I e-filed, but TT is now saying I must print and mail some forms "to the government" to finalize my return. However, when I hit "Print Required Forms" it says it cannot generate a PDF and I'm stuck. Suggestions?? Never seen this requirement before. No crypto. Just W-2 and 1099s.
To print out all the worksheets, including the TurboTax worksheets used to fill in the return, there should be an option to download all forms and worksheets in the Print Center.
The general instructions are: How do I get a copy of a return I filed this year in TurboTax Online?
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/prior-year-return/help/how-do-i-get-a-copy-of-a-return-i-filed-this-year-in-turbotax-online/00/25932
For the future, best practices would include downloading the PDF with all worksheets when prompted when filing the return, but you may want to actually not store the file on the computer. See: https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-data-file/help/how-can-i-protect-the-tax-files-on-my-computer/00/26350
It prints all of the filed forms and records, but the PDF contains nothing "extra" to submit via mail like the button suggests.
This happens to me too--every year! Once I file my taxes, under "File" --> "Save for your records," there is a subheading that says "Print and Mail these to the Government." But when I click the button that says "Print Required Forms," I get an error message that says "TurboTax was unable to print your tax return."
Has anyone else had this problem? If so, what is the solution? Thanks in advance.
In my case I could not print a PDF either; however, Intuit/Trubo Tax let me print a Snagit file. A Snagit file is a picture file. I saved the Snagit File. Later I can open the Snagit file in Snagit, or any type of picture reading software. Then form the picture reading software or Snagit I can print a PDF file. Once I print the PDF file I have a copy for my records. So I have my PDF file now. I am not sure why Intuit/Turbo Tax says you must do it. But after I saved the original picture file, Intuit/Turbo Tax let me continue.
This problem still exists as of today, a day I spent 3 fruitless hours with customer support trying to resolve.
It's very rare to have to Print and Mail any forms after Efiling. What forms are you referring to? Is this outlined in your Filing Instructions page?
If you could clarify what forms you need to print and mail, we'll try to help.
The error does not specify what form it cannot format into a PDF for submission. That’s part of the problem. If I could decipher what form was needed i could download it from a site and complete it by hand. At this point I’ve decided that since my state and federal returns are accepted, I’ll wait for a complaint from whatever agency wants the mystery form.
@GeriDoc wrote:
The error does not specify what form it cannot format into a PDF for submission. That’s part of the problem. If I could decipher what form was needed i could download it from a site and complete it by hand. At this point I’ve decided that since my state and federal returns are accepted, I’ll wait for a complaint from whatever agency wants the mystery form.
Look at the Filing Instructions page for your tax return. If anything is required to be mailed it would be listed on that page.
Click on Tax Tools on the left side of the online program screen. Then click on Print Center. Then click on Print, save or preview this year's return. Choose the option Include government and TurboTax worksheets
I am also getting the error message for printing the required forms to mail after successfully efiling to IRS and to state. Says pdf cannot be generated even though no problem with generating the efiled tax return PDF and supporting documents etc. Both have been accepted by the tax authorities. Was on with turbo tax support and they thought my program was corrupted so when through long process of uninstalling and reinstalling Turbotax home and biz. Did not work. Support specialist says maybe a windows 11 incompatibility? Stuck on this. Anyone else with this issue?
@cmomed I have the 2023 TurboTax software for Windows installed on a desktop computer using Windows 10 and on a laptop computer using Windows 11, both with Adobe Reader installed - https://get.adobe.com/reader/
Have no issues with either saving or printing any of the TurboTax forms or schedules from a PDF.
First thing, click on Forms. When in Forms mode click on Filing Inst on the left side of the screen in the federal section. Do the Filing Instructions indicate anything for you to print and mail to the IRS?
Second thing, click on the Form 1040 on the left side of the screen in the federal section. At the bottom of the screen with the Form 1040 opened, click on the Print button. That will open the Form Selection window and the Form 1040 will be selected. Click on Preview Print Copy. You should then be presented with the Form 1040 in a PDF. Can you see the Form 1040 as a PDF? If so, you should be able to click on the print icon on the screen to print the form.
Thanks for reply Donin GA. Filing instructions on both the federal and state do not indicate I need to send anything. The TT message states that even though I e filed successfully (confirmations received this morning), the addtl paperwork is required by the govt to complete my return. But I continue to get an error that the speciifc form cannot be generated. and no clue as to what it might be. Nothing on the forms list that I can see.
and I have no problems previewing, printing and downloading the actual federal and state tax return that were e filed successfully.
Last year, TT generated Form 8453 and and then Form 8949 for me to send into the IRS. I am not sure that is what TT is requiring again but unable to generate the form and the program forms and I have no clue. I may need to consult with a tax professional perhaps
Last year, if you had multiple sales of capital assets but did not report them individually but reported a summary of the sales on the filed 2022 tax return, then you would have been required to provide the IRS a Form 8453, U.S. Individual Income Tax Transmittal for an IRS e-file Return and a Form 8949, Sales and other Dispositions of Capital Assets for the individual sales.
If you did not have any sales of capital assets in 2023 or did report the individual sales of assets on the 2023 return using Form 8949 and Schedule D, there would be no need for you to provide the Form 8453 and Form 8949 to the IRS after the 2023 tax return was filed.
The Federal Filing Instructions would have noted this if you were required to provide those forms to the IRS after the 2023 return was filed.
This sounds like you received the TurboTax email or message in error for tax year 2023.
I think you are right. Last year, I had one investment that had a complete loss and I had to attach a statement along with the other individual sales on Form 8949.
This year, all sales were publicly traded securities and all individually listed on the transmitted 8949. i also looked again at Form 8453 for this year and none of the other items on the form apply to me
Maybe TT somehow pulled this issue from last year ( a bug) and no form could be generated somehow....
Thanks so much for your help
yep. i’m struggling with it right now! any idea what the forms are?
Can you clarify if you have a pdf compatible reader installed on your computer?
I’ve done everything on the TurboTax app on my iPhone. didn’t have any trouble until the very end when asked me to print the documents.
Can you Sign In to your account from a computer to generate the PDF of your return? You could then send the PDF to yourself it you want to store it on your phone.
You may need to add Adobe Reader to your phone. Here's more info on How to Open PDF's on an iPhone.
Mine just did this too, but because I have given my card info and agreed to pay the taxes and whatever penalties and my filing says complete for e-file, I’m just going to see who reaches out because I don’t care. This is ridiculous, and humans could have chose a better way to live in 2025 so I have much more important things to care about. if it was so important, they should have disclosed what form they wanted. People have lives and taxes are made up anyway.
You Filing Instructions page (first page of PDF you saved) should tell you if you need to mail anything (usually not).
I encountered this issue this evening while correcting my federal return that had an error. I noticed a screen the first time I was submitting my Iowa return as a non-resident that said I would be required to physically sign and mail my return, so I was guessing that would be the form I need to print. But then TT charged me a fee to e-file and I received the error message that has been mentioned in this thread. I have checked the filing instructions page and I am not required to send anything else according to that page. I've attached a screenshot of the error message. Just wanted to flag that this is still an issue.
First, I recommend updating your program to make sure it is up to date. This can be done by logging into your desktop product. Select Online in the menu on the top, and then select Check for Updates.
Then follow the steps in this link to get a pdf of your return.