Never heard of such a thing ... are you trying to transfer in the .tax2016 file or the PDF?
i have the same issue.... last years tax was filed by a CPA that has retired. He provided me a PDF version that when attempted to import states the same error... any suggestions?
Ok ... you cannot transfer in from a PDF ... all you can do is enter the required info as needed.
See my new answer below for transferring a pdf into the Desktop programs.
How to transfer 2016 tax file to the 2017 program -- pick your situation below:
2016 Online to 2017 Online
Simple – just sign in with the same login you used on last year's return and we'll do the rest. Forgot your login?
Note: To transfer last year's return to 2017 Federal Free Edition, you'll need to accept the upgrade to TurboTax PLUS which appears shortly after you sign in.
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900883-transfer-last-year-s-return-into-turbotax-online
2016 Online to 2017 Downloaded
If you prepared your 2016 return online, in order for your previous year tax information to transfer into your Desktop software you need to download your 2016 Online return as a .tax2016 file.
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900748-how-do-i-get-a-copy-of-a-return-i-filed-in-turbotax-online
If you can't get or didn't save the .tax file to your
computer before online was shut down Oct 15 or lost it, there is a
way to do it by starting your return in the 2017 Online version, transfer into
that and then you can switch and continue in the desktop version and you won't
have to pay for online. Expand the 3rd section for transferring an
Online return in this FAQ
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901506-transfer-last-year-s-return-into-turbotax-for-windows
2016 Downloaded to 2017 Online
Last year's tax data file (.tax files) can be transferred to Online Deluxe and higher-tier versions.
1. Sign in to TurboTax Online, if you haven't already done so.
2. Select Tools from the My Account menu in the upper right corner.
3. In the pop-up window, select Transfer last year's TurboTax return from your computer.
4. Read the warning and then click Continue (or Cancel to abort the transfer).
5. Browse to where you saved your .tax2016 file and select it.
6. Click Transfer Return and wait for your file to finish uploading.
7. When you see Transfer Complete, click Continue to start working on your return.
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1900883-transfer-last-year-s-return-into-turbotax-online
2016 Downloaded to 2017 Downloaded
Do you have the 2016 tax file on your computer? It ends in .tax2016. You need that to transfer into 2017. First thing you do is start a new return and it should find all your 2016 files and ask if you want to transfer them.
Here's how for Mac:
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901265-transfer-last-year-s-return-into-turbotax-for-mac
Here's how for Windows:
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1901506-transfer-last-year-s-return-into-turbotax-for-windows
Yes you can try transferring from a PDF. It has to be an electronic pdf from another tax program. Not a pdf scanned from a paper copy.
I have been using TurboTax on my MacBook Pro for 5 years and it has always been easy to transfer the info from one year to the next. This year 2019 would not. I finally figured out that I have been saving a copy of my taxes in PDF format and not .2018tax, or whatever year. Suddenly this year TurboTax decided not to allow imports from their own product on Mac using PDF, but if you had used HR Block, a PDF would work. This is nuts. Anyway I was able to bring up my 2018 taxes, save it with a .2018tax ending and it finally imported it. Don't know why they had to make things so hard this year
@jcchu_sky, this link will explain how to save, view, print a pdf turbo tax file: https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/saving/help/how-do-i-save-my-return-as-a-pdf-in-the-turbotax-software-for-windows/00/26231
Turbo tax really is awful given that it saved 2018 as a pdf and now when filing i 2019 it states the file is too big to transfer. Pretty bad.
I just had this problem working on my 2020 return and TurboTax
told me my 2019 file was too big. I went back to 2019 and went to "print returns" and then looked at the 2019 PDF that was 80 pages long. I figured out that I only wanted to import the 2019 federal detail and then made a new PDF retitled "myname2019FedOnly" that was only pages 7 to 42 of my 2020 entire PDF. I then was able to import it successfully to my 2020 file
I had this issue this year trying to import 2019 taxes into TT2020. I solved by opening 2019 TT, choosing print returns for your records, then uncheck state returns, select tax return only and choose save as .pdf from drop down menu in the print window. Give the file a name different than your complete return has & import into TT2020. Yea, WHY CANT TURBO TAX TELL US THIS IS NECESSARY THS YEAR. Every year now I have to figure out their secret workarounds for changes they make and never admit to making. Hope this helps others. FYI i use Mac.
i am trying to download investment information from TD Ameritrade and it would not download numbers larger than 11 digitd including cents. TD Ameritrade has consolidated several transactions creating this problem. Does anyone know of a tax program that would download transactions with 12 digits.
This TurboTax FAQ may provide useful information for your situation: How do I enter a large number of stock transactions in TurboTax Online?
I have the same problem. I've been using turbotax desktop for many years and now it won't let me transfer my 2020 return. I have both the 20020 tax file and a pdf but it won't transfer. The prior year data transfer is one of the reasons I use turbotax. I don't want to carve out the 2 state returns I do to reduce the file size. Very frustrating!
I'd like to clarify which issue you are experiencing from this thread. Can you please provide the specific error message you are receiving when attempting to transfer your 2020 .tax file?
In the pop up window it says: The import was unsuccessful. The file selected is to large.
I’ve never had a problem before. My 2020 return is very large but not that different from prior years. I’m using the Mac desktop Investments and Rental Property version.
Also. I am not sure how to tell if it is a .tax file. It’s the pdf file that is the same as the one I printed. I believe that is the only option the software gave to me when I saved to my Mac last year. The file is named 2020 Fed PA NY returns.
There have been other posts saying the transfer file is too big. I thinks that's only from using the pdf file. You really need to transfer from the file ending in .tax2020. I don't know Mac but I think it doesn't always show you the file extension. @macuser_22
Try starting a new return and see if it finds any 2020 files to transfer from.
@MichelleLO here's another one
Thanks. But I cannot locate the .tax2020 file on my Mac. Is there an easy way to find or recreate it from the 2020 tax file? The only option it gives me is to print the return again in the Easy Step.
When I try to Save the 2020 return it simply re-saves to the same file and I don’t get a Save As option.
I think Mac says Duplicate instead of Save as. Or something similar. Try to open your 2020 return in the 2020 program. Then save it with a different name so you can find it later. Then start a new 2021 and try to transfer from the new name.
How to find tax files on Mac
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-data-file/help/find-your-tax-data-file-in-mac/00/26206
@VolvoGirl wrote:
There have been other posts saying the transfer file is too big. I thinks that's only from using the pdf file. You really need to transfer from the file ending in .tax2020. I don't know Mac but I think it doesn't always show you the file extension. @macuser_22
All .tax2020 data files are the same whether created by Windows, Mac or online - they are interchangeable.
@macuser_22 I wanted to know how to show see the file extension in Mac. Or how to find the files. Where does Mac save them?