How can I recover a deleted tax return?

[Gordon1932]

TurboTax DELUXE    Gordon Oberg

[Gordon1932]

Gordon Oberg  2020

[VolvoGirl]

@Gordon1932   This is a long thread with lots of posts.  What is your question?  Please give details.

[carloso1964]

I lost my files from turbo tax 2019 desktop

[kswbbum]

I accidently deleted the turbotax files I filed for tax year 2020.  Is there a way you can help me recover them?

I used a program purchased and installed on my PC

[DoninGA]

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@kswbbum wrote:

I accidently deleted the turbotax files I filed for tax year 2020.  Is there a way you can help me recover them?

I used a program purchased and installed on my PC

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If you used the desktop CD/Download editions installed on your computer, the only copy of your tax data file and any PDF's will be on the computer where the return was created.  TurboTax does not store online any returns completed using the desktop editions.

Or go to this IRS website for free federal tax return transcripts - https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript

For a fee of $43 you can get a complete federal tax return from the IRS by completing Form 4506 - http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506.pdf

[VolvoGirl]

Don't know if this will help any Turbo Tax users but one Quicken user found them......

What I found was that my Quicken Data files ended up in the One-drive Recycle bin. Not sure how, but I found them there.  I placed the files back onto the laptop and brought the files into Quicken and now have all my data back.

[abdulshaik]

I have formatted my laptop and lost my 2020 tax file. i would need copy of my tax file

[VolvoGirl]

If you used the Online web version you can download the .tax2020 and pdf files again.

Sorry, if you used the Desktop installed program and can't find the .tax2020 file it is gone for good.  Turbo Tax doesn't save or store the tax file even if you efiled it.  The only copy is on that computer and any backups you made.

Find your Tax file in Windows

https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/tax-data-file/help/find-your-tax-data-file-tax-file-in-windows/00/...

If you can't find your return and you filed, you can request a transcript from the IRS

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

[RJ50Mill]

This is the the third time I have had problems finding my 2020 Income Tax return.

I received a letter from the IRS stating that I owed $1500.00 for my 2020 income tax yet when I completed my forms in Turbo Tax Pro i was supposed to receive a tax refund of $650.00. I filed my returns in late march of this year. I have been contacting the IRS since May concerning my refund and now I receive a letter stating I owe $1500.00. Right now I am a little upset to say the least. I would to be able to recover my tax return. I am using the same computer I have checked my documents file, my download files and my backup to no avail. I am not about to redo my filing again, if I do I can guarantee I will not be using Turbo Tax this year.

[DoninGA]

@RJ50Mill 

You have to sign onto your 2020 online account using the exact same User ID you used to create the online account.

Close all TurboTax windows on your web browser (including this one).  Copy and paste the account recovery website link onto a new web browser window and run the tool.

Use this TurboTax account recovery website to get a list of all the User ID's for an email address.  Run the tool against any email addresses you may have used - https://myturbotax.intuit.com/account-recovery

If none of the user ID's received will access your 2020 account, then use the option shown in blue on the account recovery website, "Try something else"

If you used the desktop CD/Download editions installed on your computer, the only copy of your tax data file and any PDF's will be on the computer where the return was created.  TurboTax does not store online any returns completed using the desktop editions.

To access your current or prior year online tax returns sign onto the TurboTax website with the User ID you used to create the account - https://myturbotax.intuit.com/

Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and on the section Your tax returns & documents click on Show.  Click on the Year and Click on Download/print return (PDF)

Or -

When you sign onto your online account and land on the Tax Home web page, scroll down and click on Add a state. 

This will take you back to the 2020 online tax return.

Click on Tax Tools on the left side of the online program screen.  Then click on Print Center.  Then click on Print, save or preview this year's return.  Choose the option Include government and TurboTax worksheets

[VolvoGirl]

@RJ50Mill   Do you have an amount on line 30 for the Recovery Rebate Credit?  A common adjustment is if you claimed the Recovery Rebate Credit on 1040 line 30 when you already got the 1st or 2nd Stimulus payments or got the second one after you filed or reported the wrong amounts.  And you had to report the right amount in each box. If you put the total in 1 box it would give you the other amount again. The IRS knows they already sent it to you. Line 30 is only if you qualify more.

[ruthie7]

I used turbotax Premier Investments & Rental Property  for tax year 2020.   Installed on my computer.   Sent it in to IRS and now IRS says there is a problem.  I need to retrieve it and there is nothing there.  Somehow I must have erased the original tax  form filed.  Can I get it back?

[DoninGA]

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@ruthie7 wrote:

I used turbotax Premier Investments & Rental Property  for tax year 2020.   Installed on my computer.   Sent it in to IRS and now IRS says there is a problem.  I need to retrieve it and there is nothing there.  Somehow I must have erased the original tax  form filed.  Can I get it back?

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Using the TurboTax desktop CD/Download editions - The tax data file is stored in the Documents directory in the TurboTax folder.  The only way to delete the tax data file for the user to open the TurboTax folder, highlight the file, right click on the file and then click on Delete

If you used the desktop CD/Download editions installed on your computer, the only copy of your tax data file and any PDF's will be on the computer where the return was created.  TurboTax does not store online any returns completed using the desktop editions.

[pgallaher]

I used TurboTax Deluxe installed on my computer from a retail purchase CD. I lost the programs and file for several years of TurboTax but I really the year 2019 and I would like to recover the year 2020.

The installation CD's are destroyed so I do not have the registration / license numbers of the products.