- Transferring in TurboTax
Transferring in TurboTax
Transferring your data from last year's tax return file makes tax preparation even easier!
When you start a new return, TurboTax asks you if you want to transfer your information. You don't need last year's software to transfer, but you will need last year's tax file on your computer. (Uninstalling your tax program does not remove your tax return file.)
- Which programs can I transfer from?
- What kinds of information can't be transferred?
- What information transfers over?
- How do I transfer?
- Can't find last year's file?
- Troubleshoot transfer issues
 | Note: Transferring differs from importing. Importing brings information into TurboTax from financial software, such as Quicken or QuickBooks, or from participating financial institutions, such as your brokerage firm or payroll provider. See Importing into TurboTax. |
Which programs can I transfer from?
You can transfer your tax year 2007 tax return information into your 2008 TurboTax return from these tax programs:
- TurboTax
- TaxCut
- TaxACT
What kinds of information can't be transferred?
Tax returns prepared before tax year 2007
You can only transfer information from the previous tax year. For example, you can transfer 2007 tax information to TurboTax 2008, but not data from your 2006 return.
Information from a different main form
For example, you cannot transfer data from a corporate (Form 1120) return into a partnership (1065) or individual (Form 1040) return. You can, however, transfer data between 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ returns.
.PDF files
A .PDF file is a picture of your tax return, used primarily for record keeping. It is not a data file. Be sure to save your tax return as a .tax file if you want to transfer it next year.
ProSeries or Lacerte tax preparation software
TurboTax cannot transfer information from ProSeries or Lacerte programs; however, these programs will accept TurboTax data transferred into them.
Multiple returns
You can only transfer information from a single tax return. For example, if a newly-married couple filed as individuals last year but plan to file a joint return this year, they will only be able to transfer one spouse's return into this year's joint return.
TurboTax Freedom Edition return
TurboTax doesn't allow you to transfer from a prior year's Freedom Edition return.
What information transfers over?
Personal information:
- Name, address, and filing status
- Social Security number
- Dependent information
Business information:
- Employer's name and address
- Partnerships, S corporations, estates, or trusts that you have an interest in
- Deduction descriptions such as medical expenses and the names of charities
- Form 1099 payer information (banks, stocks, mutual funds, retirement accounts, etc.)
- Depreciable items such as cars, equipment, and buildings
- Business-use information
- Passive-loss carryovers
- Schedule C, including ending inventory (for self-employed people)
- Schedule E (for rental property owners)
- Schedule F, including ending inventory (for people involved in farming or fishing)
Carryover amounts:
- Overpayments applied to your 2008 tax liability
- Contribution carryover amounts
- Credit carryover amounts
- State and local tax carryover amounts
- Capital loss carryovers
How do I transfer?
To learn how to transfer, choose one of the following situations:
- Transfer between Desktop versions
- Transfer between Online versions
- Transfer from Desktop to Online versions
- Transfer from Online to Desktop versions
- Transfer from Windows to Mac
- Transfer from Mac to Windows
- Transfer from Mac versions
- Transfer from TaxCut
- Transfer from TaxACT
- Continue your Online return in the Desktop version
 | Transfer before importing from financial software or from your financial institution. See Importing into TurboTax. |
Can't find last year's file?
If you are having trouble finding your 2007 tax return file, see the articles below:
Troubleshoot transfer issues
If you have trouble transferring, see Troubleshoot Transferring from a Prior-Year Return.
