Transfer last year's tax return to TurboTax 2012 CD/Download software for Windows

Before you begin, have your 2011 tax file ready. If you don't remember where it is, click here for help in finding it.

1. Open TurboTax 2012 and start a return by
   • Clicking the Start a New Return button; or
   • Choosing New Tax Return from the TurboTax File menu.
2. When your TurboTax 2011 tax data file appears, select it and click Transfer Return.
   • If no tax data files are found, you'll be asked if you have a PDF copy of last year's return.
   • If you don't see last year's tax or PDF file, click Browse Files, browse to the location of your 2011 return, and open it.
   • Still can't locate it? It might be on another computer. You'll need to move it to your current computer.
3. Wait for the Transfer Complete screen to appear, then click Continue to review the transferred information. You can also review, edit, or delete transferred information later on.

Please note that you cannot go back to the Transfer screens once you have gone past them. This is because transferring wipes out existing information that was entered. It is only possible to transfer into a new, blank return.

Always transfer from the tax data file, as it's more complete.

The following information transfers from the TurboTax .tax2011, H&R Block .t11, and TaxACT .ta1 data file to TurboTax for Windows:

• Federal Information Worksheet - Taxpayer and spouse name, address, social security number, birth date, and filing status as well as dependent(s) name(s), social security number(s), and birth date(s).
• Form 2441 Child and Dependent Care Expenses - Care provider name, address, and EIN/SSN number.
• Form W-2 - Employer name, address, EIN/control numbers, state and local names.
• Schedule B - Interest and dividend payer name.
• Schedule C and Schedule F - Required business designations plus prior-year inventory and cost amounts. Business use of home required information plus carryover amounts.
• Schedule E - Property type, location and special other expense designations.
• Schedule K-1 Partnership, K-1 S Corporation, and K-1 Estates and Trusts - Name, ID, taxpayer, spouse, PTP and foreign designations.
• Retirement and Pension Information - Taxpayer/spouse designations; payer name, address, account number and ID; distributions codes, state and local designations.
• Carryover Worksheet - Prior year AGI, tax liability, overpayment credit, itemized deductions, and AMT. Short term and long term carryovers, investment expenses disallowed, general business credits, section 179 disallowed and IRA basis and excess contributions.

In contrast, transferring from the PDF file is limited to the following information:

• Name, address, and filing status
• Social Security number
• Adjusted Gross Income
• Dependent information
• Bank information for direct deposit of tax refunds

You can transfer last year's tax return prepared with TurboTax CD/Download software for Mac to your 2012 TurboTax for Windows return.

1. From your Mac, copy last year's TurboTax file to a flash drive. Find your Mac tax file
2. On your Windows computer, copy the tax file from the flash drive.
3. Rename the tax file by right-clicking it, choosing Rename, and adding a .tax2011 file name extension to it.
4. Open TurboTax for Windows and select Start a New Return.
5. TurboTax will search for 2011 tax return files on your computer, but it probably won't find the Mac file. To find it yourself:
   • Click Find a Tax File and look on your Desktop.
   • Once located, select the file and click Open.
6. Wait for TurboTax to finish transferring the information over.

You can then review transferred information and add, edit, or delete items as necessary. More info

You can transfer your 2011 TurboTax Online Basic, Deluxe, Premier, or Home & Business return to 2012 TurboTax CD/Download software for Windows.

If you downloaded and saved your 2011 Online return as a .tax2011 data file, simply follow the first set of instructions (TurboTax for Windows, etc.) above.

If you didn't save your 2011 Online return as a data file, use this workaround:

1. Go to turbotax.intuit.com and start a 2012 Online return in the Deluxe, Premier, or Home & Business version.
2. Sign in with last year's User ID and password.
3. Once you've signed in, TurboTax Online will automatically transfer your 2011 data over.
4. Make sure you're on the Welcome Back screen (the Home tab).
5. Click the link Save your 2012 return to your computer, located in the lower left corner of your screen, and then click Save.
6. In the Save As window, browse to the location where you want to save the file (we recommend your Desktop).
7. (Optional) Change the default name to something more meaningful, for example J Doe 2012 Tax Return.
8. Click Save.

Now you can open the tax file (which contains the transferred 2011 info) in TurboTax for Windows:

1. Open your TurboTax 2012 program.
2. From the File menu, select Open Tax Return.
3. Browse to where you saved the .tax2012 file in step 6 above, select it, and then click Open.
4. (Optional) Review, edit, or delete the transferred information.