TurboTax Can't Find Prior Year Return

[SoTiredof_TT]

And because of that, I can't access the depreciation schedules. Any ideas? 

[JotikaT2]

It could also be that you logged in with a different account than the one you used to file your tax return with last year. 

Please see the following link to help you determine if this may have been a possibility. 

Why didn't my information transfer over from last year 

[VolvoGirl]

Are you using the Desktop program?  Did you transfer from 2018?  You need the file ending in .tax2018 on your computer to transfer into 2019.  Are you trying to open your 2018 return in the 2018 program?

See if you have another .tax2018 file on your computer.  Or maybe last year you marked the Schedule C as FINAL in Turbo Tax?  

[SoTiredof_TT]

All the link did was bring up an option to purchase TurboTax, which I've already done. I did have a separate turbo tax login. I thought Intuit merged it with the Mint login. 

[SoTiredof_TT]

Thank you VG. I searched for the 2018 file on my computer. Nothing came up but the PDF. 

[VolvoGirl]

Here's an idea. Do you still have 2018 installed? Try opening the 2018 program and see if you can get your 2018 return to show up in it and if it is the right return. Go to FILE - OPEN. And see if your schedule C is in it and if it's marked as finally disposed. Or any Assets were disposed or sold.

Then save it again with a name and place you can find. Go to File - Save As. Then start a new 2019 return FILE-NEW and transfer from the saved 2018 file.

Last year that answers worked for this user - Thanks for the tip! I did go back to the 2017 return and found a box checked that indicated the business on the sched C had been disposed of. I unchecked the box, saved the 2017 file and re-imported. All is good! Thanks, again!

[SoTiredof_TT]

Found the answer in "help". TT does not transfer any information related to depreciation so it won't help me to transfer the info if I could. 

[VolvoGirl]

Where did you find that?  It transfers depreciation.  Mine always has.  

[SoTiredof_TT]

That's what I thought too, but in TT help it says no. I was able to download the .tx file, but it doesn't seem that I can open it or transfer the info into the return I've started.  Maybe I have to start over. 

[SoTiredof_TT]

Very last line … 

TurboTax Help
Intuit
posted
‎May 24, 2019 4:11 PM

last updated ‎March 23, 2020 5:49 AM

621 helpful votes
Transfer last year's return to 2019 TurboTax for Windows
TurboTax for Windows personal CD/Download desktop software will transfer last year's tax data file (.tax2018 file) or PDF from the 2018 TurboTax desktop or online software. It even transfers PDFs created in TaxACT or H&R Block tax prep software.
We'll transfer over 100 fields to help you get a head start on your return, including:
Names and other personal info
Social Security numbers
Addresses
Employer and business info
Income forms such as W-2s and 1099s
Credits and deductions
Refunds and tax owed amounts
Capital losses
Disallowed deductions
Credits carried over to subsequent years
Schedule TurboTax information
E-file signatures if you successfully e-filed last year
Be aware that TurboTax does not transfer information that requires complex calculations, like depreciation.

[VolvoGirl]

Yeah, that's what I thought.   That is if you transfer from a pdf or from another company.  The actual Turbo Tax  .tax2018 data file transfers everything.

[VolvoGirl · Accepted solution]

Just saw your post you were able to download the .tax file?  From a Turbo Tax Online Account?  Which one?  For 2018 .tax2018 or 2019 .tax2019?  

Ok.  You can't transfer a .tax2018 into an existing 2019 return.  You would have to start a brand new 2019 return to transfer into.  Go up to File-New.

If you are trying to open a .tax file you need to use the same year program.  But The first thing to do before you open your tax return .tax file is to update the program and install any state programs you had. Then open your file. So you first might need to start a fake return to be able to download the state program (go to FILE - NEW).

[SoTiredof_TT]

Yep.  You're right. I had to start over. But it does look like the depreciation info transferred along with my personal info from the .2018tax file. Thanks, VolvoGirl. 

- SaabGuy

[ConfusedDavid]

Is it true that TurboTax keeps tax returns for 7 years (same as the IRS, I think)? I found the drop-down menu 'View documents from:' after I had logged into my account but it only went back to 2012. Are pre-2012 returns lost and gone forever as far as TurboTax is concerned?

[JamesG1]

TurboTax Online products maintain tax returns in your TurboTax account for seven years.  To access these older years, you would have had to print out and/or scan older tax returns prior to the seven year expiration.

TurboTax Download products are stored locally on your computer.  You will find those tax returns on your computer hard drive(s) and are accessed through your computer operating system.

See this TurboTax Best Answer.