I need help with my IRA contributions

[rat5105]

I worked for two state universities this year. At one, I contributed to a TIAA retirement account. At my current employer, I contribute to a "Teacher Retirement System," which is the default retirement account for all employees. How should I file these contributions?

[PaulaM]

If you contributed to a retirement account via payroll deduction, then you won't enter these contributions in TurboTax. If you have entered your W-2 with all its box and code info, then you have nothing else to enter.

Contributions through an employer-sponsored plan are made with pre-tax dollars (except for 401k Roth). Pre-tax means that your wages were reduced by the contribution and were not taxed on the amounts.

However, if you made a Traditional IRA contribution, then you would enter the contribution into TurboTax. IRA's are initiated on your own outside of an employer through banks, brokerages, etc.