Why am I receiving corrupt file messages for my PC based 2020 program?

[CarissaM]

It would be best to reach out to us by phone so we can pull up the return and provide a confirmation number. Please follow the instructions here to contact us. @shellbhawaii

[VolvoGirl]

@shellbhawaii  Did you get any emails?

When you efile you get back 2 emails.  The first email only confirms the transmission.  The second email says if the IRS (or state) Accepted or Rejected your efile.  And check your spam folder for them.

[jcox7483]

@CarissaM 

Stop giving people useless advice please - the "contact us" page DOES NOT WORK.

You continue to link to a contact us page that does not actually provide a way of contacting anyone.

The 800 number given takes you through a phone tree where it is not possible to reach a human without paying for tax support.  The "Contact Us" page just re-posts this number, there is no way to start a ticket, request someone to call you, or to get a proper number for calling into support. 

It has been this way for months, so I know you must know at this point.  

Anyone posting here - the only way to get help is to post your problem on Twitter - even then Intuit support is terrible.  I've had this problem for two years and finally I switched to HR Block which was about the same experience as TurboTax and guess what - it didn't break!  I still haven't gotten my TT refund either - I requested it months ago. 

[shellbhawaii]

Thanks, @VolvoGirl. 

I've only received the emails from TurboTax, so I think I just have to resubmit.

My current problem is that I went ahead and started the new return as "amended," and now, I can't get some of the files to delete to allow me to send it as an original submission. I deleted the 1040-X, but there is a file called "Amd Ck Lst" that won't delete, and when I try to finalize the return, it still shows as an amended return.

Any suggestions?

[HeatherPLO]

You can check your e-file status by visiting this link here.  You will want to do this before you try to submit another return.  

@shellbhawaii

[shellbhawaii]

Thanks, @HeatherPLO, but it seems the only option is to check your "refund" status, and the info you fill out HAS to include the amount you expect to receive. I'm not getting a refund. I'm paying, so not sure where to find just something that says they HAVE my return. 

[HeatherPLO]

You should be able to see your e-file status on the page regardless of a refund or not.  Please review the instructions here.  

@shellbhawaii

[shellbhawaii]

Thanks, again, @HeatherPLO ...

But you've come up against the crux of my problem. The file that TurboTax says was accepted is the one that crashed and won't open. So I can't follow the instructions to check it in TT. That's why I went to the irs.gov option, but I can't see anything there either.

So, even though TT says it's been accepted, (having already created an amended return that I can't "un-amend" for some reason, and yes, I've followed the instructions AND spoken to a TT representative), I'm going to do my taxes for a third time (as an original filing) and move on.

Thanks for the info.

[thesusanest]

The Real Solution:

Files saved before you have "signed in" are corrupt and can not be re-opened after closing. After installing the software, go to file and sign in, before you begin the process. It is not enough to sign into your account online, if you are using an installed product. This will not help recover a corrupt file but will prevent you from starting over 4 times, like I did. Still a test  file is a good idea (start>save>close>reopen>hope). 

[jcox7483]

Has anyone verified this?  If this is true then it needs to be stickied somewhere.  I doubt it's true although I don't doubt it worked for this user.  In my case I know the files worked previously and it seems TT corrupted them after some patch.  

This may be some portion of the issue but I don't think it's the entire situation.  If it were TT would have simply told us to sign in before doing anything in this 3 year old thread of people with the same issue.

[peasela2]

I'm having the same problem with 2021 TT H&B even after I created a new file.  It is only occurring on this one file.  After I save and close it, I get the corrupt file error when I try to reopen it.  Anyone has a solution.  Please Help!

[oresteez]

So you created a new file. Did you then enter all your data from scratch, manually?  Or did you use any of the import methods? I had an issue because I switched from TT online one year to the app. If I imported my tt online files, it eventually got corrupted. I had to enter all my data manually. 

[Jeanpuc]

I have just completed 2019, 2020, and 2021.  Everything is good but 2020 gives me a file that is corrupted.  I really, really needed 2020s yesterday. Obviously, it's 2020's software that's bad.

I can't find it, did a reinstall work? I don't think it will.  Why hasn't 2020 been fixed?  It's  2022 now after all this time it should be set.  What's the phone number?

[aloiler]

Hello --- This is a problem posted in 2021.  In 16 years of using Turbo Tax, I have not had a single issue.  However, Turbo Tax is making up for that this year.  I have had to restart my tax return, 3 times already.  I continue to get the error message, "File Corrupted".  

Has anyone found a work-around for this issue since 2021?  If so, please repost here for an easy find. 🙂  

I have paid over $100 for this software.  Has anyone been able to find a way to get an online download to replace the CD download?  Has anyone been refunded their money or sent a new CD? 

Mailing a return after paying over $100 for efile software is not okay.

Thank you to anyone who can offer a "real" solution. -- AL

[jcox7483]

Hi @aloiler ,

As you may already be able to tell from the thread here - this problem is fatal when it happens and there is n recovery.  Intuit know about this issue as I pushed very hard on this when it happened to me last year and I got many responses that indicated they were aware of the problem.  However, Intuit has essentially fired all human staff and is only adding pay features and required legal updates to the software at this point.

Important:  It is essentially impossible to get a refund, there is literally no way to talk to a human being. The support site submission is broken and they are aware of that as I spent MONTHS pinging them on Twitter DMs, here, and through every other phone number or email address I could get my hands on.  I legitimately tried for months to file a proper request for refund but ultimately had to do a chargeback.  I hope you used a credit card for this purchase.

The only solution is to leave Turbotax forever.  I went to HR Block software myself based on recommendations I got from this thread and another similar one I started.