You got an answer about switching software publishers.Does the online version export a file that can be read into the desktop version in the following year to use as a starting point? If not, how will those carry forward items be carried forward? I've often wondered how this type of thing was handed when making a switch like this or, heaven forbid, to move from TurboTax to H&R Block.
We have some funky carry forwards as a result of the K1 (pre Bogleheads investment) so don’t plan to change sw. i’m also a longtime TaxAide volunteer and training coordinator so have used other tax software pkgs.
But to answer your original question, you can easily carry fwd data both sticking with a version or switching versions.
If you stick with online, when. you login a year later for following tax season, it will still have prior year data online and carry it fwd, no export/import needed by you.
If you decide to switch versions, the above mentioned tax file export can be imported to the other version making it easy to switch in either direction.
Each year I export a tax file for my records.
I have switched back and forth over the years. Long ago started with desktop, switched to online and then back to desktop.
I had no problems each year since I had saved a copy of the tax file export.
I have never tried switching to other software publishers, as I have been happy with both online and desktop TT.
I was happy with online when I used it and sometimes switched to desktop when I felt I may benefit from forms access and/or multiple returns.
Statistics: Posted by beyou — Sun Nov 16, 2025 11:31 pm — Replies 22 — Views 1551