Retirement tax questions

Enter your 1099-R as you normally would. Say that you did take your RMD. 

Be sure that the distribution is from an IRA and that the IRA box is checked in the program. As you continue in the interview section, you will encounter the screen.

As you continue with the interview screens, you will be asked if you donated a portion or all of the distribution to charity. There are eligibility requirements. TurboTax will exclude this amount and will show the notation QCD.

You have to continue through the interview screen by screen. The screen that asks whether you transferred any of the distribution to charity doesn't say "QCD," but that's what it's about. If you answer that you transferred part of the distribution to charity, the next screen will ask you how much was transferred to charity. The next screen after that will tell you that the amount you specified is designated as a QCD. That last confirmation screen is the only place where you will actually see the term QCD.

A QCD is a direct transfer of funds from your IRA custodian, payable to a qualified charity. QCDs can be counted toward satisfying your minimum required distributions (MRDs) for the year, as long as certain rules are met.

In addition to the benefits of giving to charity, a QCD excludes the amount donated from taxable income, which is unlike regular withdrawals from an IRA. Keeping your taxable income lower may reduce the impact to certain tax credits and deductions, including Social Security and Medicare.

Can I make a QCD?

While many IRAs are eligible for QCDs—Traditional, Rollover, Inherited, SEP (inactive plans only), and SIMPLE (inactive plans only)* —there are requirements:

• You must be 70½ or older to be eligible to make a QCD.
• QCDs are limited to the amount that would otherwise be taxed as ordinary income. This excludes non-deductible contributions.
• The maximum annual amount that can qualify for a QCD is $100,000. This applies to the sum of QCDs made to one or more charities in a calendar year. (If, however, you file taxes jointly, your spouse can also make a QCD from his or her own IRA within the same tax year for up to $100,000.)
• For a QCD to count towards your current year’s MRD, the funds must come out of your IRA by your MRD deadline, generally December 31.

@jethrojoseph