Thanks AmyC!
"It sounds like you have more contributions than distributions and this distribution is not being affected so your meter is stable."
Actually, I have made fewer contributions than distributions. Here are some numbers I plugged in:
"Other Contributions previously taxed by MA"
Here I entered 63K in total IRA contributions until I had to start RMDs.
"Total distributions made in previous years"
Here I entered $247,548.
I used the figure from the start of RMDs up to 2020 since the question is: "Total distributions made in PREVIOUS years" which I take to mean through 2020. And because TT was displaying what my distribution was for 2021.
The way I can get the meter to "change" and change my MA tax obligation/refund is to inflate my "Other contributions previously taxed by MA". When I inflate this number very high, then my refund goes up very high, as you say. However, when I put the correct numbers in, it shows an amount owed for MA taxes.
However, my REAL question is if MA taxes all IRA contributions whether you've already paid taxes on them or not, why do we have to track this and why is this the very first year since I've been taking RMDs is TT asking for this information (amount contributed and amount distributed) on my MA return? Wouldn't it just figure my distributions as ordinary income like on my federal return?
Sorry for my confusion (beyond confusing).
Diana
