Any assistance to utilize this deduction would be appreciated. Mark J
Section 328 of the SECURE Act 2.0, now Division T of Public Law 117-328, modified the direct payment requirement under HELPS by making it optional and created an alternative to the direct payment method, namely allowing the retirement plan to make the distribution to the retired public safety officer. The retiree could then make the premium payment to the provider and remain eligible for the tax exclusion. This change is effective for distributions made after the date of enactment of the SECURE Act 2.0, which was December 29, 2022.
The SECURE Act 2.0 also provided that, in cases where the distribution is made to the retiree, the retiree must include with their tax return an attestation that the amount sought to be excluded from the pension distribution does not exceed the amount paid by the employee for qualified health insurance premiums for the taxable year.
It appears this changed?
You take this exclusion in the 1099-R interview. Please see my answer done this last week to see if it helps you.