Pensions not included in 1040 Line 4a? But is included in Line 4b. Line 4b should not be > 4a. Line 4a should be all 1099-R B1, Line 4b sum of Box 2a.

[prtaylor56]

This has been my experience as well.  An agent told me they would request a fix, but I'm not even confident they understood the issue correctly.  By the way, while the override in Form 1040 Wks appears to fix the problem, that doesn't help because TurboTax will not allow overrides in an electronic filing.  This  problem is caused by a broken link in the TurboTax worksheet "1040 Wks".  The broken link is between Line 4 (Pensions and Annuities) and its data source (line 25 of the TurboTax worksheet named "1099-R Summary").  TurboTax needs to fix this, period.

[jsmileyz]

Irs accepted return with the line 4a error. The taxable amount in 4b was correct so I went for it.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for this update, jsmileyz.  Even though I think TurboTax is wrong, I will file the return as is.

[ga hiker]

Yes, thank you, jsmileyz. I'm still hoping that TurboTax is reading this site and will fix. I am also dealing with a TT bug in Georgia state return that I need them to fix so I can't file yet.

[ga hiker]

Turns out that TurboTax is correct! 🙂 From the IRS instructions for Form 1040: "If your pension or annuity is fully taxable, enter the total pension or annuity payments (from Form(s) 1099-R, box 1) on line 4b; don’t make an entry on line 4a." Seems crazy to me, but that is what the instructions say.

[Anonymous]

Here's the problem.  In previous years, IRA totals and pension totals were on different 1040 lines.  This year they are on the same 1040 line.  However, the values put on these lines by TurboTax are being pulled from a worksheet that still separates pensions from IRA's.  If, for examples, pensions are fully taxable, the total distribution for pensions show as zero.  If there are IRA's that are not fully taxable, a value appears on the total distribution for pensions.  When pensions and IRA's are added together to transfer to 1040, you get a nonsense figure on the total distribution line.  The IRS instructions seem clear to me.  In the case of multiple pensions/IRA's, all distributions should be added together.

[prtaylor56]

The TurboTax worksheet that is new for this year (1040 Wks) is in bad shape (broken links to data sources and incorrect references to the new Form 1040 Line numbers.)

That appears to be the root cause of the amount on line 4a being smaller than the amount on LIne 4b, which can't reasonably be the intent of the IRS on this new Form 1040.

This has been reported to TurboTax by myself and macuser_22, but even if they fix it, they may fix it in a way that leaves the same problem - because there are a number of people, some who work for TurboTax apparently, that subscribe to the notion that a literal interpretation of the IRS instructions requires this nonsense result on Line 4a.

They "explain" that multiple IRA's would require a total distribution on 4a, and so would multiple pensions, but a single IRA plus a single pension isn't really a multiple distribution, even when they are now reported on a single Line.  It is a mess: If you want more immersion in this mess, follow this other chain of messages:

<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/4576126-one-of-my-1099-r-amounts-is-not-being-added-to-line-4a-of-...>

[ga hiker]

Confusingly, ronlancaster's quote -- "More than one distribution. If you (or your spouse if filing jointly) received more than one distribution, figure the taxable amount of each distribution and enter the total of the taxable amounts on line 4b. Enter the total amount of those distributions on line 4a." -- is part of the instructions for IRAs but similar instructions are not given for pensions.

[arcollett]

I am seeing the same problem - the amount calculated for 1040 line 4a doesn't make sense based on the label of "IRAs, Pensions and annuities"for this line.

[ted7]

I have the same problem and it will not let me override line 4a.  At least the taxable amount is correct.  Turbo Tax needs to fix this.

[frankbaumert]

I did not catch the error before filing. The IRS used the number from 4a instead of 4b and recalculated my taxes. This resulted in a increased return that I now have to fix. I have tried to amend the return, but there doesn't seem to be a way to correct 4a.

[zbaba4]

OK. I posted earlier and forced TT to enter 4a &4b as I thought it should be (I unchecked the IRA/SEP box making TT see my IRA as a 401k). I got my refund correctly. HOWEVER, I went back and read the 1040 instructions. It does say to enter nothing on 4a if the entire distribution is taxable. So 4b can be larger than 4a. HOWEVER, HOWEVER...  I made a test input of an IRA that was not fully taxable and TT entered the gross into line 4b, WRONG. FYI, I tested TaxACT and they did 4a and 4b as most here interpret it (4a is gross, 4b is taxable) which I now think is wrong per the IRS instructions. Of course if 4b is correct, the IRS is happy, except for this NJ(?) post. What a mess.

[Bamboo]

@frankbaumert So sorry you have to clean up the mess! I hope you let TT know directly of this completely foreseeable problem.

[iamwhoiam]

I also wound up unchecking the IRA/SEP box like zbaba4 did.  I attempted to make changes on the 1099 worksheet and then the 1040 worksheet but just messed up parts of the state return and got a warning re: changing the 1040 worksheet and possibly having issues with electronic filing.  The only resolution would be to paper file or uncheck the boxes.  I had multiple distributions and part of one distribution was not taxable so I needed the information in 4a to be correct.  TT really needs to fix this.  I haven't filed yet but am planning to do so next week.    Hoping that making the change won't cause any issue but don't see how it will since the info in the tax return forms is correct.  

[iamwhoiam]

I looked back at the 2017 instructions and my 2017 return and the instructions also state that if there are multiple IRA distributions to add those on line 15a.  However nothing on that line on my 2017 return.  Not really a problem, though, because everything looks OK since the distributions and pensions/annuities were listed separately.   The distributions are not added to line 4a since the taxable amount is the same as the distribution amount (even though I have multiple distributions/separate 1099-R) but my pension is added since the taxable amount and total pension are not the same, line 4a is now less than line 4b and it really looks "off".
 I don't think that the IRS should have combined them for 2018 but  TT should have some kind of fix.