How to Find Your 2023 Tax Return on TurboTax: A Comprehensive Guide
Lost your 2023 tax return? Don't panic! It's a common situation, whether you need it for a loan application, financial planning, or simply for your records. The good news is that if you filed with TurboTax, retrieving your return is generally a straightforward process. This lengthy guide will walk you through every step, ensuring you can access your valuable tax documents with ease.
So, you're looking for your 2023 tax return on TurboTax, right? Let's get that squared away for you! This guide will cover both online and desktop versions, and even give you options if you hit a snag.
Step 1: Determine Your TurboTax Product Version
The first crucial step is to recall how you filed your 2023 taxes with TurboTax. Did you use the online version, or did you purchase and install the CD/Download desktop software? This distinction is key, as the retrieval process differs significantly.
Sub-heading 1.1: TurboTax Online Users
If you completed your 2023 taxes directly through the TurboTax website (meaning you logged in via a web browser), your return is stored securely in your online account. This is the most common scenario for many users.
Sub-heading 1.2: TurboTax CD/Download Desktop Software Users
If you bought a TurboTax CD or downloaded the software and installed it on your computer, your tax file (.tax2023 file) is stored locally on your hard drive. TurboTax does not store these desktop returns online. This is an important distinction to remember.
Step 2: Accessing Your Return - Online Version
If you used TurboTax Online, follow these steps to find and download your 2023 tax return.
Sub-heading 2.1: Log In to Your TurboTax Account
Go to the TurboTax website: Open your web browser and navigate to
myturbotax.intuit.com Enter your User ID and Password: It's vital to use the exact User ID and password you used when you filed your 2023 return. If you have multiple Intuit accounts, ensure you're logging into the correct one.
Pro Tip: If you're unsure which User ID you used, or if you suspect you might have multiple accounts linked to your email, TurboTax has an account recovery tool. You can often enter an email address or phone number, and it will list associated User IDs.
Sub-heading 2.2: Navigate to "Your Tax Returns & Documents"
Once you've successfully logged in:
You'll likely land on your Tax Home page.
Scroll down the page until you find a section titled "Your tax returns & documents" or similar. This section usually displays a list of the tax years you've filed with TurboTax.
Click on the "Show" or "View" option next to this section to expand it, if it's not already expanded.
Sub-heading 2.3: Select the 2023 Tax Year
Within the "Your tax returns & documents" section, locate "2023".
Click on the year itself or the associated link.
Sub-heading 2.4: Download Your Return
After selecting the 2023 tax year, you should see an option to "Download/print return (PDF)" or "Download tax PDF".
Click this option. Your 2023 tax return will then download to your computer as a PDF file.
Important: Make sure to save this PDF to a location where you can easily find it later, such as your "Documents" folder or a dedicated "Taxes" folder. It's also a very good idea to print a physical copy for your records.
Sub-heading 2.5: Alternative Access Method (If Needed)
If you're having trouble finding the "Your tax returns & documents" section directly from your Tax Home, there's an alternative route:
From your Tax Home page, scroll down and click on "Add a state" (you won't actually be adding one, this is just a navigation trick). This action often takes you back into your current online tax return for the most recent year (e.g., 2024).
On the left-hand side of the screen, look for "Tax Tools" or a similar menu.
Click on "Tax Tools," and then select "Print Center."
From the Print Center, you should be able to choose the tax year (2023) and select the option to "Print, save or preview this year's return." You can then choose to include government forms and TurboTax worksheets for a complete record.
Step 3: Accessing Your Return - CD/Download Desktop Software Version
If you used the desktop version of TurboTax, your return isn't stored online. Here's how to find it:
Sub-heading 3.1: Locate Your Tax Data File
When you filed with the CD/Download version, you saved your tax return as a
.tax2023file on your computer.Search your computer: The easiest way to find it is to use your computer's search function.
On Windows: Open File Explorer (Windows key + E), then in the search bar, type
*.tax2023and press Enter.On Mac: Open Finder, then use the search bar (magnifying glass icon) and type
*.tax2023.
Common locations: Check your "Documents" folder, "My Documents" folder, or any specific folder you might have created for your tax files. Many users save them directly to their desktop, so check there too.
Note: The file name typically looks something like "YourName_2023_Federal.tax2023" or similar.
Sub-heading 3.2: Open the File with TurboTax Software
Once you've located your
.tax2023file, you'll need the 2023 TurboTax desktop software installed on your computer to open it.Double-click the
.tax2023file: This should automatically launch your 2023 TurboTax software (if installed) and open your return.Open from within TurboTax: Alternatively, open your 2023 TurboTax software, then go to File > Open Tax Return and browse to the location where you saved your
.tax2023file.
Sub-heading 3.3: Print or Save as PDF from Desktop Software
Once your 2023 return is open in the TurboTax desktop software, you can navigate to the "File" menu.
Look for options like "Print" or "Save as PDF."
It's highly recommended to save a PDF copy to a secure location on your computer and perhaps a cloud storage service, and to print a physical copy.
Step 4: What If You Can't Find Your Account or File?
Sometimes, things don't go as smoothly as planned. Here are some troubleshooting tips:
Sub-heading 4.1: Account Recovery for Online Users
If you've forgotten your User ID or password, use the "Forgot User ID or Password?" link on the TurboTax sign-in page. They'll typically send a verification code to your associated email or phone number.
If you no longer have access to the email or phone number linked to your account, you might need to go through TurboTax's account recovery process, which can involve providing more detailed personal information to verify your identity.
Sub-heading 4.2: Multiple TurboTax Accounts
It's surprisingly common for people to accidentally create multiple TurboTax accounts over the years, especially if they've used different email addresses.
If you can't find your 2023 return in the account you're logged into, try logging in with any other email addresses you might have used in the past. TurboTax often has a tool to "find all your accounts" linked to various pieces of information.
Sub-heading 4.3: Corrupted or Missing Desktop Files
If your
.tax2023file seems to be missing or corrupted, and you primarily relied on the desktop version, you might be out of luck unless you have a backup (e.g., on a flash drive, external hard drive, or cloud backup service).This highlights the importance of regularly backing up your important files, especially tax documents!
Step 5: When All Else Fails: Requesting from the IRS
If you've exhausted all options with TurboTax and still can't locate your 2023 tax return, don't despair. You can always get a copy from the IRS.
Sub-heading 5.1: Requesting a Tax Transcript (Free)
The IRS offers free tax transcripts, which summarize your tax return information. These are often sufficient for various purposes (e.g., student loans, mortgages).
You can request a Tax Return Transcript or a Tax Account Transcript directly from the IRS website.
Visit the IRS "Get Transcript Online" tool:
www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript Transcripts typically mask personally identifiable information for your security, but financial data remains fully visible.
Sub-heading 5.2: Requesting a Copy of Your Full Tax Return (Fee Applies)
If you need an exact photocopy of your original 2023 tax return, including all schedules and attachments, you can request it from the IRS by mail.
You'll need to complete and submit Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return.
There is a fee (currently $43 per return requested, though this can change, so check the IRS website for the latest fee) and it can take up to 75 calendar days to process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are 10 common "How to" questions related to finding your tax return:
How to: Check if I filed my 2023 taxes with TurboTax?
Answer: The easiest way is to try logging into your TurboTax account (myturbotax.intuit.com) with any email addresses or User IDs you might have used. If you see a 2023 tax return listed, you filed with them. You should also have received email confirmations from TurboTax when you filed.
How to: Recover my TurboTax User ID if I forgot it?
Answer: Go to the TurboTax sign-in page and click "Forgot User ID or Password?" Enter your email address or phone number, and TurboTax will help you recover your User ID or provide options to reset your password.
How to: Get a copy of my state tax return from TurboTax?
Answer: If you filed both federal and state returns through TurboTax Online, your state return will be part of the same PDF download as your federal return when you access it through "Your tax returns & documents." For desktop versions, the state return is part of your local tax file.
How to: Print my 2023 tax return after downloading it?
Answer: Once you've downloaded the PDF of your 2023 tax return, open the PDF file with a PDF viewer (like Adobe Acrobat Reader or your web browser's built-in PDF viewer) and use the print function.
How to: Access tax returns older than 2023 on TurboTax?
Answer: TurboTax generally stores your online returns for the past seven years. You can access them using the same method as for 2023: log in, go to "Your tax returns & documents," and select the desired year.
How to: Save my TurboTax return as a PDF from the desktop software?
Answer: Open your 2023 tax return in the TurboTax desktop software. Go to "File" in the top menu, then look for options like "Save as PDF" or "Print to PDF."
How to: Contact TurboTax customer support for help?
Answer: You can visit the TurboTax Support website (
How to: Get my Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) from my 2023 tax return?
Answer: Your AGI for your 2023 tax return is typically found on Line 11 of your federal Form 1040. If you download your tax return, you can easily find this line.
How to: Know if my 2023 TurboTax desktop file is corrupted?
Answer: If you try to open the .tax2023 file with your 2023 TurboTax desktop software and receive an error message, or if the software crashes, the file might be corrupted. Try opening other .tax files if you have them, or reinstalling the software.
How to: Get a tax transcript from the IRS online?
Answer: Go to