If you are trying to create a new return in StudioTax 2025 by importing your previous year’s .24t file but are running into issues, the steps below should help you get it working.

For general instructions on how to import a previous year’s return, see Create a New Return from a Previous Year Return.

Fix 1: Re-save the File Using StudioTax 2024

Sometimes the return file can be in a state that StudioTax 2025 cannot read correctly. Re-saving it through StudioTax 2024 often resolves this:

1. Open StudioTax 2024 (the version matching the file you want to import).
2. Open your .24t file in StudioTax 2024.
3. Go to File → Save As and save the file under a new filename in a location you can easily find (e.g., your Desktop).
4. Go back to StudioTax 2025 and try importing this newly saved file.

Fix 2: Use the Backup File

StudioTax automatically creates a backup of each return alongside the original file, with a .backup extension (e.g., return.24t.backup). If the main file is causing issues, try using the backup instead:

1. Locate the .24t.backup file in the same folder as your .24t file.
2. Make a copy of it and rename the copy by removing the .backup part — so it becomes .24t (e.g., return_backup.24t).
3. Try importing this renamed file in StudioTax 2025.