ex-spouse portion of military pension

[user17681479419]

My ex gets 10% of my military pension per divorce decree. It also states she is responsible for all taxes associated to it. It is less than $500 a month so no automated payments from DFAS, I physically write her a check each month for her share. So, I get paid, then I pay her. 
How do I subtract those payments on my taxes? That way it is deducted from me paying taxes on it and the IRS knows it went to her and she must pay the taxes. 

Last year I was told to subtract it under the Misc Income section, just add a "minus" sign before the total yearly amount and add in the comments her name, SSN, and why. 
Is that still the case? Seems like an off way of handling it. 

[rjs]

CORRECTION: SEE NEW REPLY BELOW.

The payment should be entered (as a positive number) as an "other adjustment" on Schedule 1 line 24z.

If you are using the TurboTax desktop software, go to forms mode and open the "Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR Worksheet" (abbreviated 1040/1040SR Wks). Scroll down to Schedule 1, then to Part II, Adjustments to Income, at the top of page 5 of the worksheet. Scroll down a little more to the "Other Adjustments to Income Smart Worksheet" between lines 23 and 24. On line G of the Smart Worksheet, enter a short description in the box on the left, and enter the amount on the right. The description and amount that you enter will appear on line 24z.

There is no way to make this entry in TurboTax Online. Because of that, you may have been advised to enter it as negative miscellaneous income because you were using TurboTax Online.

Here's what a TurboTax expert wrote about this a little over a year ago.

"Ideally, the subtraction for the amount you paid to your ex-spouse would be reported on Schedule 1, Line 24z - Other Adjustments.

"If using TurboTax Desktop, switch to Forms Mode and on the 1040/1040SR WKS, look for Other Adjustments to Income Smart Worksheet, Line G and enter Nominee 1099-R and the amount (as a positive value).

"TurboTax Online does not currently support this. Instead, you would need to enter it as Other Miscellaneous Income with a negative amount. Within the Miscellaneous Income, Other reportable income topic, answer YES to the question that asks Any Other Taxable Income? Enter 1099-R Nominee and a negative amount. It's going to be reported on Schedule 1, Line 3z - Other Income (as a negative). Not ideal, but accomplishes the reduction of your total income.

"Beware, if you have a state return that provides special treatment for retirement income, make sure it's not excluding / subtracting more than your portion of the DFAS 1099-R amount. This may require overrides using TurboTax Desktop."

[rjs]

What a mess! The answer that I posted above worked for 2024. On further investigation, I see that TurboTax for 2025 flags any entry on Schedule 1 line 24z as an error. It essentially says that line 24z shouldn't be used at all, except for something called Domestic Production Activities Deduction (DPAD). Even worse, entering miscellaneous other income (which goes on Schedule 1 line 8z) doesn't work. The question-and-answer interview lets you make the entry, and it puts the negative amount on Schedule 1. But it does not put the description that you enter on Schedule 1. It just leaves the description blank.

I'm afraid I really don't know what to tell you at this point. Maybe there will be a software update in the next few weeks that fixes the miscellaneous income entry. Otherwise I'm at a loss.

[user17681479419]

Thanks for the try. Yea, it's not really clear what they expect us to do in that situation. They didn't question my "Misc" entry last year so we shall see if it gets through again.