Why can't I find my 2010 or earlier TurboTax Online return?

You're positive your User ID is My3Yorkies but when you sign in, you don't see your 2010 return.

What you may not remember is that you also created the User ID YorkieMom3, which you used to prepare and file your 2010 return. In this case, you'll need to sign in as YorkieMom3 to pull up your return.

To get a list of all the TurboTax Online user IDs linked to your email address, click here, select I forgot my user ID, and follow the on-screen instructions.

TurboTax Online Free Edition doesn't include the 24/7 access feature found in Basic and higher versions. To get a copy of your return, you have three options:

• Request a free transcript of your federal return from the IRS. A transcript is used to verify income and some financial institutions will accept it in lieu of your original tax return. Click here for instructions or visit IRS Tax Tip 2010-13 for more details.
• Order an exact copy of your tax return, including all attachments, from the IRS for $57.00. See IRS Tax Topic 156 for complete instructions.
• Download your return as a tax data file that you can open in the desktop software version. There is no charge for this service. More info

What do we mean by "complete"? Complete means that you paid the TurboTax Online fee by credit/debit card, refund transfer, or pre-paid code. Finished but unpaid returns are not complete.

If you used a free version, "complete" means that you entered your registration information before e-filing or printing.

Here are some ways to tell if you completed your Online return:

• You received one or more confirmation emails after e-filing.
• Your e-filing status is accepted, rejected, or pending.
• You received an email with your TurboTax Online confirmation number.
• You can locate the order that proves you paid or registered with TurboTax Online.

Online returns that were started but not completed are deleted after the mid-October shutdown. More info

Unlike TurboTax Online, we are unable to store tax returns that were prepared in TurboTax CD/download software because the data is stored locally on your hard drive. E-filing does not create archive copies on our servers.

Here's how to obtain your prior-year tax return if it was prepared in the CD/download software:

1. Search your computer for your tax return file. Follow the steps for Windows or Macintosh.
   • Can't find your return? Here are two ways you can get a copy of your return from the IRS:
     • Request a free transcript of your federal return from the IRS. A transcript is used to verify income and some financial institutions will accept it in lieu of your original tax return. Click here for instructions or visit IRS Tax Tip 2010-13 for more details.
     • Order an exact copy of your tax return, including all attachments, from the IRS for $57.00. See IRS Tax Topic 156 for complete instructions.
2. After locating your file on your computer, open your tax return using the same tax-year version of TurboTax (e.g., open your 2009 return in the TurboTax 2009 program, not TurboTax 2010 or 2011). Otherwise, you'll get Error 539.
   • Lost or misplaced your prior-year CD or download? No worries. Click here for help.

This is pretty rare, but it's been known to happen. Somebody else – usually a family member – uses your login to create and file their return after you've already filed yours.

Doing this overwrites (replaces) your tax return data with theirs and cannot be undone. In this case, you'll need to get a copy of your return from the IRS.

• Request a free transcript of your federal return from the IRS. A transcript is used to verify income and some financial institutions will accept it in lieu of your original tax return. Click here for instructions or visit IRS Tax Tip 2010-13 for more details.
• Order an exact copy of your tax return, including all attachments, from the IRS for $57.00. See IRS Tax Topic 156 for complete instructions.

Next year, tell that person that they need to create their own login!