I was automatically withdrawn from a retirement plan on December 27th, 2017, after I changed jobs. I did not request the withdrawal, but received the automatic distribution because my vested account market value was less than the plan's minimum required balance. The first check I was sent went to the wrong address, and I did not get the check until late April 2018. I then deposited the money into my bank account.
I have a 1099-R for 2017 because the money was withdrawn from the account then, but does it still count as 2017 income if I did not have access to the money until April 2018? When I tried to file my taxes in April, I literally could not answer TurboTax's question "What did you do with the money?" (choices: "moved the money to another retirement account" or "did something else with it"). By now I have done something with the money, but it is 2018.
Note: I am 22 years old and this was my first job. I did not accrue very much money in the account before I left, which is why they gave me the automatic distribution.
