This is a case of nobody on the development team having an understanding of the big picture. These two questions are asking for the same information (the RMD amount) but for different reasons. The first is to determine how much of the distribution might be eligible for rollover. The second is the new question that is attempting to determine if the RMD for a particular retirement account has been met. Unfortunately, because RMDs for one IRA can be satisfied with a distribution from another of the individual's IRAs (and similarly with 403(b)s for 403(b)s), it doesn't work well to ask the second question on a per-1099-R basis. When an RMD for one has been satisfied with a distribution from another, with the current implementation one has to manipulate the numbers to get a correct taxable result on Form 5329 Part IX (even though TurboTax is still in some cases omits from Form 5329 some of the amounts from accounts where the RMD has been satisfied that the IRS instructions indicate are to be included, but end up canceling each other out). Because Form 5329 deals with the aggregate of any missed RMDs, the old way of obtaining the information needed to prepare Form 5329 by asking questions after clicking the Continue button on the page that lists the Forms 1099-R that have been entered worked better (as long as the user didn't skip the question).
This is just bad software design trying to handle a complex tax code. I decline to provide generalized complex workarounds for such things. The software developers need to do better.
