Why are pension amounts reported on line15b instead of 16b? Why are IRA amounts reported on line 16b instead of 15b?

[dmertz · Accepted solution]

If you are asking why TurboTax would have put these amounts on the wrong line, it's because you either marked the IRA/SEP/SIMPLE box on TurboTax's form when it was not marked on the Form 1099-R provided by the payer or you did not mark the IRA/SEP/SIMPLE box on TurboTax's form when it was marked on the Form 1099-R provided by the payer.

[IreneS]

IRS designed the forms and dictates what is to be entered on those lines.  Pensions and IRAs are subject to different treatment in the eyes of the IRS.