TurboTax

File with experts
File your taxes
Experts at your fingertips

An expert helps with your taxes, or does them for you
TurboTax Expert Full Service

TurboTax Expert Assist

TurboTax Self-Employed
Prior year taxes
File myself
File myself
Do it yourself

We'll guide you step-by-step
TurboTax Do It Yourself

TurboTax Self-Employed

TurboTax Desktop
TurboTax Free

Activate your product

Prior year taxes
Business
Business
Business taxes

Get your T2 corporate return done right, your way
TurboTax Business

TurboTax Business Desktop
Tax situations
Tax situations
Tax situations

Find extra guidance for your big life moves
For investors

For 25 and younger

For self-employed

For new to Canada

For life changes
Resources
Resources
Resources

Explore tax tools, get tips, and read reviews
Personal income tax calculator

RRSP savings calculator

Learning hub

TurboTax support (FAQ)

TurboTax community
Pricing

Level 2

Solved

1099-R form from Ohio Public Employees - how to report Turbo Tax 16 question re: State Distribution Amount

Forum|Forum|5 years ago
March 2, 2021
2 replies
5 views

From prior answers on this site, it appears that the 1099R form from the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System is outdated as it contains no boxes numbered past 13, but the partial workaround is as follows:

Use Ohio 1099R Box 12 (state tax withheld) to complete Turbo Tax Box 14

Use Ohio 1099R Box 13 ( state ID number) to complete TT box 15

But, my question is how to complete the Turbo Tax question for box 16, which requests the State Distribution Amount, given the fact that the OH form does not provide this info?

Thanks for any help!

Best answer by Hal_Al

Thank you for all the input.

Just so I’m clear, for Box 16 in TT (state distribution amount), for reporting OPERS 1099r income, the options raised were use:

a) Box 2a (taxable amount) or 1(gross distribution), with use of 2a if different amount than box 1;

b) leave blank (if TT allows this);

c) same amount as provided on Ohio 1099r box 14 (state withholding amount);or

d) $0

e) other? _________________

The TT community consensus seems to be option a) above, but just want to doublecheck.

Many, many thanks!

Yes, use the amount in box 2a

SteamTrain

Level 15

The state distribution amount is the value that is in box 2a.

BUT

if box 2a is empty, then it is the Federally-taxable amount of box 1 (which is usually just box 1, but can be lower if there were extra after-tax contributions you made to that retirement fund))

____________*Answers are correct to the best of my knowledge when posted, but should not be considered to be legal or official tax advice.*

Lgruber1Author

Level 2

I called OPERS today and was advised to simply put the same number in both box 14 (state withholding amount) and Box 16 (state distribution amount).

this is different from what was recommended by the TT community, which was to use the 2a box info (or Box 1, if 2a is empty) to complete Box 16

so, any other thought on this? I was a bit surprised by info OPERS gave me and need to figure out correct approach.

thx.

npierson777

Level 10

Please do not do what OPERS employee told you to do with the form. It will create an error. Put the gross distribution amount form box 1 as a state distribution amount, that's a correct way to handle it.

Lgruber1Author

Level 2

FYI, I contacted OPERS again on 3/5/21 and requested a written response to my question re: what is the “state distribution amount”.

Here is the response I received from the benefitquestions mailbox at OPERS:

“Box 14 on the IRS 1099-R is State Distribution, since OPERS only withholds taxes for the State of Ohio this box is not necessary. Box 12 and 13 on the OPERS 1099-R shows the state tax withholding information. The IRS allows entities to modify the 1099-R so long as it has the information that they require.

Thank you,

OPERS”

The OPERS response is still a bit confusing of an answer, as it not clear then, in the TT format, whether box 14 and 16 should reflect the same number - the state tax withholding amount, or whether Box 16 should simply be left blank, as is ‘not necessary’.

any additional thoughts?

SteamTrain

Level 15

1) Box 14 and 16 should virtually never be the same number. I can't say it would never happen...but maybe 1-in-100,000.

2) the person at OPERS you talked to is ignorant about the fact that their 1099-R forms were issued improperly with 2019 box numbers, and not proper 2020 box numbers.

________________________________________________

so your initial comment still applies:

"Use Ohio 1099R Box 12 (state tax withheld) to complete Turbo Tax Box 14

Use Ohio 1099R Box 13 ( state ID number) to complete TT box 15"

___________________________________________________________________

But as to the Ohio Distribution amount (which will end up in box 16), I really don't know for Ohio..

@Hal_Al

IF box 1 is $20,000 and 2a is $10,000 due to after-tax contributions (I have had that situation, but I'm not in Ohio)....which is the Ohio distribution amount?

OH seems to do a calculated tax credit for retirement distributions included in gross income...but I think only to extent that any retirement income was included in Federal AGI in the first place? and that would be box 2a of the 1099-R. At least that is my reading/reasoning of the credit on page 19 of the 2020 Ohio Instructions (PDF).

____________*Answers are correct to the best of my knowledge when posted, but should not be considered to be legal or official tax advice.*

Hal_Al

Level 15

The box 16 amount is irrelevant, other than a basis for the withholding in box 14. Put anything (more than box 14) in there to satisfy TT. I agree with SteamTrain, it's usually the same as box 2a or box 1.

The Ohio retirement credit is based on Ohio Adjusted gross Income, which is based on the Federal AGI. There are no Ohio adjustments.