Transfer (import) last year's Turbo Tax return file from Home & Business 2019 to this year Turbo Tax Premier 2020?

[dutripham]

Can I transfer (import) last year's Turbo Tax return file (.tax2019 from Turbo Tax Home & Business 2019) into this year Turbo Tax Premier 2020?

[DavidD66 · Accepted solution]

Yes, you can import your 2019 .tax data file from Home & business to 2020 Premier.  See the following TurboTax Help article for information on how to do so:

Transfer last year's return to 2020 TurboTax for Windows 

[no61]

When I load the turbo tax 2020 it failed to find my last years taxes on Turbo tax 2019 

[TerukoL]

@no61 Are you receiving an error message when you try to transfer your 2019 information to your 2020 tax return?

Please click the following links for further assistance:

Transfer last year's return to 2020 TurboTax for Windows

Troubleshoot transferring from a prior year return

[QuestionBox]

The 2020 Turbo Tax for business does not recognize the 2019 pdf return. There is no .tax file on my computer.

[VolvoGirl]

@QuestionBox   Are you asking about Turbo Tax Business or the personal Home & Business program?  Did you use the Desktop program last year?  I don't know if the Business program transfers from pdf files.

If you don't have the main .tax file you might have one that starts with a Tilde sign ~ like  "~your name.tax2019".  That file is if your computer crashes or your real file gets lost or deleted or corrupt so you can restore it.

Find your Tax file in Windows

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-data-file/help/find-your-tax-data-file-tax-file-in-windows/00/...

Here's an idea.  Do you still have 2019 installed?  Try opening 2019 program and see if you can get your 2019 return to show up in it.  Go to FILE - OPEN. 

Then save it again with a name and place you can find.  Go to File - Save As.  Then start a new 2020 return and transfer from the 2019 file.

[QuestionBox]

I am not using Home & Business. That's a separate product. I am using the Business program to file an 1120S.

There is no .tax file on my hard drive for previous years, only pdf. The IRS accepts pdf files so that's what is saved.

The TurboTax website pitches that it will accept pdf returns and returns from other providers such as Tax Act.

I spent an hour on the phone with Intuit/turbo tax tech support today alone trying to solve the problem, to no avail.

The file is not corrupted. I did not have the problem last year with the Business program or with the personal return program.

If Turbo Tax offered an online version of the Business program, maybe I could upload the pdf, convert to a .tax and then download to my new program for 2020.

I'll have to start all over from the beginning and do it manually.

[DoninGA]

The answer provided by @VolvoGirl gives excellent information on how to find the tax data file on your computer.  The tax data file is used to transfer the 2019 tax data to the 2020 tax return.  The procedure is true for both the personal TurboTax editions and the Business Edition.

By default the tax data file is in the TurboTax folder in the Documents directory.  If the 2019 tax data file is not in the TurboTax folder, then do a hard drive search for .tax2019

[QuestionBox]

Hi:

You are right!

I did the hard drive search as you suggested. This launched the 2019 return in the turbo Tax program where I can see the return. What I cannot find, however, is a way to get the .tax file to transfer to the 2020 Turbo Tax program. I do not see an actual .tax file. There's only a button to print or save a pdf. How do I find the .tax file and transfer it into the 2020 Turbo Tax program?

Thanks again. So far you're the most knowledgeable.

[DoninGA]

@QuestionBox When you start a New Tax Return using the 2020 desktop editions, the program searches in the TurboTax folder for any 2019 tax data files.  If no 2019 files are found then you need to click on the blue Browse button and go to the location where you found the 2019 tax data file so the 2019 data can transfer to the new 2020 tax return.

[VolvoGirl]

In the 2019 program do a File-Save AS and give it a easy name you can find or search for.  And note where it saves it or select where to save it so you can find it again.  The file will end in .tax2019.  Then close the 2019 program.  If you see your 2019 return in the 2019 program you have the .tax2019 file somewhere.  

Are you on Windows 10?  That can move files to different spots like to One Drive.  Or to Drop Box.  Could it be under a different user on your computer?   

Can you see the file extensions in your Windows explorer or library?  You might need to turn that on to show extensions so you can see the .tax2019 at the end.

[QuestionBox]

WooHoo! I found it. Thanks!!!

[Christele967]

I am in need of my tax returns from last year. Chtistele Courtney

[QuestionBox]

Follow the instructions from the two people in this thread. It worked for me. 

[Janiceemartin121199]

I need to transfer 2019 deluxe Turbotax into 2020. Both on a Mac.