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Level 4
posted Jan 16, 2021 5:54:41 PM

Turbotax 2020 saying I owe taxes on RMD returned per CARE act

Thinking there might be a bug in the Turbotax Home & Business. I entered my 1099 from TDAmeritrade with my 2020 Inherited IRA distribution, which I returned to TDA per rollover as instructed. Entered in Turbotax which told me I wouldn't have to pay taxes on this. And then entered tax owed in the red under the 'Federal Tax Due' section of the program.

 

Is there different way to enter this?

I was surprised TDAmeritrade even entered it in the 1099 as it was returned/rolled over, but assume that's just how it is recorded. Didn't receive a rollover notification from them (although never did a rollover before).

 

Thanks,

Adam

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1 Best answer
Level 15
Jan 16, 2021 6:50:07 PM

Because RMDs were waived for 2020, you must indicate to TurboTax that none of the distribution was RMD.  To correct this you must delete and reenter the 1099-R form.   Simply editing the 1099-R form in TurboTax and changing your answer to the RMD question will not work.

24 Replies
Level 15
Jan 16, 2021 6:50:07 PM

Because RMDs were waived for 2020, you must indicate to TurboTax that none of the distribution was RMD.  To correct this you must delete and reenter the 1099-R form.   Simply editing the 1099-R form in TurboTax and changing your answer to the RMD question will not work.

Level 4
Jan 17, 2021 6:04:18 AM

Thank you so very much, I deleted and redownloaded the 1099 from TDA and checked not RMD and rollover and that deducted that amount from income and subsequent tax owed. Appreciate it.

 

Adam

Level 2
Jan 18, 2021 11:48:32 AM

The solution of changing the categoriztion from the original 1099R is a work-around but the IRS will do a matching of the 1099R and they will not match. Is there a better solution to properly handle the RMD on the return?

Level 15
Jan 18, 2021 1:19:31 PM

The only aspect of this that may be considered to be a workaround is the need to delete and reenter the Form 1099-R if the question was originally answered as indicating that the distribution was an RMD.

 

Saying that the distribution was not an RMD is the correct and proper response, not a workaround.  Because RMDs were waived for 2020, even though the distribution was originally intended to be a RMD, it was not an RMD in the legal sense.  Saying that the distribution was an RMD is therefore a technically incorrect response except for cases where the distribution was to make up a missed RMD that was required to have been taken by the end of 2019 or earlier.  If the distribution was a make-up distribution for an RMD that was required to have been completed by the end of 2019, the distribution was not eligible for rollover.

 

Nowhere does a Form 1099-R say that the distribution(s) being reported on it are RMDs and nowhere does your tax return identify any distribution as being an RMD, so saying that the distribution was not an RMD cannot possibly result in any matching error at the IRS.

New Member
Jan 25, 2021 7:34:41 AM

I read your answers but it doesn't cover the situation where it was only partially returned. We initially took an RMD in January for $3K and another in February for $13K, which was then returned to the IRA appropriately per CARES act instructions and timeframe. The $16K is shown in both box 1 and 2a, but only $3K is taxable. How do I do this in TurboTAx? 

New Member
Jan 25, 2021 7:48:55 AM

Sorry, I didn't get through all of the questions in TT so it did allow me to input the required information to only include $3K as the taxable portion of the IRA distributions.

New Member
Feb 1, 2021 2:25:14 PM

This recommendation worked.  Thanks!

Level 1
Feb 2, 2021 12:36:08 PM

Yes Yes Yes.  Your suggestion works.  But I must say to TurboTax -- You have got to do a better job in dealing with this question.  I suspect that quite a few people gave back all or a portion of their RMD after the CARES act passed.  I spent way too much time in dealing with this issue!

Level 2
Feb 8, 2021 7:52:39 PM

Agree...actually TurboTax is MISLEADING, because it says saying that it is "uncommon" for the distribution not to be RMD.  For 2020, however, it should be saying the opposite, or have a popup with the explanation that's in this thread.  I fortunately only wasted about 15 minutes until finding the answer in this thread.

Returning Member
Feb 10, 2021 11:50:07 AM

I agree that claiming the 1099-R distribution is not an RMD in TurboTax is a workaround.  If a 1099-R is issued, the provider is reporting a taxable RMD was taken (per box 2a), so the tax return (when filed) will be inconsistent with the 1099-R and an flag could result.  If the 1099-R is entered in TT as received, there is a follow-up screen asking if the distribution was subsequently moved to another retirement account or returned to the same retirement account (a rollover if the account holder did it, or a transfer if the institution did it).  Click yes, and the following screen says that no tax is owed on the distribution.  However, the tax already taken in TT for the distribution is not backed out.  I suspect it's a software bug that will eventually be corrected.

Level 15
Feb 10, 2021 11:55:27 AM

The 'R' in 'RMD' is for the word 'required.'  Calling a distribution that is not required an RMD is a misnomer.

 

Where TurboTax asks if the distribution was an RMD, read the question as asking if this distribution was a required distribution.

Level 2
Feb 10, 2021 11:57:55 AM

You can say you "rolled over" the entire amount if you repaid it.  Then it will ask questions that will lead you to the answer "you do not have to pay taxes" on the amount you repaid.

Level 2
Feb 10, 2021 3:07:14 PM

Don't be tricked by that.  You've already been assessed the tax a few steps earlier, and although it says you don't owe, there's no recalculation to remove the tax.  (See similar comments above)

Level 2
Feb 10, 2021 4:08:48 PM

I suspect we will all be overtaxed unless TT addresses this issue...the opposite of what the Cares act intended.

But I continue to review the threads for a solution.

Level 15
Feb 10, 2021 4:15:53 PM

The problem is with TurboTax's misguided wording of the question, not with what TurboTax does with the answer.  Answered appropriately despite TurboTax's misleading guidance, the tax return can be prepared properly.

Returning Member
Mar 12, 2021 1:34:44 PM

Fix it please

 

Expert Alumni
Mar 14, 2021 2:17:18 PM

Please follow these steps to enter your 1099-R and RMD rollover:

 

  1. Login to your TurboTax Account 
  2. Click on the Search box on the top and type “1099-R”
  3. Click on “Jump to 1099-R” and enter your 1099-R
  4. Continue until "How much was a RMD?" and select "none"
  5. Continue "Tell us if you moved the money through a rollover or conversion" and select "I rolled over some or all of it to an IRA or other retirement account within the time limits (normally 60 days)"
  6. Continue answering the questions.

 RMDs were waived for 2020. You must indicate to TurboTax that none of the distribution was RMD. If you already enter the 1099-R as RMD and changing your answer to the RMD question doesn't work then you have to delete and re-enter the 1099-R form. 
  
You can verify your entry by looking at your Form 1040 line 4 or 5:

 

 

  1. Click on "Tax Tools" in the left menu
  2. Click "Tools"
  3. Click "View Tax Summary" in the Tool Center window
  4. Click on "Preview my 1040" on the left

 

If you are not seeing the RMD questions, temporarily change your age in My Info to 72 then input the 1099R.  Follow the screens to the RMD questions.  Change your age back when finished.

 

Level 1
Mar 14, 2021 9:10:30 PM

2020 RMD recaptured withholding taxes returned per CARE act

 

Returning Member
Mar 15, 2021 4:07:26 PM

If you enter a form 5498 into Turbo will it credit the number paid into a IRA to reduce tax basis by that amount of money. IF so that would reshape tax basis to correct. My IRA firm said that that is the why to reconcile to the correct tax basis. That form was sent to the IRS

 

Expert Alumni
Mar 15, 2021 4:40:00 PM

There is no where to enter a 5498 into TurboTax.  The form 5498 reports to the IRS IRA contributions, the market value of the account on 12/31, required minimum distributions amounts and dates, and rollovers.  Normally the 2020 5498 is not issued until after 4/15/21, as a taxpayer has until 4/15 to make a 2020 IRA contribution.  You can request TurboTax track your non-deductible tax contributions if you make a traditional IRA contribution that is not tax deductible.  When you start taking distributions from your IRA is when you will need the non-deductible contributions so to not pay tax on the non-deductible portion of the distribution.

Level 2
Mar 28, 2021 9:11:54 AM

A recent TT update has removed any ability to get the RMD questions shown.  I have deleted and re-entered the 1099R as well as temporarily adjusted my age to 72 but no additional questions from the interview after the initial was this an RMD questions is shown and the distribution remains fully taxed.  TT needs to get a simple and straightforward fix on this ASAP.

Level 2
Mar 28, 2021 10:29:16 AM

Found a fix.  This was an inherited IRA housed at Charles Schwab.  By unchecking IRA was inherited from Schwab, the proceeds from the RMD questions came back.  The Rollover (rollback) is now accounted for and shows on the 1040.

Level 4
Mar 29, 2021 12:10:25 PM

Just deleted both of my IRA distributions and re-downloaded them. Didn't check off box of RMD.  Checked off everything COVID as well as that I repaid the distribution. AND, my 1040 still shows the distribution and one-third of it as a taxable amount.

 

What is the solution and when will TurboTax fix this? Been a problem since December 2020!

Level 4
Mar 29, 2021 12:12:51 PM

Just deleted both of my IRA distributions (again) and re-downloaded them. Didn't check off box of RMD.  Checked off everything COVID as well as that I repaid the distribution. AND, my 1040 still shows the distribution and one-third of it as a taxable amount. Turbotax only told me that I didn't need to make early distribution penalty (which is not an issue anyway as would have been an RMD otherwise).

 

What is the solution and when will TurboTax fix this? Been a problem since December 2020!