SSA-1099 Anomaly

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BluesH
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SSA-1099 Anomaly

Post by BluesH »

In 2017 I filed a restricted spousal claim for Social Security. When I reached age 70 in 2021 I filed a full claim, including delayed retirement credits. To muddy the waters a bit more, shortly after filing the full claim, I also requested voluntary withholding.

I just received my SSA-1099's in the mail. Yes, plural. It took me a while, plus some arithmetic, to figure out what was going on. Essentially, they issued one SSA-1099 for the first 10 months of the year for my restricted spousal claim. And another SSA-1099 for the final 2 months for my full age 70 benefit. The latter also showed the withholding. What was confusing is that both say simply that they're for 2021. Neither shows what months they're for - I had to figure that out from the various amounts.

I'm 99% sure that I need to add these amounts together for my 2021 1040. I'm writing this post to (a) ask for verification that this is how it works, and (b) to warn others who switched from restricted spousal to full claim to look out for two SSA-1099's.
jebmke
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Re: SSA-1099 Anomaly

Post by jebmke »

Yes, just add each box together and enter as if you got one.
Don't trust me, look it up. https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions-and-publications
chipperd
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Re: SSA-1099 Anomaly

Post by chipperd »

jebmke wrote: Sat Jan 22, 2022 5:46 pm Yes, just add each box together and enter as if you got one.
+1
"A portfolio is like a bar of soap, the more it's handled, the less there is." Dr. William Bernstein
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celia
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Re: SSA-1099 Anomaly

Post by celia »

BluesH wrote: Sat Jan 22, 2022 5:44 pm Neither shows what months they're for - I had to figure that out from the various amounts.
So, you figured it out. What’s the problem? Even if you couldn’t figure it out, you could call SS or just enter both into your tax return.
I'm 99% sure that I need to add these amounts together for my 2021 1040. I'm writing this post to (a) ask for verification that this is how it works, and (b) to warn others who switched from restricted spousal to full claim to look out for two SSA-1099's.
No, don’t add them together. Enter them individually and your software will add them together. This data will match what the IRS receives (2 SSA-1099s). And you will avoid a possible addition error. (Manual addition or subtraction is an easy and frequent mistake to make. Ask me how I know.)
:oops:
Topic Author
BluesH
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Re: SSA-1099 Anomaly

Post by BluesH »

celia wrote: Sat Jan 22, 2022 6:32 pm No, don’t add them together. Enter them individually and your software will add them together. This data will match what the IRS receives (2 SSA-1099s). And you will avoid a possible addition error. (Manual addition or subtraction is an easy and frequent mistake to make. Ask me how I know.)
:oops:
TurboTax only provides input boxes for each of the named filers. IOW, for MFJ, TurboTax only provides a set of input boxes for me, and another for my wife. So, at least for TT, jebmke is correct about how to deal with it.

Thanks everyone for your input.
jebmke
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Re: SSA-1099 Anomaly

Post by jebmke »

BluesH wrote: Sat Jan 22, 2022 6:36 pm
celia wrote: Sat Jan 22, 2022 6:32 pm No, don’t add them together. Enter them individually and your software will add them together. This data will match what the IRS receives (2 SSA-1099s). And you will avoid a possible addition error. (Manual addition or subtraction is an easy and frequent mistake to make. Ask me how I know.)
:oops:
TurboTax only provides input boxes for each of the named filers. IOW, for MFJ, TurboTax only provides a set of input boxes for me, and another for my wife. So, at least for TT, jebmke is correct about how to deal with it.

Thanks everyone for your input.
H & R Block (retail) and TaxSlayer Online (version used for TaxAide) also only provide one input set for SS. I've never seen a package with multiples.
Don't trust me, look it up. https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions-and-publications
Jablean
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Re: SSA-1099 Anomaly

Post by Jablean »

In TurboTax it's easy to right click and enter details and dollars on a line, so you could enter both forms or you could enter it as one form and do the right click to have TT do the addition for you.
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HueyLD
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Re: SSA-1099 Anomaly

Post by HueyLD »

jebmke wrote: Sat Jan 22, 2022 7:49 pm
BluesH wrote: Sat Jan 22, 2022 6:36 pm
celia wrote: Sat Jan 22, 2022 6:32 pm No, don’t add them together. Enter them individually and your software will add them together. This data will match what the IRS receives (2 SSA-1099s). And you will avoid a possible addition error. (Manual addition or subtraction is an easy and frequent mistake to make. Ask me how I know.)
:oops:
TurboTax only provides input boxes for each of the named filers. IOW, for MFJ, TurboTax only provides a set of input boxes for me, and another for my wife. So, at least for TT, jebmke is correct about how to deal with it.

Thanks everyone for your input.
H & R Block (retail) and TaxSlayer Online (version used for TaxAide) also only provide one input set for SS. I've never seen a package with multiples.
The instructions for the 1040 or Pub 915.

"Enter the total amount from box 5 of ALL your Forms SSA-1099 and RRB-1099"
jebmke
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Re: SSA-1099 Anomaly

Post by jebmke »

HueyLD wrote: Sun Jan 23, 2022 6:47 am
jebmke wrote: Sat Jan 22, 2022 7:49 pm
BluesH wrote: Sat Jan 22, 2022 6:36 pm
celia wrote: Sat Jan 22, 2022 6:32 pm No, don’t add them together. Enter them individually and your software will add them together. This data will match what the IRS receives (2 SSA-1099s). And you will avoid a possible addition error. (Manual addition or subtraction is an easy and frequent mistake to make. Ask me how I know.)
:oops:
TurboTax only provides input boxes for each of the named filers. IOW, for MFJ, TurboTax only provides a set of input boxes for me, and another for my wife. So, at least for TT, jebmke is correct about how to deal with it.

Thanks everyone for your input.
H & R Block (retail) and TaxSlayer Online (version used for TaxAide) also only provide one input set for SS. I've never seen a package with multiples.
The instructions for the 1040 or Pub 915.

"Enter the total amount from box 5 of ALL your Forms SSA-1099 and RRB-1099"
So which software packages have you input two SSA-1099s separately - that is, two separate input dialogs, one for each 1099? All the ones I have seen have one entry screen requiring you to add (either manually or with linked mini-spreadsheet) to report one number.
Don't trust me, look it up. https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions-and-publications
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HueyLD
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Re: SSA-1099 Anomaly

Post by HueyLD »

Jebmke,

That’s what a calculator is for.
jebmke
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Re: SSA-1099 Anomaly

Post by jebmke »

HueyLD wrote: Sun Jan 23, 2022 10:45 am Jebmke,

That’s what a calculator is for.
I think you are agreeing with me (see earlier posts). I was contradicting another poster (celia) who suggested entering multiple SSA-1099s in the software (which isn't possible as there are not multiples available in any package that I have seen).
Don't trust me, look it up. https://www.irs.gov/forms-instructions-and-publications
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