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Level 6
posted Jan 20, 2021 8:33:33 PM

Claiming NJ Pension

I collected for my police pension 46k paid 2k in federal taxes, why when i enter on my taxes is it showing that i owe money ... how do i know how much of it is taxable it 2nd year being retired and have 2 dependents in school 

0 17 1078
17 Replies
Expert Alumni
Jan 21, 2021 11:20:58 AM

The total income on the tax return will be a factor on the amount you owe.  The pension taxable portion for the federal return will depend on whether you contributed any money to the police pension that was 'after tax'.  If not, then it will be fully taxable on the federal return. The total taxable income on the return determines your tax rate.  

 

Example:  If your taxable income on the return (line 15, Form 1040) is $30,000 your tax rate would be 10% (approximate).  This would mean $3000 tax liability. The withholding rate on your pension is approximately 4.3%. You may want to consider completing a new W-4P for your pension withholding.

 

For New Jersey, they have a Retirement/Pension Exclusion.  You can review more about this by visiting NJ Form 1040-2020 Instructions, page 19.

 

TurboTax will walk you through it.

Level 6
Jan 21, 2021 8:24:04 PM

still is not making sense to me tax return is 8700.00 then i add in his taxable pension that is 46k we paid 2k in federal outta monthly checks, then they take the whole 8700.00 plus the 2 k we already paid plus we would owe 680.00? how is that possiable that means we are paying over 10k in taxes on a 46k pension and 15k of it was a pension loan, so we only received 31k of that 

Expert Alumni
Jan 22, 2021 1:42:12 PM

If your taxable income is $31,000 (46,000 less 15,000 loan portion), then your tax would be less than $1,000, filing married-joint. You may have entered the pension income wrong, on the form 1099-R entry. You can see your form 1040 in TurboTax to see what the taxable portion of your pension income is on line 5 (b) of your tax return by using the following tabs in TurboTax online:

 

  1. Tax Tools (left side of the menu bar)
  2. Tools
  3. View Tax Summary
  4. Preview my 1040 (left menu bar)

If the taxable amount of your pension is wrong, you have to correct your form 1099-R entry.

Level 15
Jan 23, 2021 4:49:24 PM

If your NJ taxable income (Line 27) is $100,000 or more,

you lose the pension exclusion. It is all taxable.

 

You are back in the high tax State of New Jersey.

Level 15
Jan 23, 2021 7:41:57 PM

why is your tax refund 8700 before entry of the pension?

how does that happen?

Level 6
Jan 23, 2021 8:10:40 PM

hmm he has a part time job that he made 14-15k we paid 1400.00 in fed taxes i collected 17k in unemployment and paid the taxes on that, we have two children interest on home and taxes on our home and medical deductions.

when i add his 46k pension  it takes us to owing 640.00 it just don't make sense he is newly retired so we don't have state tax on it just federal tax on it for first 3 years. We also pay for a pension loan of 1280.00 a month outta the pension check so truly 15k of that pension money is paid back to the pension we dont even see that in monthly check

Level 6
Jan 23, 2021 8:11:25 PM

its NOT over 100k its about 77k 

Level 6
Jan 23, 2021 8:13:29 PM

on the 1099 r from pension it say gross 46,177.80 then taxable amount as 46075.56

Level 15
Jan 23, 2021 8:30:56 PM

The only thing I can say is the more income you enter the more tax you pay.  And each job, Unemployment, pension etc is only holding out enough withholding for that one thing.

Level 15
Jan 23, 2021 9:13:03 PM

There is currently a bug in TurboTax that doubles your taxable unemployment benefits.

ie from 17000 to 34000.

Check for that on form 1040 line 8

Level 15
Jan 23, 2021 9:29:03 PM

I just ran all the numbers you cited.

Without the child tax credits, the tax comes to 883 dollars.

 

If your children are over age 17 then the tax return you see is correct.

Level 6
Jan 23, 2021 9:30:58 PM

thank you and where can i check that double of unemployment?

Level 15
Jan 23, 2021 9:37:45 PM

Boy I blew it. You can ignore last post about trying your numbers and getting the same tax.

 Without seeing your actual tax return it is not possible to know what's happening.

 

Level 15
Jan 23, 2021 9:39:38 PM

UI income is on form 1040 Line 8

Level 6
Jan 23, 2021 9:39:42 PM

its all good, thank you for trying to figure it out 

Level 6
Jan 23, 2021 9:40:40 PM

just not sure how to view 1040 on turbo tax site🙄

Level 15
Jan 24, 2021 2:49:17 AM

Look for the "Preview my 1040" command.

 

Always print a copy of your completed tax return for your records, and review it carefully before e-Filing.
You will need it if you are audited by the IRS, or to amend if a TurboTax update changes your return or for any other reason,
SUCH AS, you find you made a mistake.
AND, to find your AGI next year.