Retirement tax questions

Yes, if you get the whole traditional IRA distributed then you can convert the whole amount. But you cannot add extra money to the conversion.

If you did not have earned income then you will have to withdraw the extra money plus earnings by the due date of your return because otherwise you will get a 6% penalty tax on the excess contribution. You will need to inform your bank that you want to remove the excess contribution amount plus earnings.

You will get a 1099-R 2021 in 2022 with codes P and J for the withdraw of excess contributions and earnings. This 1099-R will have to be included on your 2020 tax return and you have two options: 

• You can wait until you receive the 1099-R  2021 in 2022 and amend your 2020 return or
• You can report it now in your 2020 return and ignore the 1099-R when it comes unless there is Box 4 Federal Tax withholding and/or box 14 State withholding. Then you must enter the 2021 1099-R into the 2021 tax return since the withholding is reported in the year that the tax was withheld. The 2021 code P will not do anything in 2021 tax return but the withholding will be applied to 2021.

To create a 1099-R in your 2020 return please follow the steps below:

1. Open your return
2. Click on "Search" on the top right and type “1099-R”
3. Click on “Jump to 1099-R”
4. Select "I'll type it in myself"
5. Box 1 enter total distribution (contribution plus earning)
6. Box 2 enter the earnings
7. Box 7 enter P and J 
8. On the "Which year on Form 1099-R" screen say that this is a 2021 1099-R.