Regardless of whether your HR Department is able to distribute your excess contribution, you should report the excess contributions on Line 1 of your 2018 Tax Return by following these steps in TurboTax Desktop:
- Open your
return
- Click on
the "Federal Taxes" Tab
- Click on
the "Wages & Income" Tab
- Click on
"I'll choose what I work on"
- Scroll
down to "Less Common Income" and
click "Show More"
- Select
"Miscellaneous Income" and
click "Start or Update"
- Select
"Other income not already reported on a Form
W-2 or Form 1099" and click on "Start"
- Answer the
Question "Did you receive any other
wages? Yes"
- Click
"Continue" through the questions until
you get to "Any Other Earned Income"
- Answer
"Yes" to "Did you earn any other wages?"
- Indicate
"Other" as "Source" of
Other Earned Income and click "Continue"
- For the
description enter "2018 Excess 401K Deferrals" and
click on "Done"
If your excess is distributed, you will receive a 2019 Form 1099-R in 2020 showing the refund with a code "P" in box 7 which you can ignore if the excess deferral is reported as suggested above. However, the earnings will be reported on a separate 2019 Form 1099-R with a Code "8" in Box 7 that should be reported on your 2019 tax return.
NOTE: There is currently an e-filing issue within TurboTax related to excess contributions so you will need to mail in your return. You can check out this TurboTax FAQ for more information: Excess 401(k) Contribution Preventing E-filing.
