Password Protect Your Tax File in TurboTax CD/Download Software

1. Open TurboTax, and then open the tax return file you want to protect.
2. Go to the File menu and select Password. (In TurboTax for Mac 2010 or earlier, look in the TurboTax menu.) 
   • Enter and re-enter your password.
   • Select a security question.
   • Enter the answer to the security question.
   • (Mac – recommended) Clear the checkbox Remember this password (add to keychain).
3. Click Add Password.

To remove your password, you'll need to know what it is.

1. Open your tax return file and enter your password.
2. Go to the File menu and select Password. (In TurboTax for Mac 2010 or earlier, look in the TurboTax menu).
3. Delete (clear) all the fields in the password dialog box.
4. Click Remove Password.

After setting a password, some Mac users have noticed that TurboTax doesn't prompt them for their password when opening their tax return file.

This is because the checkbox Remember this password (add to keychain) is selected by default. Selecting this option stores the TurboTax password in the keychain utility on your Mac.

In TurboTax 2011, we're removing this default setting in the R9 release, tentatively scheduled for February 9, 2012.

You can easily enable the password prompt by selecting Password from the File menu (TurboTax 2011) or TurboTax menu (2010 or earlier) and then clearing this checkbox in the password dialog box. Doing so will once again prompt you for a password when opening your return.