You've just navigated the sometimes-intimidating world of tax preparation with TurboTax – congratulations! Now, the crucial final step: getting a physical copy of your hard work. Whether it's for your personal records, for a loan application, or because you're filing by mail, printing your tax return from TurboTax is a straightforward process, but it can have a few nuances depending on whether you're using TurboTax Online or the Desktop version, and whether you've already filed.
Ready to get that tax return in your hands? Let's dive in!
How to Print Your Tax Return on TurboTax: A Comprehensive Guide
Having a printed copy of your tax return is incredibly important. It serves as a vital record for your financial history, can be required for various financial transactions, and provides peace of mind. Follow these steps carefully to ensure you successfully print your federal and state tax returns from TurboTax.
Step 1: Accessing Your TurboTax Account and Locating Your Return
Before you can hit "print," you need to get to your return! This step is where many people get tripped up, especially if they have multiple TurboTax accounts or years of returns.
Sub-heading 1.1: TurboTax Online Users
If you used TurboTax Online, your return is stored securely in your account.
Start by signing in: Open your web browser and go to TurboTax.com. Click on the "Sign In" button, usually located in the top right corner. Enter your User ID and Password. If you've forgotten them, use the "Forgot User ID or Password?" link to recover your credentials.
Navigate to your Tax Home: Once logged in, you'll typically land on your Tax Home dashboard. This page provides an overview of your current year's return and potentially links to prior years.
Locate the correct tax year: Scroll down until you see "Your tax returns & documents." Here, you'll find a list of the tax years you've filed with TurboTax. Carefully select the year you wish to print. For the current tax year, it should be prominently displayed. For prior years, you might need to click "View all tax returns" or a similar option.
Sub-heading 1.2: TurboTax Desktop (CD/Download) Users
For those who purchased and installed the TurboTax software on their computer, your tax return files are stored locally.
Open the TurboTax software: Launch the TurboTax program for the specific tax year you want to print. For example, if you're printing your 2024 return, open your TurboTax 2024 software.
Open your tax file: Once the software is open, navigate to "File" > "Open Tax Return..." and select the
.taxfile corresponding to the return you want to print. This file is usually saved in your Documents folder under "TurboTax" and the relevant tax year.
Step 2: Preparing Your Return for Printing (Pre-Filing Considerations)
If you haven't filed your return yet, TurboTax usually requires payment (if applicable) before allowing you to print the full official forms. This is a common point of confusion for users.
Sub-heading 2.1: Addressing Payment Requirements (TurboTax Online)
Check your filing status: Before you can print, TurboTax Online generally requires you to have paid for your federal and/or state return if you're using a paid version (Deluxe, Premier, Self-Employed, etc.). If you're using TurboTax Free Edition for a simple 1040, you might not encounter this payment barrier.
Proceed to the "File" section: To initiate payment and unlock printing, you'll usually need to navigate through the "Review" section and then into the "File" section of the program. TurboTax will prompt you for payment here.
Complete the payment process: Follow the on-screen instructions to pay any outstanding TurboTax fees. Once payment is processed, the printing options will become available.
Sub-heading 2.2: Reviewing Your Return (All Versions)
Regardless of whether you've paid or not, it's always a good idea to review your return one last time before printing.
Utilize the "Review" section: In TurboTax Online, after completing data entry, go through the "Review" section. This is where TurboTax checks for errors, missing information, and potential deductions. Address any alerts or recommendations.
Access "Forms Mode" (Desktop only): For TurboTax Desktop users, you can switch to "Forms Mode" to view all the individual forms and schedules. This allows for a granular review of every line item. While not strictly necessary for printing, it's a powerful review tool.
Step 3: Initiating the Print Process
Once your return is finalized and any payment requirements are met, you're ready to print! The process differs slightly between online and desktop versions.
Sub-heading 3.1: Printing from TurboTax Online
Access the Print Center: From your Tax Home (or after re-entering your return by clicking "Add a state" if you've already e-filed, as this often re-opens the return in an editable state), look for "Tax Tools" in the left-hand menu. Click on "Tax Tools," then select "Print Center."
Choose your printing option: Within the Print Center, you'll typically see options like:
"Print, save, or preview this year's return": This is generally what you want for a complete copy.
Other options might include specific forms or worksheets.
Select what to print: You'll usually be presented with choices for what to include:
"Federal return": Your primary IRS Form 1040 and accompanying schedules.
"State return": Your state tax forms.
"All official forms required for filing": This is usually the default and recommended option for filing a paper return.
You might also see options to include "government and TurboTax worksheets" for your records, which can be very comprehensive.
Preview and download/print: After making your selections, TurboTax will generate a PDF of your tax return. This PDF will open in a new window or tab. From here, you can:
Click the printer icon within the PDF viewer to send it directly to your printer.
Click the download icon (often a downward arrow) to save the PDF to your computer for printing later or for digital records. Saving a PDF is highly recommended!
Sub-heading 3.2: Printing from TurboTax Desktop (CD/Download)
Go to the "File" menu: In the TurboTax Desktop software, go to the "File" menu at the top of the screen.
Select "Print": From the "File" dropdown, choose "Print" (or sometimes "Print/Save for Your Records").
Choose your print options: A print dialogue box will appear. Here you'll have control over what gets printed:
"Federal returns", "State returns": Select these if you want both.
"Official Forms": Ensures you print the IRS and state-approved forms.
"Worksheets": Highly recommended to print for your records, as these show all the calculations and supporting details.
"Client Copy", "IRS Copy", "State Copy": These options will organize the printout for specific purposes. For your personal records, select "Client Copy" which usually includes everything.
Select your printer and print: Choose your desired printer from the dropdown menu and click "Print." You may also have an option to "Print to PDF" if you want to save a digital copy first.
Step 4: Reviewing Your Printed Tax Return and Filing
Congratulations, you've printed your tax return! But your job isn't quite done.
Sub-heading 4.1: Verifying the Printout
Check for completeness: Flip through every page of your printed return. Ensure all forms and schedules you expect to see are present and accounted for.
Confirm readability: Make sure the text is clear, legible, and not cut off at the edges. If there are issues, you may need to adjust your printer's settings (e.g., margins, scaling) and reprint. TurboTax sometimes provides recommendations for paper quality (standard 8.5" x 11" white paper, good quality).
Sign and date (if mailing): If you are mailing your tax return, make sure to sign and date the appropriate lines on Form 1040 (and any state forms that require it). Do not forget this crucial step!
Sub-heading 4.2: Organizing for Your Records
Keep all supporting documents: File your printed return along with all your W-2s, 1099s, receipts, and any other documents you used to prepare your taxes. This organized approach will be invaluable if you ever need to refer back to your return or are audited.
Consider a digital backup: Even with a physical copy, it's wise to save a PDF version of your return to a secure cloud storage service or an external hard drive. This provides an additional layer of security and accessibility.
Step 5: Troubleshooting Common Printing Issues
Sometimes, technology doesn't cooperate. Here are a few common issues and their solutions.
Sub-heading 5.1: "Cannot Print" or No Print Option
Payment Pending: For TurboTax Online, this is the most common reason. Ensure you've paid your TurboTax fees.
Browser Issues (Online): Try clearing your browser's cache and cookies, or try a different web browser (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Edge). Sometimes browser extensions can interfere.
Locked Forms: Very rarely, some forms might still be "locked" or not finalized by TurboTax if you're printing very early in the tax season. Check TurboTax's website for form availability.
Software Updates (Desktop): Ensure your TurboTax Desktop software is fully updated. Go to "Online" > "Check for Updates."
Sub-heading 5.2: Incomplete or Misaligned Printouts
Printer Settings: Check your printer's settings. Ensure it's set to print at 100% scale and not "fit to page," which can distort the forms. Check margin settings within your printer preferences.
Adobe Acrobat Reader: TurboTax often generates PDFs. Ensure you have a recent version of Adobe Acrobat Reader (or another reliable PDF viewer) installed on your computer. Try printing directly from Adobe Reader after saving the PDF.
Damaged File: If the PDF itself looks corrupted, try re-generating it in TurboTax's Print Center or by going through the print process again.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to print my federal and state tax returns together on TurboTax?
To print both your federal and state tax returns, in the TurboTax Print Center (Online) or Print menu (Desktop), ensure you select options to include both "Federal" and "State" returns. TurboTax typically packages them together, or you can print them sequentially.
How to download a PDF copy of my tax return from TurboTax?
In TurboTax Online, after navigating to the Print Center and selecting your return, you'll usually see an option to "Download" or a download icon (downward arrow) within the PDF viewer that opens. For Desktop, when you go to "File" > "Print," you might have an option to "Print to PDF" as your printer.
How to print a prior year's tax return on TurboTax?
Sign into your TurboTax Online account, go to your Tax Home, and scroll down to "Your tax returns & documents." Select the desired prior year from the list to download the PDF. For Desktop, open the specific year's TurboTax software and open the corresponding .tax file.
How to print my tax return on TurboTax if I've already filed it?
If you've already e-filed, you can still access and print your return. For TurboTax Online, sign in, go to Tax Home, and look for "Your tax returns & documents." You may need to click "Add a State" (you won't actually add one, it just gets you back into the return) to access the Print Center. For Desktop, simply open your saved .tax file.
How to troubleshoot printing problems with TurboTax?
First, ensure you've paid for your return if using TurboTax Online. Then, try clearing your browser's cache and cookies or using a different browser. For desktop, check for software updates. Ensure your printer drivers are up-to-date and your printer is functioning correctly.
How to print all forms and worksheets from TurboTax?
When in the TurboTax Print Center (Online) or Print menu (Desktop), look for an option that says "Include government and TurboTax worksheets" or similar. This will provide a comprehensive printout with all supporting calculations.
How to save my TurboTax return as a .tax file?
For TurboTax Desktop, your return is automatically saved as a .tax file. In TurboTax Online, you typically have an option to "Download .tax file" alongside the "Download/print return (PDF)" option when accessing prior years' returns from your Tax Home.
How to print a tax return for mailing to the IRS/state?
When printing for mailing, select the option to print "All official forms required for filing" (Online) or ensure "Official Forms" are selected (Desktop). TurboTax will often include a cover sheet with mailing instructions. Remember to sign and date the return before mailing!
How to change print settings (margins, scaling) in TurboTax?
TurboTax's internal print settings are limited. For margin and scaling adjustments, you'll generally need to do this through your printer's preferences dialogue box, which appears after you click the "Print" button.
How to get a copy of my tax return if I no longer have access to TurboTax?
If you can't access your TurboTax account or software, you can request a transcript of your tax return directly from the IRS (for federal returns) using their "Get Transcript" service online or by mail (Form 4506-T). For state returns, you'll need to contact your state's tax agency.