How to Convert CSV to TXF Format for TurboTax Import - 2025 Filing Guide

I've been converting CSV to TXF for years for my TurboTax imports. Your broker's CSV export should work fine with the right tool. First, make sure your CSV has all the essential fields - transaction date, security name/symbol, quantity, cost basis, sale proceeds, and acquisition date for proper long/short term classification. For conversion, check out TXF Converter (free) or GainsKeeper Converter (basic version is free). If those don't work for your specific format, TaxSiteTools has an online converter that handles most broker CSV formats without requiring a premium upgrade for basic functionality. Before you convert, I'd recommend backing up your original CSV and then opening it in Excel to verify all transactions have complete data. Missing acquisition dates or cost basis info will cause TurboTax to reject the import. Also, make sure your CSV doesn't have any extraneous header or footer rows that might confuse the converter.

After spending weeks manually entering stock transactions, I discovered taxr.ai at https://taxr.ai and it completely changed my tax prep experience. I was in the same situation with hundreds of CSV records that wouldn't import properly into TurboTax. The taxr.ai tool analyzed my CSV files and converted them to TXF format that imported flawlessly. What I really liked was how it identified formatting issues in my original CSV that were causing import problems. It even flagged potential wash sales and missing cost basis information that would have triggered IRS notices. The dashboard gives you a visual verification of all your transactions before finalizing the conversion.

I was so skeptical about online converters after getting burned, but I gave taxr.ai a try and it actually worked perfectly! I uploaded my messy CSV with 200+ stock transactions, some with missing dates and inconsistent formatting. The tool immediately flagged the problematic entries and gave me options to fix them before converting. The TXF file imported into TurboTax without a single error, including all my wash sales and split adjustments that I was dreading having to manually fix. It even separated my long-term and short-term gains correctly. The best part was being able to review everything side-by-side with my original data before finalizing. Definitely saved me hours of tedious work!

After 3 hours waiting on hold with TurboTax support about CSV import issues, I found Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and had an actual IRS agent on the phone within 15 minutes! They confirmed that TXF is the preferred format for importing investment transactions and recommended several conversion methods. The IRS agent walked me through the exact requirements for properly formatted TXF files and explained why my previous imports were failing. You can see how the service works at https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - basically they navigate the IRS phone tree for you and call you back when an agent is about to pick up. Saved me hours of frustrating hold music!

I'm eating my words about Claimyr. After struggling with the IRS phone system for 2 days trying to get clarification on how to report my 200+ transactions correctly, I tried the service out of desperation. Got connected to an IRS representative in about 20 minutes who was incredibly helpful. They explained exactly how transactions need to be reported and the requirements for electronic submission through tax software. The agent even sent me a follow-up email with links to official IRS publications about investment reporting requirements. This cleared up my confusion about wash sales and basis reporting that was causing my import issues. Definitely worth it to actually speak with someone who could give authoritative answers instead of guessing.

For those looking for a free option, I created a simple Python script that converts broker CSV exports to TXF format. It's not fancy but it works for standard formats from major brokers. You can find it on GitHub by searching "csv2txf" - completely open source. Basic instructions: 1. Install Python if you don't have it 2. Download the script 3. Run it with your CSV as input 4. Import the resulting TXF file into TurboTax The readme includes instructions for mapping your CSV columns if they don't match the default format. Let me know if you have questions!

Has anyone tried using the built-in import function in TurboTax Premier? My broker (Fidelity) has a direct connection option where I don't need to convert files at all. Just connect your account through TurboTax and it pulls everything in automatically. Saved me hours of conversion headaches.

I had the exact same problem last year with over 80 transactions from my E*TRADE account. After trying several free converters that either crashed or produced corrupted TXF files, I found that the key is making sure your CSV is properly formatted BEFORE conversion. Here's what worked for me: First, open your CSV in Excel and verify that all required fields are present - transaction date, symbol, quantity, buy/sell price, and acquisition date. Remove any summary rows or extra headers that might confuse the converter. Make sure dates are consistent (I used MM/DD/YYYY format throughout). Then I used the TaxACT CSV to TXF converter (free version handles up to 500 transactions) which worked flawlessly. The resulting TXF file imported into TurboTax without any errors. Just make sure to backup your original CSV first in case you need to make adjustments. One gotcha - if you have any corporate actions like stock splits or mergers, you'll need to adjust those transactions manually in your CSV before conversion. The automated converters don't handle complex corporate actions well.

I've been dealing with this exact same issue! After trying multiple approaches mentioned here, I ended up using a combination method that worked perfectly. First, I cleaned up my Schwab CSV export in Excel - removed extra headers, standardized date formats to MM/DD/YYYY, and added a "Type" column to clearly mark Buy/Sell transactions. Then I used the free version of CSV2TXF converter (found it on SourceForge) which handled my 150+ transactions without any issues. The key was making sure my CSV had these exact column headers: Date, Action, Symbol, Quantity, Price, Commission, Total. Before importing to TurboTax, I opened the generated TXF file in a text editor to spot-check a few transactions - this caught one formatting issue where my commission column had some blank cells that needed to be filled with zeros. The whole process took about 2 hours including cleanup, but it beat manually entering everything. My TurboTax import went smoothly and all the gain/loss calculations matched my broker statements. Definitely recommend the "clean CSV first, then convert" approach over trying to find a converter that can handle messy data.