Extract text from TurboTax 2020 tax returns (TAX20)
To convert TAX20 tax returns to another format, you need TurboTax or other Data software.
To convert other file formats to the "Tax Return File" file type, you need software like TurboTax or a similar tool.
The .tax20 file is a proprietary data format created by TurboTax to store user tax return information for the 2020 tax year. It contains highly sensitive financial data, personal identification details, and IRS-specific tax calculation logic.
To open or edit this file, you must use the 2020 desktop version of TurboTax developed by Intuit. The software uses this file to save progress, calculate refunds or liabilities, and electronically file taxes.
The primary disadvantage of the .tax20 format is its strict proprietary nature. It is locked to a single calendar year and a specific software version. You cannot open it with a web browser, standard text editor, or even newer versions of TurboTax without utilizing a specific import function. This forces users into a closed ecosystem, requiring a paid software license just to access past financial records.
Users typically need to convert .tax20 files to PDF to securely print forms, share documents with accountants, or store permanent, software-independent backups. Direct conversion to CSV is also requested for extracting raw numbers.
This file format is exceptionally difficult to convert. It is encrypted and heavily obfuscated. Because it lacks a public specification, standard online converters fail completely; they do not have the internal Intuit tax engine required to reconstruct the IRS forms from raw data. Often, only the original software can properly read or export the data. If our analysis detects a supported underlying embedded format, partial viewing or conversion may still be possible.
Convert.Guru analyzes your TAX20 file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
If you want to convert TAX20 file to XLS, XLSX, XLSM, XLSB, ODS, CSV, TSV, TAB, DIF, SLK, WK1 or WK3, you can use TurboTax or similar software from the "Tax Return Data Storage" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert WQ1, XLSM, NOTES, QPW, WK3, WB2, WKS, XLSB, 123, XLS, WB1 or XLSX files to TAX20, try TurboTax or another comparable tool in the "Tax Return Data Storage" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our TAX20 converter.