When I withdrew from Roth IRA in 2017(to remove overage, paid 6% fine for 2016 return),Fidelity asked if I'd pay 10% fine. I clicked "No". How do I pay that 10% fine now?

[Ashby]

For clarification, are you talking about the 10% early withdrawal penalties for IRAs? (Pre 59-1/2)

[Carl]

@TurboTaxAshby if this was a 2018 withdrawal of a 2017 over-contribution and not a penny more, then there is no 10% early withdrawal penalty. But the earnings if any, on the amount of the over-contribution are taxable income in 2018.
Or am I not understanding something here maybe?

[dmertz]

Fidelity simply asked if you wanted 10% withheld for taxes.  Had any amount of your 2017 distribution been withheld for taxes, the withholding would have been credited on your 2017 tax return against your overall 2017 tax liability, not against any particular item of taxable income.

What is the code (or codes) in box 7 of the 2017 Form 1099-R provided by Fidelity?

[Ashby]

@Carl I was trying to figure out the question, but I think @dmertz is on to something. It was probably just Fidelity's stock question about withholding for the penalty.

[dmertz]

Fidelity was simply asking about the default 10% tax withholding that they are required to withhold in the absence of instructions to not withhold or to withhold more.  Nothing about tax withholding applies specifically to any penalty or any other specific addition to overall tax liability.

[rftgjk]

@dmertz The box 7 of the 2017 Form 1099-R says "J".

[rftgjk]

@TurboTaxAshby The withdrawal was made in Dec. 2017 for 2017 tax return.

[dmertz · Accepted solution]

Code J indicates a regular distribution made from a Roth IRA before age 59½.  If the amount of this distribution was equal to the amount of the excess contribution, it eliminates the penalty for this excess for 2017 and beyond and is tax and penalty free.

Despite being an excess contribution, the contribution for 2016 added contribution basis in your Roth IRAs.  Since contribution basis comes out first, tax and penalty free, in addition to your 2017 code J distribution eliminating the excess on 2017 Form 5329 Part IV, the taxable amount calculated on 2017 Form 8606 Part III will be zero.  Since only the taxable amount a code J distribution is subject to early-distribution penalty, there is also no penalty on this distribution.

[rftgjk]

@dmertz Thank you for your answer.