Save time by importing last year's information into this year's return. TaxAct Online will allow users to import from TaxAct Online returns, TaxAct Desktop returns, and PDF files created with another software program.

When importing a prior-year return, the result will be a brand new return with only imported data and anything previously entered in the new return will be overwritten.

You can't import prior-year information into the current-year return if you have filed an extension of this year's return or printed it. 

Importing Prior Year TaxAct Online

1. From within your TaxAct return click Basic Info in the left column. On smaller devices, click the menu icon in the upper left-hand corner, then choose Basic Info.
2. On the Select a 2018 tax return to transfer screen, choose the return to import from the dropdown menu.
3. Click Transfer. 
4. If you already entered data into the current return, you will be notified that importing a prior-year return will override that data. Click either Yes, Import My Return to replace the data or No, Skip Importing to retain your entries.  

At any time, you can click Back and then click Skip Import to enter your information manually.

Importing Prior Year TaxAct Desktop Return into the Online program

1. From within your TaxAct return click Basic Info. On smaller devices, click the menu icon in the upper left-hand corner, then choose Basic Info.
2. Click the Data Import link directly under Basic Info.
   
3. In the shaded box at the bottom of the import screen, click the import your 2018 Desktop return link. 
   
4. Confirm that you have your TaxAct Desktop 2018 file from last year. 
5. Click Upload File to locate the 2018 tax return file on your computer (file extension will be ".ta8"). 
6. Click Import Last Year's Return to continue. 
7. Click Import Summary.
   
8. You will be prompted to remove any forms you do not want included in the import. Check any forms you wish to exclude and click Delete Selected Forms. Otherwise, click Done. 
   
   If information has been entered already in your return, all previously entered data will be overwritten. In this case, you will be given a warning pop-up message. Accept it to continue the import and overwrite your previous entries.

Importing from PDF

1. From within your TaxAct return click Basic Info. On smaller devices, click the menu icon in the upper left-hand corner, then choose Basic Info.
2. Click the Data Import link directly under Basic Info.
   
3. In the shaded box at the bottom of the import screen, click import your 2018 PDF return.
4. Drag and drop the PDF file into the window or click Browse.
5. In the pop-up window, locate your PDF return file saved from last year's return and click Open.

If you decide not to import at any time, click the Skip Import button.