TurboTax online automatically closed and submitted my tax, even though I never clicked "I am done". What can I do?

[cuong_bui]

I called TurboTax support, they said they can not do anything. The friendly and helpful lady connected me to her supervisor, who promptly hang up on me.

[MonikaK1]

TurboTax Online cannot submit your return for e-filing until you initiate that action. In TurboTax Online, the step that transmits your return is the final, third step in the "File" section, where you must click the large button labeled "Transmit my returns now" after reviewing your details. This happens after completing federal review, selecting payment methods for fees, and authorizing the e-filing. See this help article.

Once you submit your return in TurboTax Online, you'll see its status on the Tax Home screen of your account. We'll also send you emails letting you know when your e-file status changes. Wait until you receive confirmation that the return has been processed (refund issued or payment processed) before attempting to access it in TurboTax.

To access your tax return after you've e-filed it, or printed it as part of mailing your return to the IRS:

1. Sign in to TurboTax.
2. Select Tax Home from the menu.
3. Scroll down to Your tax returns & documents.
4. Select 2025, and then select Add a State (you're not actually adding a state, this just gets you back in). You'll now be in your return. See this help article.

You can visit the IRS Where's My Refund? site to check if your e-filed return has been received.

[cuong_bui]

I have not finished my tax, never click on the "I am Done" button, yet Turbo Tax Online logged me out and I can't no longer work on my tax. Called support and tax experts, all they said is do the "amend" . I have not filed anything , and I don't want to do the amend. Definitely a bug in the Turbo Tax Online software, so users bewared. What can I do now? I asked for a refund of the Turbo Tax Online, yet they refused.

[mesquitebean]

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@cuong_bui wrote:

I have not finished my tax, never click on the "I am Done" button, yet Turbo Tax Online logged me out and I can't no longer work on my tax. Called support and tax experts, all they said is do the "amend" . I have not filed anything , and I don't want to do the amend. Definitely a bug in the Turbo Tax Online software, so users bewared. What can I do now? I asked for a refund of the Turbo Tax Online, yet they refused.

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If you haven't finished your tax return, it's possible that for some reason TurboTax thought you were finished and closed the interview.   It's not clear what all you have done, but apparently you already paid for the product, so were you in the filing section?  When you go to the Tax Home do you not see a way to get back in the return interview?

What status is shown for your return when you go back to the Tax Home?  Does it show any of these terms:  pending, accepted, rejected, printed, started, ready to mail, or what?

Do NOT click on amend for an unfiled return, or you'll have problems.    Instead go to the Tax Home, and if the return interview is closed, look for a link "Add a state."   That doesn't really add one, but will reopen the return interview so you can continue working on your unfiled return.

[mesquitebean]

@cuong_bui   I added this above:

What status is shown for your return when you go back to the Tax Home?  Does it show any of these terms:  pending, accepted, rejected, printed, started, ready to mail, or what?

[cuong_bui]

mesquitebean replied and gave me instruction to add a state return.

When I called the tax support people earlier, they also tried that , to no avail.

We got this message:

Let's amend your state taxes

After you select Amend, we'll walk you through amending your state taxes.

Once you've finished amending your state taxes, we'll review your federal and state amended returns together.

It then has the "Amend" and Trash can . Do I click on the Trash can, to delete the state tax (I have California) ?

[cuong_bui]

The status page showed:

Printed

03/19/2026

Filed Federal Tax Return

TurboTax Premium

Printed

03/19/2026

Filed Federal Tax Return

TurboTax Premium

Printed

03/19/2026

Filed California Tax Return

Printed

03/19/2026

Filed California Tax Return

[VolvoGirl]

Did you check your emails to see if Turbo Tax sent you one saying it was submitted?

If 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.

When you log into your account you should also see the status and if it was Accepted or Rejected, Started, Printed, Ready to Mail, etc.  What does it say?

[mesquitebean]

@ cuong_bui

 You reported that the Tax Home page says "printed" for both the Federal and CA state returns.

A status of "printed" for the Federal and state returns means they were NOT efiled.

Therefore, you should not have clicked on Amend.   If you started an amended return, you will need to cancel the amend, and if you made any changes, you will need to put them back like it was.

Then you can continuing working on your unfinished returns.

[cuong_bui]

I clicked on "add a state return" 

Now it presented me with 2 choices :  Amend or "Trash Icon"

I assumed that "Trash Icon" means delete the current state return (California) and restart, do I have to pay again for adding California return (I already paid) ? Will it let me edit the federal return ?

The whole issue was that I entered many estimates on both federal and states, to see how much I owe (ballpark).

I have to pay in order for Turbo Tax Online to continue and generate the PDF so I can see. But then Turbo Tax Online said I am finished even though I never clicked "I am done" button. I used Turbo Tax desktop for years,

never have such problem.

What can I do now? I asked for refund, but Intuit refused. I am checking with my Visa card to see if I can charge back.

[mesquitebean · Accepted solution]

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@ cuong_bui wrote:

I clicked on "add a state return" 

Now it presented me with 2 choices :  Amend or "Trash Icon"

I assumed that "Trash Icon" means delete the current state return (California) and restart, do I have to pay again for adding California return (I already paid) ? Will it let me edit the federal return ?

The whole issue was that I entered many estimates on both federal and states, to see how much I owe (ballpark).

I have to pay in order for Turbo Tax Online to continue and generate the PDF so I can see. But then Turbo Tax Online said I am finished even though I never clicked "I am done" button. I used Turbo Tax desktop for years,

never have such problem.

What can I do now? I asked for refund, but Intuit refused. I am checking with my Visa card to see if I can charge back.

---

You wrote:  "I used Turbo Tax desktop for years, never have such problem."

    Yes, the desktop product is a much better product than the Online version.

The link "Add a State" (at the Tax Home page) is only used to get you back into the return interview if TurboTax had closed the interview.  It doesn't actually add another state return.   It simply opens the interview back up.   

Sorry, it's difficult to know what the trash can icon is for or why you are seeing it.  This is a user community, and nobody can see what all you have done and are doing.   In any case, it shouldn't let you delete the state return if it's already been paid for.  If you've already paid for Federal and a state return, you should not have to pay again.

At the Tax Home once you clicked on "Add a State", did that not reopen the interview so you could continue working on it?   Do not click on Amend, or that will start an amended return.   Or did you already start an amended return by mistake?  

Since you have not filed your return (you said it only said "printed"),  once you get back to the interview you should be able to edit anything in the Federal and state returns prior to filing.

If you continue to have trouble with this, you may wish to speak to the people at TurboTax Support again and talk to someone in real time so they can, hopefully, figure out what's going on.  They might even be able to screen share with you, if needed.

TurboTax Customer Support

Hours 5AM-9PM Pacific, 7 days/week

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/contact/

[mesquitebean]

@ cuong_bui 

By the way, the link "Add a State" does not say "Add a State return."  It only says "Add a State" and is on the Tax Home page and is used when the interview has been closed by TurboTax.   If you don't see it immediately on the Tax Home page, you may have to scroll down to "Your Tax Returns & Documents."

[cuong_bui]

Thanks for your help mesquitebean,

I clicked on "Add a state", somehow canceled the "amend", now I can get back to the interview.

Finally after 3 days of phone calls, screen sharings, nothing worked except your advice.

I am grateful, thanks mesquitebean.

Rgds,

Cuong

[mesquitebean]

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@cuong_bui wrote:

Thanks for your help mesquitebean, 

I clicked on "Add a state", somehow canceled the "amend", now I can get back to the interview.

Finally after 3 days of phone calls, screen sharings, nothing worked except your advice.

I am grateful, thanks mesquitebean.  Rgds,  Cuong

---

Great news!   You're welcome.   I'm glad you were able to get out of that Amend cycle and got back into the interview.   I hope the rest of your filing goes smoothly.  Good luck.

[cuong_bui]

This community is much better than Turbo Tax experts  whom I did screen sharing with, yet did not solve the issue . 

In short , Turbo Tax Online should clear up this problem. Perhaps add a button "Back To Interview "