SamS1
Expert Alumni

Retirement tax questions

TurboTax is correct.  The 8915-E will be used for penalty relief from early retirement plan distributions and include the option to spread the distribution income over 3 years. You will report 1/3 of the income in 2020 then increase your income by 1/3 in 2021 and 1/3 in 2022.  My guess is your plan administrator withheld 20% federal taxes and an amount for state also.  That being said, you do have a larger refund for 2020.  To help with the 2021 and 2022 income increases you are going to see, I would recommend apply a portion of that refund to estimated tax for 2021.  That way the tax withheld on the full amount, a portion would be applied to the future years.  An easy way would be to take the amount of federal taxes from the 1099 apply 2/3 to 2021 estimated tax.  

 

You also have the option to repay all or a portion of the distribution amount over the next 2 years which will decrease the taxable amount in 2021 and 2022.  You are going to have a big stimulus check coming.....

 

After you have logged in and are in your return:

 

  • Go to Search at the top of the screen.
  • Enter "apply federal refund to next year" in the search box. 
  • You will see a Jump To function that will take you to screen to apply your refund