Turbotax is asking me a lot of questions about the previous years taxable portion of my TRS pension that it should already know from prior years. Help!!

[apeticolas]

It's also asking me lots of questions about what sort of plan it is that it should also know from prior years. What is going on? Any help appreciated.

[JamesG1]

Does your IRS form 1099-R pension distribution report no entry in box 2a and/or report in box 2b Taxable amount not determined?

If so, the software is trying to determine the taxable portion of the distribution in box 1.  If you have reported the pension distribution in previous years, it wants to know how much has been applied in previous years to the cost basis in the pension (box 9b Total employee contributions).  It needs to know this when computing the taxable portion in the current year.

When entering the IRS form 1099-R, at the screen Who gave you a 1099-R, did you select Office of Personnel Management (CSA 1099-R) or Office of Personnel Management (CSF 1099-R)?

Follow these steps to report IRS form 1099-R: 

• Down the left side of the screen, click on Federal.
• Down the left side of the screen, click on Wages & income.
• Scroll down to Retirement Plans Social Security.  Click the down arrow to the right.
• Click Start / Revisit to the right of IRA 401K Pension Plan Withdrawals.
• At the screen Did you get a 1099-R in 2025?, select Yes.
• At the screen Choose all the situations that apply to you, make selection and Continue.
• You will be given options: 
•      to connect with your financial accounts, 
•      to upload your form, or 
•      type it in myself. 

See also this TurboTax Help.

[apeticolas]

Thank you for your reply, which I appreciate.

     Your answer would make a lot of sense IF the taxable amount in box 2a were blank. However, the gross distribution in box 1 is $22,708.08 and the box 2a taxable amount is $22,248.72, and I typed those in when entering the form I'm certain (though I will go back and check as well). That was why I was so flummoxed to be asked when TurboTax should not need this information. It seems that this year TurboTax is asking me this and other unnecessary questions (like whether the TRS pension or my TSP account are 403(b)'s, which I then had to go look up and say no to, but again are the same as last year and at least TSP (Thrift Savings Plan) Turbotax ought to know is NOT one without asking me.

     I don't recall encountering this hurdle in previous years.

[apeticolas]

Also, to the second question, I reported my  federal pension as  Office of Personnel Management (CSA 1099-R) .

[DaveF1006]

After entering your 1099R information and then selecting 'no" regarding the 403B information, there will be a screen that is labeled We found a few other questions about your situation.

1. In the first screen, say yes to periodic payments
2. Next answer yes or no if you started receiving payments in 2025
3. Then a question appears "For the years you received these distributions, was the total amount shown in the form the amount you paid tax on? for total amount taxable, say "yes"
4. Now 5A on your 1040 is the gross amount and 5B will match the amount that was reported in Box 2A on the 1099 R.