Where are my returns?

Forum|Forum|11 months ago
May 3, 2025
3 replies
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I've used TurboTax Home and Business desktop version (Win 10) to file federal and state taxes for the past couple of years. Through a change in main drives and the failure of a backup program, I can't find my filings. 2024 is most important. I filed the Federal via TurboTax and mailed in the State, including with it a copy of the federal form. However, when I log into TurboTax and click on filings, it says I've never filed with them. So what am I missing here? And is there anyone to get ahold of to figure this out?

TurboTax Home & Biz Windows

highstreamAuthor

Just to clarify, the program itself can't find my filing either. I assume it somehow got lost in the changing of main drives, and ultimately having to do a Windows repair install from a pre-tax filing System Image.

VolvoGirl

Employee

If you used the Desktop program you need the .tax2024 data file to open in the 2024 Desktop program. Search for the .tax2014 file on your computer or any backups you have. If you used the Desktop installed program then your return was not saved Online.

Did you search your whole computer for all files ending in .tax2024 etc?And check the recycle bin and your backups. Check in One Drive, Drop Box, etc. It should be in your Documents then in the Turbo Tax folder. Also if you have multiple Windows user accounts, log into each one and do the search for the *.tax2024 data file from within each one and checking the Recycle Bin in each one.

If you don't have the main .tax file you might have one that starts with a Tilde sign ~ like "~your name.tax2024". That file is if your computer crashes or your real file gets lost or deleted or corrupt so you can restore

xmasbaby0

Employee

If you used desktop software downloaded/installed from a CD to your own computer, then the tax files are stored locally on your own hard drive or any backup device you used like a flash drive. They are not stored online. If you cannot recover them due to a hard drive failure, etc. you can get a free transcript from the IRS or for a fee of $30 an actual copy of your tax return.

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506.pdf

**Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to offer the most correct information possible. The poster disclaims any legal responsibility for the accuracy of the information that is contained in this post.**

highstreamAuthor

Thanks everyone. My clarification explains how the problem came about and why I don't have the .tax2024 file. I've contacted the IRS and supposedly an email with a link is coming, though it seems to be slow in coming.

xmasbaby0

Employee

If you used desktop Home and Business your tax returns are only stored on your own hard drive. or any backup device you used like a flash drive. They are not stored in an online account that you log on to.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/tax-return/find-last-year-tax-data-file-tax-file-computer/L0XJvPaJr_US_en_US?uid=m6gufxei

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/data-systems/find-tax-data-file-mac/L4VNGm33S_US_en_US?uid=m6guhab0