidelity.  It seems you don't consider that people will have multiple logins from the same institution.  Joint tax returns are quite common!  Where each partner has their own accounts / logins!

Help --- this needs fixing!

[MarilynG1]

Don't click on the broker name that remains in the box; select it again from the dropdown.  It's not clearing out the old data.  We are aware that people have multiple accounts with multiple logins; sometimes it takes a bit of tweaking to make it work properly. 

@Polkadot1 

[el1668]

The import function is still forcing me to delete old data I already imported.

[Polkadot1]

Surely someone is referring this issue to their programming staff.  We shouldn't have to fiddle with the dropdown to make it work.  The software needs to be updated to allow multiple downloads from the same institution, as it did in prior years.

We are pleading with you to get this fixed before April 15!

[msloss]

I am having the same issue with Merrill Lynch 1099s. Not all accounts are available yet, so when I download one that just became available, it erases the previous ones. So it forces me to start over to re-download all that are available and review them all over again. Please fix to allow only selected statements to import without losing the previous ones.

[NotSoTurbo]

This proposed resolution provided by Turbo Tax support or other users do not resolve the problem.  

The desktop software should provide a method to be able to import from two different accounts from the same financial provider.

Here is a suggestion

The FIRST STEP IS TO ACKNOLEDGE this is an issue impacting customers.

If when importing from a financial provider where other information already exists, the software

Step 1. Notify the user data already exists offering a choice to keep or erase previously imported data. 
Step 2. If the user choses to erase/delete the data, display a WARING that data will be deleted and can not be undone.

If the users choses to keep the previously imported data, display a WARNING that there may be duplicated.

Step 3 ..Verify choice in step 2 and continue with desired action.

BTW ... responses like the one provided by Turbo Tax support, that obviously does not work really makes me question the reliability of Turbo Tax if their own employees  are not able to provide an appropriate/accurate response to customer issues.

[MarilynG1]

The key to importing two separate accounts successfully is to clear Cache and Cookies and completely break the connection that allowed the first import.  Close the program, clear C&C, open the program, click somewhere else in the program, return to 'Add Investments'.  The issue is that you may still be logged in at your broker account, and TurboTax is remembering the last login details. 

@el1668 

@Polkadot1 

@NotSoTurbo 

[msloss]

The issue is not cache and cookies.  I am using the Windows Deluxe desktop version, not online.

The issue is the new mandatory feature forcing the deletion of previously imported forms.  The old way was working just fine and this "solution in search of a problem" is adding much more work to the process.   Please get rid of it, or at least only delete  existing forms that matches the ones selected. 

Here are the reproduceable steps I encountered:

Under my Merrill login account, I have 7 IRA and brokerage accounts with a total of 11 1099-R, DIV, B, and INT forms available to download.  3 of those just became available today.  When I did an import, all 11 were checked so I unchecked all but the 3 new ones.  When I did the import  of those 3 forms,  it deleted all 8 of the previously imported forms and left me with only the 3 new ones.  I had to redo the import process of keeping all 11 forms checked and reimport them, then go through the review process of editting all 11 of them again.   The worst part is there is still one ML account that does not have tax statements available yet, and it will have 3 new 1099s to import, so when that happens I will have to reimport and review all 14  forms!

This is ridiculous!

Unless your programmers can fix this to match and delete only the checked forms being imported, please remove this ill-conceived and poorly implemented feature entirely to return to the way that has worked for years.

Turbotax is supposed to make importing forms a time saver, not adding more hours for no good reason.

[NotSoTurbo]

After the first import:

1) I closed Turbo Tax 

2) With turbo tax closed, using the same browser used by TT for the first import, I relogged into the financial site and

3) Logged out of the financial website
4 Cleared Cookies
5) Attempted the second import, but TT still wanted to delete the previously imported data.

The process of importing financial data should be time saver, not something that requires jumping through hoops with the HOPE of it working properly. 

<< EDIT >> 
This process also implies that I am selecting the broker from the dropdown as suggested by in a previous post shown below by MarilynG1 as the box was blank after closing and restarting Turbo tax.

"Don't click on the broker name that remains in the box; select it again from the dropdown.  It's not clearing out the old data.  We are aware that people have multiple accounts with multiple logins; sometimes it takes a bit of tweaking to make it work properly. "

Best of luck to others experiencing this same issue. I have painstakingly manually entered my info and moving on. 
<<End of EDIT>

[Polkadot1]

@msloss You couldn't have explained it better-- "please remove this ill-conceived and poorly implemented feature entirely to return to the way that has worked for years"

My issue is trying to import two consolidated 1099s (-INT, -DIV, -B, -OID) from the same financial institution  -- Fidelity in my case, but that probably isn't relevant as I suspect it is an issue for all joint filers where Taxpayer 1 has a brokerage account with their own login, and Taxpayer 2 has a brokerage account at that same institution with a separate login (which is the case where there are individual accounts under different SSNs).  I can only do the second taxpayers' import if I accept the prompt to "Delete Old Data" wherein it erases Taxpayer 1's Consolidated 1099s.

Hey TurboTax @MarilynG1 .  This is a new feature that was implemented just this year, and one that is poorly thought out.  It is not a cookies or cache issue -- I've deleted them a thousand times.  Your recommendation to "Just fiddle with the dropdown", restart the program, etc., is not a solution.  This needs to be referred to your programming staff or elevated to a higher level of support.  There is only 60 days left until the returns are due and the 1099s have too many transactions to enter manually.  After all, that is why people purchase TT in the first place.

[msloss]

@Polkadot1   " I can only do the second taxpayers' import if I accept the prompt to "Delete Old Data" wherein it erases Taxpayer 1's Consolidated 1099s."

I didn't include that part of this issue in my post since it was in your OP, but I have that issue as well and it is a BIG one.  It is unbelievable that this made it into a public release without anyone testing these scenarios beforehand.  That is just basic IT Quality Assurance and Change Management stuff.