That's actually a common user observation about TurboTax. The way that the program works in the retirement section (and in many other sections of the program), after the user makes such a data entry, can be described follows.
When the user first goes through a TurboTax interview sequence, some selections are made by default in the program. In other words, there's a "base setting" for certain answers to some interview questions. When a program user answers a question differently than the default setting for these interview questions (which can also sometimes be a "blank" answer, or just an empty checkbox or field), the TurboTax program does record that answer, and it saves the user's response in the program's memory.
However, when a user goes back through that same interview again (to look at or to verify their original answer if you will), the program will then "reset" itself again to the "base setting" and make it appear as though the user's response isn't being recorded properly . . . when it previously had been saved.
Put differently, the very act of reviewing a TurboTax interview sequence can visually erase the evidence of previous answers input by the user. This can lead to frustration and misunderstanding. But the general solution is a simple one. Simply answer the relevant tax questions correctly the first time, and then leave them as they are.
In the specific case of your pension payments, if you answer (once) that you received periodic payments for your particular 1099-R that you're entering, then rest assured the TurboTax program will save that answer . . . unless you later go back and review it through the interview (in which instance you should answer the periodic payments question again).
Thank you for asking this important question.
