I'm confused: the statement below is from IRA publication 939
If your annuity starting date was between July 1, 1986, and November 19, 1996, you were able to elect to use the Simplified Method or the General Rule. This choice is irrevocable and applied to all later annuity payments.
The following are qualified plans.
A qualified employee plan.
A qualified employee annuity.
A tax-sheltered annuity (TSA) plan or contract.
Simplified Method.
If you receive pension or annuity payments from a qualified plan and you aren't required to use the General Rule, you must use the Simplified Method to determine the tax-free part of each annuity payment. This method is described in Pub. 575.
Also, if, at the time the annuity payments began, you were at least age 75 and were entitled to annuity payments from a qualified plan with fewer than 5 years of guaranteed payments, you must use the Simplified Method.
My dad retired in December 1985 at age 54 received 1st payment January 1986 age 54. It's not excepting his age using the simplified method. OPM pension is a qualified plan. What method do I use?
