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Level 1

Solved

What do I do with money 1099-R box 9b

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
June 6, 2019
3 replies
0 views

I have an amount stated in that box. When Turbo asked a question on line 3 of simplified method, I put $0??

TurboTax Deluxe Online

Best answer by SantinoD

Expert Reviewed

Hi Thomas,

On my CSA-1099 R Form the Boxes are as follows:

Box 1- Gross Distrubtion: $49,006
Box 2a - Taxable Amount: Unknown
Box 2b - not listed
Box 3 - not listed
Box 4 - Federal Tax: $3,816

Box 5 - Employee Contributions/ ROTH Contributions or Insurance Premiums: $2548
Box 6- not listed
Box 7- NONDISABILITY
Box 8 - not listed
Box 9b - Total Employee Contributions: $10,163
Boxes 10-13, not listed

On the bottom of my 1099-R, it is stated: Gross annuity reduced by $2517 paid to (name of former spouse) under court order apportionment. Taxable amount not determined.

Based on this information, what is my taxable amount for 2a?

Thank you,
Steve

It depends, the reason box 2a is unknown on your 1099-R form is because based on the type of withdrawal you made and the type of retirement income, it can't yet be determined what amount is taxable. For Civil Service Retirement benefits, If the taxable amount isn’t calculated in Box 2, the Simplified Method to determine the amount taxable must be used.

To enter your CSA 1099-R:

Sign in to your account and open or continue your return
Search for 1099-R and select the Jump to link in the search results
On the Your 1099-R screen, select Yes and then Continue
- If you land on the Your 1099-R Entries screen instead, select Add Another 1099-R
At the import screen, select Type it in myself and then Continue
Select the CSA-1099-R option (verify the right spouse is selected, if applicable) and Continue to enter the information from your CSA 1099-R

After step 5, the program will begin the questions to determine the taxability.

Rest assured, TurboTax will guide you through a series of questions to help fill out the worksheet used to calculate if any amount is taxable.

Use this link to learn more Simplified Method

@stevemusacco

BillM223

Level 15

Box 9b on the 1099-R shows the amount of the employee "contribution" to the retirement plan.

"Basis" in a retirement plan is also called "cost" or "contribution". In a word, it is the amount of after-tax dollars that the taxpayer contributed to the retirement plan over the years while he/she was employed.

When the taxpayer retires, then the pension or annuity from the retirement plan begins. As the payments are made to you, each payment consists of a little bit of that "basis" and a lot of the money that the company is contributing.

You don't owe tax on the "basis" that is paid to you each period, because the "basis" is after-tax dollars that you contributed - and you don't get taxed twice on the same money.

The employer's contribution is, of course, taxable. This means, for example, that if a taxpayer received $12,000 in pension payments, that perhaps only $11,600 might be taxable if $400 of the payments were the return of the "basis".

There is a Simplified Method that determines the amount of "basis" that is included in each periodic payment, so that the return of the "basis" to the taxpayer is spread out over an actuarial life span.

If the taxpayer didn't make any after-tax contributions to the retirement plan (as is often the case), then the "basis" is zero, and each distribution from the retirement plan is 100% taxable.

Since you have an amount in box 9b, this means that you have basis in the retirement plan, and you want to enter that instead of zero.

I do not know which "Line 3" you are referring to, but when you enter the 1099-R, make sure to enter box 9b. And when you see the entry for "plan cost" in the Simplified Method interview, make sure that you put in the amount in box 9b, if it's not already there.

The result should be that the taxable amount of the pension should be somewhat less that the gross distribution, because part of the gross distribution was the return of a small amount of what was in box 9b.

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tim20

Level 2

If the Taxable amount is Box 2a is less than Gross amount in box 1 then they probably already reduced the taxable amount using the simplified method.

jhillman0425

Level 2

If the taxable amount in box 2a reads "Unknown", is this interpreted as, less than the gross amount? There is also an amount in box 9b

Kelis5

Level 2

How do I find out how much is taxable amount for box 2a for form 1099r with unknown is in my box

VolvoGirl

Level 15

Leave box 2a unknown....leave it blank. Then keep answering the follow up questions to determine the taxable amount. What code is in box 7? Why did you get the 1099R.

Hephz5491

Level 2

... code in box 7 is 4- death benefit ... its my survivor annuity ...I am a widow

gennywise69

Level 2

This is my confusion, in BOX # 5 My Employee Contributions it lists me as contributing $118.87 however, in BOX 9b shows an amount of 0.00 could this be an issue?

FangxiaL

Level 10

It won't be an issue.

If the box is not filled with any info, leave the box blank. Please refer to the IRS instruction for 1099-R regarding Box 9b: 2022 Instructions for Forms 1099-R.