Retirement tax questions

Did you tell the trustee that this was a corrective distribution of excess contributions, or did you just make a regular withdrawal?  A corrective distribution probably required extra paperwork.  The trustee should have returned the $7000 plus any earnings that could be attributed to the contribution (any gains or growth).  For example, if there was $50 growth between November and December, you should have withdrawn $7050.  Box 1 would show $7050, box 2A would show $50, there would be no withholding, and box 7 would have codes 8 and J, not just J.

 

It sounds like this was processed as a regular withdrawal.  (Are there still earnings in the account?  Did it earn nothing?)

 

If you asked for a corrective return of excess contributions and they processed it incorrectly, and you can prove it, they should issue a corrected 1099-R.  However, if you just asked for a withdrawal, then you did it wrong and you are stuck with the consequences.***

 

Delete the 1099-R and start the Roth IRA section over.  Report that you made $7000 of contributions.  When you are told you are ineligible and asked if you removed the excess, say no.  You will be assessed a 6% penalty, or $420.  Then enter the 1099-R as a regular withdrawal from the Roth IRA.  You will be asked about prior contributions and prior withdrawals.  Since you had no prior contributions (except the $7000 from 2024) and no prior withdrawals, this $7000 represents a withdrawal of contributions and should not be subject to income tax.  So you should net a $280 return of the $700 withholding.

 

***I think it is too late to try to recharacterize the contribution as a non-deductible traditional IRA to do a backdoor Roth.  I think taking a regular withdrawal messed up that option.  But @dmertz  might have a different option.  Are you just late for 2024, or did you request an extension before April 15?