Make sure that box 9a shows completely blank in TurboTax - do not leave even a "0" or a space in the box. The program reads a 0 as a value, so it will give this percentage error. If the box appears to be blank and is still giving this error, then try clicking in the box and deleting any potential spaces. If you imported the form, then you should delete the import and enter the values manually as there was likely an issue with the importing of your form.
This answer has been BROKEN FOR YEARS. American Funds Imports are resulting in the Total Distribution box 2a UNCHECKED with 0.00 in box 9a. The workaround is to BLANK OUT box 9a. WHY CAN'T INTUIT GET THIS FIXED ???????
@cube1 - TurboTax cannot fix what is the financial institutions error that issued a 1099-R with an invalid entry in box 9a.
Zero is not allowed. The box must be blank.
(Box 9a is only used if the box 1 amount was split between 2 or more payees and tells you what your share is. A "0" (zero) would indicate that the 1099-R is reporting your share of nothing, which would be nonsense.)
Some payers insist on putting zero in the box to indicate that it is not used, when they should leave it blank according to the 1099-R form rules. TurboTax follows the rules and complains if it is zero.
The IRS 1099-R form rules do not allow a zero in box 9a - any financial institution that puts in a zero is violating the form rules.
I am REALLY TIRED of that statement. I hear it year after yer. It is really JUST AN EXCUSE. American Funds is a major mutual fund company. If they are getting it wrong (and others are too), then surely Intuit could work with them to fix this issue - it has been going on for YEARS.
There is nothing to fix.
It is not an excuse, it is the published IRS 1099-R form rules. TurboTax has no control (or even cares) if a financial institution does not follow the IRS 1099-R instructions, TurboTax does and will flag an error when an illegal value is in box 9a, as it should. If you want to complain, then complain to the company that violated the rules, not the one that follows them.
There is only an entry on 9b if the distribution is split between two or more persons then the percentage that the person on the 1099-R is receiving is in the box. Zero is not a valid entry.