Importing 2020 return from turbo Tax in Turbo Tax 2021 doesn't work with PDF File.

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
November 12, 2021
7 replies
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Is anyone else having an issue importing prior year (2020) in Turbo Tax 2021? I have the file but Turbo Tax does not import it when I browse or is searches on it's own. Any help would be appreciated

rjs

Employee

You can't transfer a TurboTax PDF. You have to use the .tax2020 data file.

bobj007Author

Thanks, I thought it said it would accept a PDF file.

rjs

Employee

It will transfer information from PDFs created by certain other software. But only a very limited amount of information gets transferred - possibly no more than your name and address and a few other bits of information. It's nothing like the thorough year-to-year transfer that you get from the TurboTax data file.

sweettimber

I am also having the same issue.

I have used TurboTax as a download to my Mac for 2019 and 2020. Last year, despite having the filing on my computer, I was unable to import any data (and we have 7 kids) from the previous year. Now, same thing is happening. I open TT2021 and it cannot find any TT files.

It's super frustrating because you would think a program would be able to locate its own file type? I will try saving...but I too have a .pdf saved. It does not bring up any .tax files automatically.

I've read what people have written to help OP and will try the same.

bobj007Author

As Champ indicated in the first response, TT DOES NOT import PDF's that were created by TT, it only imports ".tax" files created by their software. However, TT states it imports PDFs from other applications with limited information but does not say it will NOT import PDFs created by TT which it needs to clarify. It is frustrating.

Mac94920

I must say I am very mad at Turbotax in regards to this. I have wasted hours on this ( and will waste more hours due to the fact I now have to add all of last years info) due to the fact that when launching TurboTax it states: "Browse for your return, Select Browse to find your return on your computer. We support files from TurboTax (tax2020 & .pdf),...
My computer hard drive crashed but I did what I was supposed to do, back it up on an external harddrive, just as recommended. BUT all that that the 2021 TurboTax will read is the very easy info, basically name, address Soc Sec number...NONE OF LAST YEARS tax info (Yes I am yelling)! It clearly states " .pdf " but that is BS!

I do thank other members for posting the same information as above so that I am not wasting more time trying to figure out why it is not reading the pdf....Get your act together Intuit!!!

Carl11_2

Employee

The only thing you can import from a PDF file is the personal information. You can't import any numbers or other data. To get everything, you have to import from the .tax2020 file.

lpg49

My issue is that the import did NOT INCLUDE EVERYTHING from the previous year. I was using the tax file directly from Turbotax, not the PDF version.

It did not include my Capital Loss Carry forward which made a big difference (50%)in what I owe this year. Thank goodness I kept double checking to see what had been left off.

~Linda

AAGAP

Basically, Turbo Tax is falsely advertising. The Turbo Tax can't open a PDF file created by Turbo Tax software from last year. I just tried it. The message is something like "the file is too big." So, I had to look for the .tax2020 file on my Mac and luckily I found one. It opened this file just fine.

dsp5

I am extremely upset with TurboTax. I have been using TurboTax since 2008 and have NEVER had an issue with it pulling in last year's information! And YES - it would also bring in the information related to investments, donations, etc. NOT just my demographic information. I noticed someone else was worried about loss carryover. Again - YES it PREVIOUSLY would bring that forward as well. UNACCEPTABLE!!!

JSBACH1685helpusnow

OUR DESKTOP WAS HACKED IN 2022, CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS TO RESTORE WINDOWS 10 WITHOUT LOSS OF FILES. INSTEAD, THEY SEEM TO HAVE INSTALLED WINDOWS 11, WHICH SEEMS TO HAVE ERASED OUR SAVED TURBO TAX 2021 FILES NEEDED TO DO OCT 15, 2022 TAX REPORT. HELP!

rjs

Employee

@JSBACH1685helpusnow

Are you sure the files are gone? If you reinstalled TurboTax after the operating system was restored, it will not find your previously saved tax data files automatically. When you start TurboTax you have to click "Find a Tax File" and navigate to the tax data file that you want to open.

The default location for TurboTax files is the TurboTax folder, but you could have saved them somewhere else. If you are not sure where your saved 2021 tax data files are, search your entire hard drive for *.tax2021. Also look in the Recycle Bin.

If you are using the CD/Download TurboTax software, the only copies of your tax data files are on your own computer, and any backup copies that you made. TurboTax does not have copies of your tax data files.