If my total 401k contributions for the year exceed the maximum allowable amount by $2, what do I need to do to avoid being penalized?

[DanaB27]

If you made an excess deferral to your 401(k) then you need to request to withdraw the excess deferral (plus earnings) with the plan administrator. 

Please be aware, if you do not take out the excess amount by April 15th, then you are taxed twice on the excess deferral left in the plan.  This happens once when you contribute it with the steps below and again when you receive it as a distribution. You can't include the excess amount in the cost of the contract even though you included it in your income.

If you take corrective actions and report it with the steps below then you can ignore the warning in TurboTax because you don't get a penalty for excess deferrals calculated on your return (unlike excess contributions to IRAs).

You will have to add the excess deferral to your wages with these steps:

1. Login to your TurboTax Account 
2. Click "Wages & Income" (under Federal) on the left side of your screen
3. Scroll  down to "Less Common Income" and click "Show More"
4. Scroll down to "Miscellaneous Income, 1099-A, 1099-C" and click "Start"
5. Select "Other income not already reported on a Form W-2 or Form 1099" and click "Start"
6. On the "Did you receive any other wages?" screen answer "Yes" and click "Continue"
7. Continue until you get to the "Any other earned income" screen, answer "Yes" and click "Continue"
8. On the "Enter Source of Other Earned income" screen select "Other" and click "Continue"
9. On the "Any Other Earned Income" screen enter "2022 Excess 401(k) Deferrals" for the description, enter the amount and click "Done".

If you receive the distribution of the excess deferral and earnings by April 15th then please note for the Tax Year 2023 tax filing due April 15, 2024: 

• 2023 Form 1099-R with code P in box 7 can be ignored if you reported the excess as described above in 2022. 
• However, the earnings on 2023 Form 1099-R with Code 8 in box 7 should be reported in 2023.

Please see Pub 525 for additional information.