.tax2023 File Disappeared

What do you see when you first re-launch the desktop program?

H Paula.

When opening TT, I get a generic page that starts out, "Hi, Welcome to TurboTax! ... Let's get started."  Below that is a box marked, "Begin."  There is no reference to a 2023 return.

If I click on that page to amend a return, the next page says, "No Files Found."

Gary

What happens when you select File, then Open Tax Return? @Hauckster 

Paula, that action opens a 2023 return with all zeroes.  It asks me to put in my name and SS number to start.

Gary

You may be able to find the file by typing in the search box for TurboTax tax returns on this PC

Thank you for the suggestion.  I typed TurboTax tax returns on this PC in every search box I could think of and didn't get any applicable result for a 2023 file.

I may not have been clear in my initial post, but my first step after seeing my problem was to use the Windows search function in "My PC" to find .tax2023.  The search function found no file.  However I could find five .tax20xx files for previous years.  That's how I concluded the .tax2023 file was erased.

A similar thing happened to me with the latest update. I had my return ready to file. I went into TT after updating and it was asking me to start a new return. I searched my computer without finding any TT 2023 files. 

I am having a similar problem.  I have filed my taxes.  Need to file an amendment but all files have disappeared.  This includes a pdf copy of the return which has also disappeared.  

See if any of these FAQ's help:

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-data-file/help/find-your-tax-data-file-tax-file-in-windows/00/25926
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/accessing/help/how-do-i-open-my-tax-return-in-the-turbotax-software-i-installed/00/26085
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-data-file/help/what-s-the-difference-between-the-tax-data-file-and-the-pdf-file/00/25776
 

Any luck finding your file ? same problem here

No. I had my main return completed as well as an iteration looking at 2024 taxes. Both of these .tax2023 files were wiped off my computer. I did a bunch of searches for these files, but they were gone. I ended up starting from scratch. 

I am having a similar problem.

I cannot find the TurboTax tax file (*.tax2023) on the hard drive (C:) of my PC. Where does TurboTax store the tax file?

The tax file (*.tax2022) used for 2022 taxes is no longer on the hard drive (C:) of my PC. Where has the file gone?

I can find the 2023 and 2022 tax files in the external hard drive I use for FileHistory backups.

I have been using TurboTax for many years. I store the tax files in a folder for each year. The folder name is C:\Users\garre\File System\Financial\Taxes\yyyy\ where yyyy is the tax year. For years prior to 2008 the file type is *.tax. For years 2008 to 2021 the file type is *.taxyyyy where yyyy is the tax year.

I have looked online for answer to the above questions but have been unsuccessful.

This is a known issue. Sign up here for updates: Why are some TurboTax customers unable to transfer last year's return into TurboTax? 

Same problem here.  Had my taxes almost complete.  Started TT and was prompted to update.  When the update completed, my .tax2022 and .tax 2023 files were completely gone, along with the pdf from my 2022 taxes.  I have .tax2021 and earlier years still present.

A search of the computer does not find either of these files.

Note to the employee responder:  this is NOT about prefilling your 2023 return with your 2022 data.  This is a different problem where all files from both years are completely gone. 

It looks like hours of work filling in tax data for this year is now wasted, and I will have to start over on my 2023 returns.  Thank goodness I printed a copy of the 2022 return, so I have the information.

If there is no better solution to this, I will be looking into a different tax product for next year's filing.

I have not been able to resolve my problem.

Most "answers" failed to address the actual problem, which is that there is no longer a .tax2023 file on my hard drive.  It wasn't in the recycle bin either.

If TurboTax didn't save a copy (which I have read is the case) then how can there be solutions coming to this "known problem?"

No one apparently wants to tell us that the only solution is to re-enter the data--assuming we printed a copy.

Another aspect of this is that TurboTax failed to send a message indicating my refund had been deposited by the Treasury Department.  Perhaps this is another consequence of losing my .tax2023 file.

It's concerning to deal with a company that can't acknowledge a problem.  All of us with this problem should be compensated--perhaps with an offer of a free copy of 2024 software when it is issued.

Here's some ideas.  Windows has a habit of moving your files to One Drive.

One user said….
When you install the program I recall it asks for Admin rights. So I logged off my account that I WAS in when I installed the program and logged in as administrator. I started TurboTax under the Admin account and my files were there. In the C:\Users\Admin\Documents folder. I NEVER USE THIS ACCOUNT!

I exited the program and account and went back in using my normal user ID. I then restarted the program by Right-Clicking the icon and selecting Run as Administrator. The files were there...made my day. I opened them and did a "Save As" to the file folder that has all my past returns and matches the User ID I was in when I set it up.

In short TurboTax is saving them in the default C:Drive Admin account document folder and if you are not starting as an Administrator they are invisible. Hope this helps.

Another user said……Some people have discovered their files were under their administrator username. They didn't remember that they had to log in with administrator privileges at some point when installing the desktop version, so they started their returns and saved them while using their admin user account. (In this case, people were returning and logging into their usual, non-admin user account, not realizing what happened and not finding their files under their primary "user".)

Also you never get an email when the IRS deposits your refund.  Unless you get email alerts from your bank for deposits.  

Unfortunately, running the program "as Administrator" did not turn up any of the missing files.

Thanks go to VolvoGirl for actually reading the problem and making reasonable suggestions.

However, still no progress...

1. When I set up this computer a year ago, I made sure that OneDrive was deactivated.

2. The single account on this computer has Administrator privileges.  So when I initially searched for .tax2023, that should have discovered any file that required an Administrator to see.  And, specifically, using Administrator to start TT did not cause .tax2023 to appear.

Also, thank you for clearing up my misunderstanding about getting a notice of refund issue.

Now comes a fresh oddity...

When I started TT today, it asked to update Federal and Oklahoma files.  If .tax2023 no longer exists, how did TT know I used Oklahoma forms?  In my many years of using TT, 2023 was the only year I used OK forms.

This I believe is related to this issue where there seems to be no .tax2023 file. 

This is a known issue. Sign up here for updates: Why are some TurboTax customers unable to transfer last year's return into TurboTax? 

2022 was my first year using TT.

Now I've installed TT 2023 Desktop and the .tax2022 file is nowhere to be found.

It's a semi-complicated return and I have no interest in starting from scratch.

I don't plan to use TT next year....maybe I'll pay extra and buy HRB for 2023 just so I can get a return for 2023.

For some reason the update to Turbo Tax 2023 starts you back as if you have not started your 2023 taxes.  If you open Turbo Tax 2023 again and browse for your file you will see in the bottom right hand part of the screen it only includes the 2022 extension.  It does not give  you an option to see 2023 tax files.  Choose your 2022 tax return and say transfer then before saving click open return.  It will ask you if you want to save the newly begun 2023 tax return, change the name on it so you don't copy over your 2023 return.  After this, click open return and you can click on find a file and you will see now at the bottom right hand corner it does have the 2023 tax file option.  It will take you to both you old file and renamed file.  Select your original file and you will have the file you are looking for.  Works for all 2023 files you have worked on but you will have to open and resave for them to pop up in the program. Hope this helps

Look at my reply to Hauckster.  The answer to your question is there.

I have just had the same problem.