How To See Turbotax History

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Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you needed to access your past tax returns, perhaps for a loan application, financial planning, or just for your personal records? If you're a TurboTax user, you're in luck! TurboTax makes it relatively straightforward to access your tax history, whether you filed online or used their desktop software. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step to retrieve your TurboTax history, ensuring you have all the information you need.

Let's dive in!

How to See Your TurboTax History: A Step-by-Step Guide

The method for viewing your TurboTax history depends on how you filed your taxes: through TurboTax Online or with the TurboTax CD/Download software. We'll cover both scenarios in detail.

Step 1: Determine Your TurboTax Product – Online or Desktop?

This is the crucial first step! Before you proceed, take a moment to recall how you filed your previous tax returns with TurboTax.

Did you use TurboTax Online? This means you accessed TurboTax through your web browser (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Safari) and completed your taxes directly on their website.
Did you use TurboTax CD/Download? This means you purchased and installed the TurboTax software on your computer (from a CD or a downloaded file) and prepared your taxes offline.

Knowing this distinction will guide you to the correct set of instructions below.

Step 2: Accessing Your TurboTax History for TurboTax Online Users

If you filed your taxes using TurboTax Online, your past returns are typically stored securely within your TurboTax account for up to seven years.

Sub-heading: Logging In to Your Account

Go to the Official TurboTax Website: Open your web browser and navigate to the official TurboTax website (usually turbotax.intuit.com). Be sure to always use the official site to protect your personal and financial information.
Sign In: Look for the "Sign In" button, usually located in the top right corner of the page. Click on it.
Enter Your User ID and Password: You'll be prompted to enter the same User ID and password you used for the tax year you're trying to access.
- Forgotten your User ID or Password? Don't panic! TurboTax has an account recovery process. Look for links like "Forgot User ID" or "Forgot Password" on the sign-in page. You'll likely need to provide your associated email address or phone number to regain access.

Sub-heading: Navigating to Your Tax Returns

Once successfully logged in, there are typically two main ways to find your past returns:

Option A: Through "Documents" (If Available)
- After signing in, look for a "Documents" or "Tax Documents" option in the main menu or navigation bar.
- Click on "Documents," and you should see a dropdown or list of tax years.
- Select the specific tax year you wish to view.
- You should then see an option to "Download tax PDF" or a similar button to get a copy of your return.
Option B: Through "Tax Home"
- After logging in, you'll usually land on your "Tax Home" page.
- Scroll down the page. You're looking for a section often labeled "Your tax returns & documents" or "Prior Year Returns."
- Within this section, you'll see a list of available tax years.
- Select the desired tax year by clicking on it.
- You should then see options like "Download/print return (PDF)" or "View PDF." Click on this to download a PDF copy of your return to your computer.

Sub-heading: What You Can Do with Your Downloaded Return

Once you've downloaded the PDF of your tax return:

Print it out for your physical records.
Save it securely on your computer, an external hard drive, or cloud storage.
Email it (securely, if possible) to a financial institution or advisor if they require it.

Step 3: Accessing Your TurboTax History for TurboTax CD/Download Users

If you used the TurboTax CD/Download software, it's important to understand a key difference: your tax files are stored directly on your computer, not online with TurboTax. This means TurboTax cannot retrieve them for you if you've lost them from your device.

Sub-heading: Locating Your Tax Data File (.taxXXXX)

Identify the Computer Used: Your first step is to recall which computer you used to prepare and file your taxes in previous years. The tax data file (which typically ends with a .tax extension followed by the year, e.g., mytaxes2023.tax2023) will be saved there.
Search Your Computer:
- Windows Users: Open File Explorer (Windows Key + E) and use the search bar. Type in *.tax to find all TurboTax data files. You can also specifically search for *.tax2023 for your 2023 return, *.tax2022 for 2022, and so on. Common locations include your "Documents" folder or a "TurboTax" folder within your "Program Files."
- Mac Users: Use Finder and the search function. You can search for *.tax or the specific year (e.g., *.tax2023). Look in your "Documents" folder or "Applications/TurboTax [Year]" folder.
Check Backup Locations:
- Did you back up your computer? Check external hard drives, USB sticks, or cloud storage services (like Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud, OneDrive) where you might have saved backups of your files.
- If you used an online backup service, explore its recovery options.

Sub-heading: Opening Your Tax Data File

Once you've located the .taxXXXX file:

Install the Correct Year's TurboTax Software: To open a .tax2023 file, you need the 2023 version of the TurboTax desktop software installed on your computer. You cannot open a 2023 file with the 2024 software, for example. If you don't have the software installed, you might need to purchase and download the correct year's product from the TurboTax website or find your original CD.
Open the File:
- Double-click the .taxXXXX file. This should automatically open the corresponding TurboTax software (if installed).
- Alternatively, open the TurboTax software for that year, then go to "File" > "Open" and navigate to where your .taxXXXX file is saved.

Sub-heading: Printing/Saving Your Return from Desktop Software

Once the tax return is open in the TurboTax desktop software:

Go to the "File" Menu: In the top menu bar, click on "File."
Select "Print" or "Save as PDF":
- To print a physical copy, choose "Print."
- To save an electronic PDF copy, select "Save as PDF" or "Print to PDF" (if you have a PDF printer installed). This is highly recommended for digital record-keeping.

Step 4: Alternative Methods (When TurboTax Access is Difficult)

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you might not be able to access your TurboTax history directly through their platform. In such cases, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is your ultimate recourse.

Sub-heading: Requesting a Transcript from the IRS

The IRS provides free tax transcripts, which summarize your tax return information. This is often sufficient for various purposes (like loan applications) and is a quicker option than requesting a full copy of your return.

Types of Transcripts:
- Tax Return Transcript: Shows most line items from your original tax return (Form 1040, 1040-SR, etc.) as you filed it, but does not include changes made after filing.
- Tax Account Transcript: Shows basic data like marital status, type of return filed, and payment history, along with any changes made by you or the IRS after the original filing.
- Wage and Income Transcript: Shows data from information returns like W-2s, 1099s, and 1098s.
How to Request a Transcript:
- Online: The quickest way is through the IRS "Get Transcript Online" tool on their official website (irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript). You'll need to verify your identity.
- By Mail: You can request a transcript by mail by completing and submitting Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return. This usually takes 5 to 10 calendar days to be delivered.
- By Phone: Call the IRS at 800-908-9946.

Sub-heading: Requesting a Copy of Your Full Tax Return from the IRS

If a transcript isn't enough and you need an exact copy of your filed tax return (including all forms and schedules), you can request one from the IRS.

Complete Form 4506: You will need to fill out Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return.
Processing Time and Fees: Be aware that the IRS charges a fee for each copy requested ($43 per return as of recent information, though fees can change), and it can take up to 75 calendar days for the IRS to process your request.

Step 5: Important Tips and Best Practices for Your TurboTax History

Keep Your User ID and Password Safe: Make a note of them in a secure place. Using the same User ID year after year for TurboTax Online will make accessing past returns much easier.
Save PDFs Annually: Proactively save a PDF copy of your completed tax return to your computer and a backup location (external drive, cloud storage) every single year after you file. This is the simplest way to ensure you always have your records.
Print a Hard Copy: While digital is convenient, having a physical printed copy of your return in a secure file is always a good idea.
Understand the 7-Year Rule: TurboTax Online generally stores your returns for 7 years. After that, they may be purged. The IRS also typically retains records for a similar period, but having your own copies is paramount.
Check All Email Addresses: If you have multiple email addresses, try each one when attempting account recovery, as you might have used a different one in a past year.
Consider Tax Planning Software: If you frequently need to refer to past financial data, dedicated personal finance or tax planning software might offer more robust long-term record-keeping features.

10 Related FAQ Questions

Here are 10 common "How to" questions related to TurboTax history, with quick answers:

How to retrieve my TurboTax User ID if I forgot it?
- Go to the TurboTax sign-in page and click "Forgot User ID." You'll typically be prompted to enter your email address or phone number to find associated User IDs.
How to find my TurboTax password if I forgot it?
- On the TurboTax sign-in page, click "Forgot Password." You'll usually receive an email or text with instructions to reset it.
How to access TurboTax returns older than 7 years?
- TurboTax Online typically only stores returns for 7 years. For older returns, you'll generally need to request a transcript or a copy of your tax return directly from the IRS using their "Get Transcript" service or Form 4506.
How to get a copy of my tax return if I used TurboTax CD/Download and my computer crashed?
- If you didn't back up your tax file, your best option is to request a transcript or a copy of your tax return from the IRS using Form 4506 or their "Get Transcript" service.
How to transfer my past TurboTax data to a new year's return?
- When starting a new tax year's return in TurboTax, the software will usually prompt you to import data from your previous year's TurboTax file (if it detects one on your system or in your online account). Follow the on-screen instructions.
How to print only specific forms from a past TurboTax return?
- Once you open the PDF of your complete tax return (either from TurboTax Online or your desktop software), you can use your PDF viewer's print options to specify which pages or form numbers you want to print.
How to check the status of a refund for a past TurboTax-filed return?
- You can check the status of your federal refund using the IRS "Where's My Refund?" tool on irs.gov. For state refunds, visit your state's revenue department website. You'll need your SSN, filing status, and refund amount.
How to amend a past tax return filed with TurboTax?
- You'll need to go back into the specific tax year's return in your TurboTax Online account or desktop software. Look for an option to "Amend" or "Make a correction." The software will guide you through filing Form 1040-X.
How to ensure my TurboTax returns are securely stored?
- For online returns, use a strong, unique password for your TurboTax account and enable two-factor authentication if available. For desktop files, save PDFs to a secure, password-protected folder and regularly back them up to an encrypted external drive or secure cloud storage.
How to contact TurboTax customer support for help with past returns?
- Visit the TurboTax support website (ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support). You can search their knowledge base for answers or look for options to contact their support team via chat or phone, though direct access to old returns might be limited if you don't have your login details or the desktop file.