TT creating two 1040s with same 1099-R input. Which is correct?

[status]

I downloaded the 2023 desktop for Windows. I entered our 1099-R (taxable pension) data and other income. TT created a 1040 that showed entire 1099 amount in Line 5B. A refund of about $1,500. OK. The next day, I open TT and the refund displayed $25,000 with the 1099-R data is split between Line 5A and 5B. WTF? Close and reopen and the refund is back to $1,500. I'm convinced there's a tech problem. I called help desk three times. Did an uninstall and reinstall. Same issue. But not their problem. And one time the rep saw the refund change from 25K to 1500 just from navigating between pages with no change in data! Totally unexplainable. Again, not their problem. Really?

So, I'm reading IRS pubs and other sites. It sounds like my 1099-R should be entirely on line 5B. I used to trust TT but now question it. I've never seen values flip-flop like this before. What to do?

[VolvoGirl]

Did you finish filling out the 1099R section?  You have to keep going to the end of it.

If you edit or review a 1099R it does not keep your answers from before but resets them to the defaults. Then you have to go through and answer them all again.   So be sure to go all the way to the end of the 1099R section.  They are right unless you go back.  So you probably should go back and double check all of them.

 @dmertz any ideas?

[dmertz]

Is your Social Security number entered in the personal info?  TurboTax can due unexpected things if that has not been entered.

[status]

Thank you for your response. I will assume this was my problem. And to dmertz, yes, all demographic data was entered first. (Wish the TT help desk could have articulated this.) Although the TT refund display was disconcerting, this pushed me to read the IRS' 1040 instructions for line 5a and 5b so I now know the correct location for my 1099-R income. Thanks again!