What's New for 2003.

   Until further guidance is issued, report after-tax contributions in the total amount rolled over in box 5.

An Item To Note

In addition, see the 2003 General Instructions for Forms 1099, 1098, 5498, and W-2G for information on:

• Backup withholding
• Magnetic media and electronic reporting requirements
• Penalties
• When and where to file
• Taxpayer identification numbers
• Statements to recipients
• Corrected and void returns
• Other general topics

You can get the general instructions from the IRS Web Site at www.irs.gov or call 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676).

Specific Instructions for Form 1099-R

File Form 1099-R, Distributions From Pensions, Annuities, Retirement or Profit-Sharing Plans, IRAs, Insurance Contracts, etc., for each person to whom you have made a designated distribution of $10 or more from profit-sharing or retirement plans, any IRAs, annuities, pensions, insurance contracts, survivor income benefit plans, permanent and total disability payments under life insurance contracts, charitable gift annuities, etc.

Also, report on Form 1099-R death benefit payments made by employers that are not made as part of a pension, profit-sharing, or retirement plan. See the instructions for box 1 on page R-5.

Reportable disability payments made from a retirement plan must be reported on Form 1099-R.

Generally, do not report payments subject to withholding of social security and Medicare taxes on this form. Report such payments on Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement.

Do not report amounts totally exempt from tax, such as workers' compensation and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) payments. However, if part of the distribution is taxable and part is nontaxable, report the entire distribution.

Military retirement annuities.   Report payments to military retirees or payments of survivor benefit annuities on Form 1099-R. Report military retirement pay awarded as a property settlement to a former spouse under the name and taxpayer identification number (TIN) of the recipient, not that of the military retiree.

Nonqualified plans.   Report any reportable distributions from commercial annuities. Report distributions to plan participants from nonqualified deferred compensation plans on Form W-2, not on Form 1099-R. However, report distributions to beneficiaries of deceased employees and distributions to plan participants from governmental section 457(b) plans on Form 1099-R. See box 1 on page R-5 and box 2a on page R-6.

Charitable gift annuities.   If cash or capital gain property is donated in exchange for a charitable gift annuity, report distributions from the annuity on Form 1099-R. See Charitable gift annuities on page R-5.

Life insurance, annuity, and endowment contracts.   Report payments of matured or redeemed annuity, endowment, and life insurance contracts. However, you do not need to file Form 1099-R to report the surrender of a life insurance contract if it is reasonable to believe that none of the payment is includible in the income of the recipient. If you are reporting the surrender of a life insurance contract, see Code 7 on page R-9.

Also report premiums paid by a trustee or custodian for current life or other insurance protection (PS 58 costs). PS 58 costs are not subject to the 10% additional tax under section 72(t). See PS 58 costs on page R-6.

Section 1035 exchange.   A tax-free section 1035 exchange is the exchange of (a) a life insurance contract for another life insurance, endowment, or annuity contract, (b) an endowment contract for an annuity contract or for another endowment contract that provides for regular payments to begin no later than they would have begun under the old contract, and (c) an annuity contract for another annuity contract. However, the distribution of other property or the cancellation of a contract loan at the time of the exchange may be taxable and reportable on a separate Form 1099-R.

These exchanges of contracts are generally reportable on Form 1099-R. However, reporting on Form 1099-R is not required if (a) the exchange occurs within the same company, (b) the exchange is solely a contract for contract exchange, as defined above, that does not result in a designated distribution, and (c) the company maintains adequate records of the policyholder's basis in the contracts. For example, a life insurance contract issued by Company X received in exchange solely for another life insurance contract previously issued by Company X does not have to be reported on Form 1099-R as long as the company maintains the required records. See Rev. Proc. 92-26, 1992-1 C.B. 744.

For more information on reporting taxable exchanges, see box 1 on page R-5.

IRA and Coverdell ESA Distributions

IRAs other than Roth IRAs.    Distributions from any individual retirement arrangement (IRA), except a Roth IRA, must be reported in boxes 1 and 2a regardless of the amount. You may check the Taxable amount not determined box in box 2b. But see the instructions for box 2a on page R-6 for how to report the withdrawal of IRA contributions under section 408(d)(4). Also see Transfers on page R-3 for information on trustee-to-trustee transfers, including recharacterizations. The direct rollover provisions (see below) do not apply to distributions from any IRA.

An IRA includes all investments under one IRA plan or account. File only one Form 1099-R for distributions from all investments under one plan that are paid in 1 year to one recipient, unless you must enter different codes in box 7. You do not have to file a separate Form 1099-R for each distribution under the plan.

Roth IRAs and Coverdell ESAs.   For distributions from a Roth IRA or a Coverdell ESA, report the gross distribution in box 1 but generally leave box 2a blank. Check the Taxable amount not determined box in box 2b. Enter Code J, M, or T as appropriate in box 7. You must enter Code 5, 8, or P with Code J and T, and 3, 4, 8, or P with Code M, if applicable. It is not necessary to mark the IRA/SEP/SIMPLE checkbox. For the withdrawal of excess contributions, see Box 2a on page R-6.

Roth IRA conversions.   You must report an IRA that is converted or reconverted this year to a Roth IRA in boxes 1 and 2a, even if the conversion is a trustee-to-trustee transfer or is with the same trustee. Enter Code 2 or 7 in box 7 as appropriate.

Conduit IRAs.   If you know the distribution is from a conduit IRA, follow these rules. If a distribution from a conduit IRA is paid to the participant, report the full amount in boxes 1 and 2a, and use Code 1 or 7 in box 7 depending on the participant's age. If a distribution from a conduit IRA is paid to the trustee of or is transferred to an employer plan, report the distribution in box 1, 0 (zero) in box 2a, and use Code H in box 7.

IRA Revocation

If a traditional or Roth IRA is revoked during its first 7 days (under Regulations section 1.408-6(d)(4)(ii)), the distribution from the IRA must be reported. In addition, Form 5498, IRA and Coverdell ESA Contribution Information, must be filed to report any regular, rollover, or Roth IRA conversion contribution to an IRA that is revoked.

If a regular contribution is made to a traditional or Roth IRA that later is revoked, and distribution is made to the taxpayer, enter the gross distribution in box 1. If no earnings are distributed, enter 0 (zero) in box 2a and Code 8 in box 7. If earnings are distributed, enter the amount of earnings in box 2a. These earnings could be subject to the 10% early distribution tax under section 72(t). If they are subject to that tax, enter Code 1 in box 7 for a traditional IRA or Code J in box 7 for a Roth IRA; if the earnings are not subject to that tax, enter Code 8 for a traditional IRA and Codes T and 8 for a Roth IRA. If a rollover contribution is made to a traditional or Roth IRA that later is revoked, and distribution is made to the taxpayer, enter in boxes 1 and 2a of Form 1099-R the gross distribution and the appropriate code in box 7 (Code J for a Roth IRA). Follow this same procedure for a transfer from a traditional or Roth IRA to another IRA of the same type that later is revoked. The distribution could be subject to the 10% early distribution tax under section 72(t).

If an IRA conversion contribution is made to a Roth IRA that later is revoked, and distribution is made to the taxpayer, enter the gross distribution in box 1 of Form 1099-R. If no earnings are distributed, enter 0 (zero) in box 2a and Code 8 in box 7. If earnings are distributed, enter the amount of the earnings in box 2a. These earnings could be subject to the 10% early distribution tax under section 72(t). If they are subject to the tax, enter Code J in box 7; if the earnings are not subject to that tax, enter Codes T and 8.

If you know that the taxpayer deducted the contribution to a traditional IRA, report the total amount distributed in box 2a and use the appropriate code in box 7.

If an employer SEP (simplified employee pension) IRA or SIMPLE (savings incentive match plan for employees) IRA plan contribution is made and the SEP IRA or SIMPLE IRA is revoked by the employee, report the distribution as fully taxable.

For more information, see Rev. Proc. 91-70, 1991-2 C.B. 899.

Deductible Voluntary Employee Contributions (DECs)

If you are reporting a total distribution from a plan that includes a distribution of DECs, file two Forms 1099-R - one to report the distribution of DECs, the other to report the distribution from the other part of the plan. Report the distribution of DECs in boxes 1 and 2a on the separate Form 1099-R. However, for the direct rollover (explained below) of funds that include DECs, file only one Form 1099-R to report the direct rollover of the entire amount.

Direct Rollovers

You must report a direct rollover of an eligible rollover distribution. A direct rollover is the direct payment of the distribution from a qualified plan (including a governmental section 457(b) plan) or tax-sheltered annuity to a traditional IRA or other eligible retirement plan. A direct rollover may be made for the employee, for the employee's surviving spouse, or for the spouse or former spouse who is an alternate payee under a qualified domestic relations order (QDRO). If the distribution is paid to the surviving spouse, the distribution is treated in the same manner as if the spouse were the employee.

An eligible rollover distribution is any distribution of all or any portion of the balance to the credit of the employee (including net unrealized appreciation) from a qualified plan (or tax-sheltered annuity but not from an IRA) except:

1. One of a series of substantially equal periodic payments made (at least annually) over:
   1. The life of the employee (or the joint lives of the employee and the employee's designated beneficiary),
   2. The life expectancy of the employee (or the joint life and last survivor expectancy of the employee and the employee's designated beneficiary), or
   3. A specified period of 10 years or more.
2. A required minimum distribution (under section 401(a)(9)). A plan administrator is permitted to assume there is no designated beneficiary for purposes of determining the minimum distribution.
3. Elective deferrals (under section 402(g)(3)) and earnings returned because of the section 415 limits.
4. Corrective distributions of excess deferrals (under section 402(g)) and earnings.
5. Corrective distributions of excess contributions under a qualified cash or deferred arrangement (under section 401(k)) and excess aggregate contributions (under section 401(m)) and earnings.
6. Loans treated as deemed distributions (under section 72(p)). But plan loan offset amounts can be eligible rollover distributions. See Regulations section 1.402(c)-2, Q/A-9.
7. Section 404(k) dividends.
8. PS 58 costs.
9. Distributions to a payee other than the employee, the employee's surviving spouse, or a spouse or former spouse who is an alternate payee under a QDRO.
10. Hardship distributions.

Amounts paid under an annuity contract purchased for and distributed to a participant under a qualified plan can qualify as eligible rollover distributions. See Regulations section 1.402(c)-2, Q/A-10.

Any part of an eligible rollover distribution that is not a direct rollover is subject to 20% income tax withholding. See Box 4 on page R-7.

Reporting a direct rollover.   Report a direct rollover in box 1 and a 0 (zero) in box 2a. You do not have to report capital gain in box 3 or net unrealized appreciation in box 6. Enter the applicable Code G or H in box 7. Prepare the form using the name and social security number of the person for whose benefit the funds were rolled over (generally the participant), not those of the trustee of the traditional IRA or other plan to which the funds were rolled.

If you receive a direct rollover to an IRA, you must prepare Form 5498. If you receive a direct rollover to a qualified plan or tax-sheltered annuity, no report is required.

If part of the distribution is a direct rollover and part is distributed to the recipient, prepare two Forms 1099-R.

For more information on eligible rollover distributions, including substantially equal periodic payments, required minimum distributions, and plan loan offset amounts, see Regulations sections 1.402(c)-2 and 1.403(b)-2.

Explanation to Recipients Before Eligible Rollover Distributions (Section 402(f) Notice)

For qualified plans, no more than 90 days and no fewer than 30 days before making an eligible rollover distribution (or before the annuity starting date), the plan administrator must provide a written explanation to each recipient (section 402(f) notice). However, if the recipient who has received the section 402(f) notice affirmatively elects a distribution, you will not fail to satisfy the timing requirements merely because you make the distribution fewer than 30 days after you provided the notice as long as you meet the requirements of Regulations section 1.402(f)-1, Q/A-2. You may provide the 402(f) notice more than 90 days before a distribution if you also provide a summary of the notice during the 90-day/30-day period before the distribution.

The notice must explain the rollover rules, the special tax treatment for lump-sum distributions, the direct rollover option (and any default procedures), the mandatory 20% withholding rules, and an explanation of how distributions from the plan to which the rollover is made may have different restrictions and tax consequences than the plan from which the rollover is made. The notice and summary are permitted to be sent either as a written paper document or through an electronic medium reasonably accessible to the recipient; see Regulations section 1.402(f)-1, Q/A- 5.

For periodic payments that are eligible rollover distributions, you must provide the notice before the first payment and at least once a year as long as the payments continue. For tax-sheltered annuities, the payer must provide an explanation of the direct rollover option within the time period described above or some other reasonable period of time.

Notice 2002-3, 2002-2 I.R.B. 289, contains model notices that the plan administrator can use to satisfy the notice requirements.

Transfers

Generally, do not report transfers between trustees or issuers (unless they are direct rollovers from qualified plans) that involve no payment or distribution of funds to the participant, including a trustee-to-trustee transfer from one IRA to another (unless they are recharacterized IRA contributions or Roth IRA conversions) or from one tax-sheltered (section 403(b)) arrangement to another.

IRA recharacterizations.   You must report each recharacterization of an IRA contribution. If a participant makes a contribution to an IRA (first IRA) for a year, the participant may choose to recharacterize the contribution by transferring, in a trustee-to-trustee transfer, any part of the contribution (plus earnings) to another IRA (second IRA). The contribution is treated as made to the second IRA (recharacterization). A recharacterization may be made with the same trustee or with another trustee. The trustee of the first IRA must report the recharacterization as a distribution on Form 1099-R (and the contribution to the first IRA and its character on Form 5498).

Enter the fair market value (FMV) of the amount recharacterized in box 1, 0 (zero) in box 2a, and Code R in box 7 if reporting a recharacterization of a prior-year (2001) contribution or Code N if reporting a recharacterization of a contribution in the same year (2002). It is not necessary to check the IRA/SEP/SIMPLE checkbox. For more information, see Notice 2000-30, 2001-1 C.B. 1266.

Roth IRA conversions.   A Roth IRA conversion is not considered a trustee-to-trustee transfer. You must report a Roth IRA conversion or reconversion as a distribution. Therefore, for an IRA that is converted to a Roth IRA, even with the same trustee, you must report the amount converted in boxes 1 and 2a. Use Code 2 or 7 in box 7 as appropriate.

SIMPLE IRAs.   Do not report a trustee-to-trustee transfer from one SIMPLE IRA to another SIMPLE IRA. However, you must report as a taxable distribution in boxes 1 and 2a a trustee-to-trustee transfer from a SIMPLE IRA to an IRA that is not a SIMPLE IRA during the 2-year period beginning on the day contributions are first deposited in the individual's SIMPLE IRA by the employer. Use Code S in box 7 if appropriate.

Section 1035 exchange.   You may have to report exchanges of insurance contracts, including an exchange under section 1035, under which any designated distribution may be made. For a section 1035 exchange that is in part taxable, file a separate Form 1099-R to report the taxable amount. See Section 1035 exchange on page R-1.

Transfer of IRA to spouse.   If you transfer an interest in an IRA from one spouse to another spouse under a divorce or separation instrument or QDRO, the transfer is tax free. Do not report such a transfer on Form 1099-R.

Corrective Distributions

You must report on Form 1099-R corrective distributions of excess deferrals, excess contributions and excess aggregate contributions under section 401(a) plans, section 401(k) cash or deferred arrangements, section 403(a) annuity plans, section 403(b) salary reduction agreements, and salary reduction simplified employee pensions (SARSEPs under section 408(k)(6)). Corrective distributions of an excess plus earnings are reportable on Form 1099-R for the year of the distribution regardless of when the distribution is taxable to the participant. Enter Code 8, P, or in some cases D, in box 7 to designate the distribution and the year it is taxable. Note: The total amount of the elective deferral is reported in Box 2 of Form W-2. See the Instructions for Forms W-2 and W-3 for more information.

If the excess and the earnings are taxable in two different years, you must issue two Forms 1099-R to designate the year each is taxable.

You must advise the plan participant at the time of the distribution of the year(s) in which the distribution is taxable and that it may be necessary to file an amended return for a prior tax year.

For more information about reporting corrective distributions see: the Guide to Distribution Codes on pages R-9 and R-10; Notice 89-32, 1989-1 C.B. 671; Notice 88-33, 1988-1 C.B. 513; Notice 87-77, 1987-2 C.B. 385; Rev. Proc. 91-44, 1991-2 C.B. 733 (SARSEPs); and the Regulations under sections 401(k), 401(m), and 402(g).

Excess deferrals.   Excess deferrals under section 402(g) can occur in 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, or SARSEPs. If distributed by April 15 of the year following the year of deferral, the excess is taxable to the participant in the year of deferral, but the earnings are taxable in the year distributed. Except for a SARSEP, if the distribution occurs after April 15, the excess is taxable in the year of deferral and the year distributed. The earnings are taxable in the year distributed. For a SARSEP, excess deferrals not withdrawn by April 15 are considered regular IRA contributions subject to the IRA contribution limits. Corrective distributions of excess deferrals are not subject to Federal income tax withholding or social security and Medicare taxes. For losses on excess deferrals, see Losses on page R-4.

Excess contributions.   Excess contributions can occur in a 401(k) plan or a SARSEP. For a 401(k) plan, if the withdrawal of the excess plus earnings occurs within 21/ months after the close of the plan year, the excess and earnings are taxable to the participant in the year deferred. But if the corrective distribution is made after the 2½-month period, or the excess contribution (not including earnings) (and excess aggregate contributions (not including earnings) in the case of a 401(k) plan) is less than $100 (de minimis rule), the excess and earnings are taxable in the year distributed. For recharacterized excess contributions, the excess is taxable in the year a corrective distribution would have occurred. (No earnings are allocated to recharacterized amounts.) For a SARSEP, the employer must notify the participant by March 15 of the year after the year the excess contribution was made that the participant must withdraw the excess and earnings. The excess contribution is taxable to the participant in the year of deferral and the earnings are taxable in the year withdrawn. If the excess contribution (not including earnings) is less than $100, the excess is taxable in the year of notification and the earnings are taxable in the year withdrawn. An excess contribution not withdrawn by April 15 of the year after the year of notification is considered a regular IRA contribution subject to the IRA contribution limits.

Excess contributions distributed within the 2½-month period are not subject to Federal income tax withholding or social security and Medicare taxes. But amounts distributed from a 401(k) plan after the 2½-month period are subject to Federal income tax withholding under section 3405.

Excess aggregate contributions.   Excess aggregate contributions under section 401(m) can occur in 401(a), 401(k), 403(a), and 403(b) plans. A corrective distribution of excess aggregate contributions plus earnings within 2½ months after the close of the plan year is taxable to the participant in the year the contributions were made. A corrective distribution made after the 2½-month period is taxable in the year distributed. Report the gross distribution in box 1 of Form 1099-R. In box 2a, enter the excess and earnings distributed less any after-tax contributions. If the total excess contributions and excess aggregate contributions distributed are less than $100 (excluding earnings), the distribution is taxable in the year of distribution.

A distribution made within 2½ months after the close of the plan year is not subject to Federal income tax withholding or social security and Medicare taxes. But amounts distributed after 2½ months are subject to Federal income tax withholding under section 3405.

Losses.   If a corrective distribution of an excess deferral is made in a year after the year of deferral and a net loss has been allocated to the excess deferral, report the corrective distribution amount in boxes 1 and 2a of Form 1099-R for the year of the distribution with the appropriate distribution code in box 7. However, taxpayers must include the total amount of the excess deferral (unadjusted for loss) in income in the year of deferral, and they may report a loss on the tax return for the year the corrective distribution is made. Therefore, if there are no employer securities distributed, show the actual cash and/or fair market value (FMV) of property distributed in boxes 1 and 2a, and make no entry in box 5. If only employer securities are distributed, show the FMV of the securities in boxes 1 and 2a and make no entry in box 5 or 6. If both employer securities and other property are distributed, show the actual cash and/or FMV of the property distributed in box 1, the gross less any net unrealized appreciation (NUA) on employer securities in box 2a, no entry in box 5, and any NUA in box 6.

First | Next

Instructions Index | 2002 Tax Help Archives | Tax Help Archives | Home