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I've used FreeTaxUSA for the last 7 years and ran into this exact problem. Here's the actual sequence in the current software: 1. Go to Income → Retirement/Social Security → IRA, Pension, and Annuity Distributions 2. Enter your 1099-R information 3. When asked "Is this a qualified distribution?" select NO (since you're under 59½) 4. In the next screens, it will ask if you've made any after-tax contributions to the IRA 5. Answer YES 6. It will then ask for your "basis" - this is where you enter your total contributions ($65k in your case) 7. The software should then correctly calculate that your $12k distribution is non-taxable The system is designed to handle this, but the navigation is definitely confusing. Also make sure you've completed Form 8606 in prior years if you've made non-deductible contributions.
This is EXACTLY what I needed! I found all these screens after following your steps. The key was answering NO to the qualified distribution question but then YES to the after-tax contributions question. FreeTaxUSA is now correctly showing the distribution as non-taxable on my draft 1040. I was stuck in a loop because I was looking in the wrong section entirely. Thank you so much for the detailed steps!
Glad to help! One more tip - save a copy of your Form 8606 each year as documentation of your contribution basis. The IRS can request proof of your contribution history if they ever question the tax-free status of your distributions. This happens more often than people realize with Roth accounts.
Has anyone tried switching to another software? I had a similar problem with FreeTaxUSA and ended up using TaxSlayer instead, which handled my Roth distributions much more intuitively.
I switched from FreeTaxUSA to TurboTax specifically because of IRA distribution issues. TurboTax is more expensive but definitely handles the Roth contribution withdrawals more clearly. They explicitly ask about basis and walk you through the process step by step.
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The way the QBI deduction was written into the tax code is super confusing! I'm an accountant (not tax advice!) and clients misunderstand this all the time. Here's a simplified explanation: 1. Business income from Schedule C, partnerships, S-Corps = QBI 2. §199A dividends on 1099-DIV = Also QBI, even though it's just investment income The confusing part is they both get the same treatment despite having nothing to do with each other. Congress basically created this special category of dividends that get preferential treatment. The 20% deduction applies to the combined total (subject to limitations). So your tax software is doing it right by lumping them together!
Do the income limits for QBI apply the same way to these §199A dividends? My accountant told me I make too much for the QBI deduction from my business, so I didn't even consider this dividend angle.
Yes, the same income limits apply to both types of QBI. If your taxable income exceeds the thresholds ($364,200 for single filers or $728,400 for joint filers in 2025), then limitations start to kick in. For §199A dividends specifically, the calculation actually becomes simpler at higher income levels. Unlike business QBI which gets complicated with W-2 wage and property tests at higher incomes, the §199A dividends are simply subject to the phase-out calculation without those additional tests.
Can someone explain why they called these §199A dividends in the first place? I always thought dividends were just dividends. What makes these special and how do I know if I have any?
They're special because they come from certain types of investments (mainly REITs and some mutual funds) that themselves qualify for the QBI deduction. Rather than keep the deduction at the company level, these companies pass the QBI benefit through to their shareholders. You'll know if you have them because they appear specifically in Box 5 of your 1099-DIV form. If that box is empty or has $0, you don't have any §199A dividends. Not all dividend-paying investments generate this special type.
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In my experience working at a tax prep office, there's another reason state refunds are slower: many states are simply more strapped for cash than the federal government. Some states (I won't name names) essentially use the float time on refunds as an interest-free loan to manage their cash flow, especially toward the end of their fiscal years. Also worth noting that identity theft prevention is a HUGE factor in state delays. States get hit hard with fraudulent returns and have implemented more manual reviews, especially for returns claiming certain credits or with unusual patterns compared to your previous filings.
Does that mean if my state return has something unusual compared to last year, it might be causing the delay? I did claim a renter's credit this year that I didn't claim last year because I wasn't eligible then.
Yes, that's exactly the kind of change that might trigger a manual review at the state level. A newly claimed renter's credit when you didn't have one before creates a pattern change in your return. It doesn't mean anything is wrong - it's just something their system flags for verification. Many states are particularly careful with credit claims since those are common targets for tax fraud. The review might be as simple as an employee quickly verifying the credit eligibility before approving. These reviews typically add 2-3 weeks to processing time but don't require any action from you unless they need additional documentation.
Does anyone know if filing earlier in the season makes state refunds come faster? I always file in early February and still wait forever for my state refund (Michigan).
In my experience, yes absolutely. I filed on January 29th this year and got both my federal and Michigan state refund within 2 weeks. My brother filed in late March and is still waiting on his Michigan refund almost 5 weeks later.
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One thing nobody's mentioned yet - for your business expenses, check your email! I thought I had lost all my receipts too until I searched my email for "receipt" "confirmation" "order" etc. Found like 80% of what I needed. Also check your accounts on websites where you bought stuff (Adobe, Amazon, etc) - they often keep purchase histories. And don't forget to check your cloud storage if you use Google Drive or Dropbox, you might have saved stuff there without remembering.
This is great advice but what about cash transactions? I paid some of my business expenses in cash and have literally zero proof. Is there any way to claim those or am I just out of luck?
For cash transactions, you're in a tougher spot, but not hopeless. Try to find any indirect evidence - ATM withdrawal records from your bank statements that align with when you think you made purchases, any notes or calendar entries about what you were buying or why. The key is reasonableness - if you can show a pattern (like you regularly withdrew $200 in cash every month for business supplies), that's better than nothing. Just be honest and consistent with your reconstruction, and only claim what you're confident you actually spent. And in the future, either keep receipts for cash purchases (even taking a quick photo with your phone works) or use a credit/debit card for better tracking.
FWIW I was audited last year for my small business and had pretty terrible records. The auditor was actually more reasonable than I expected. They allowed most of my expenses even with minimal documentation as long as they seemed reasonable for my type of business. They mainly focused on making sure I wasn't claiming personal expenses as business ones. So focus on being honest about what were legitimate business expenses vs personal. And definitely don't ignore the issue - reporting your income with reasonable expenses (even if documentation is weak) is WAY better than not reporting income at all!
This is reassuring to hear! Was there anything specific that triggered your audit? I'm trying to figure out what to avoid so I don't get flagged...
Amina Diallo
Have you looked at H&R Block's free version? I think they handle some investment income for free, but there might be limits. Worth checking out.
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Ava Martinez
•Thanks for suggesting H&R Block. I actually tried their free version first before TurboTax, but they also wanted me to upgrade as soon as I entered my 1099-DIV information. Seems like most of the big companies use investments as a trigger for their premium versions.
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Amina Diallo
•That's frustrating! These companies are really aggressive with their upselling. Maybe try starting at the IRS Free File page (https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free) instead of going directly to the tax prep sites. Sometimes the versions you access through the IRS have fewer restrictions.
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Oliver Schulz
Slightly off-topic but if you're making so little in dividends and trading profits, maybe look into tax-advantaged accounts like Roth IRA for your investments? Then you wouldn't have to report those dividends or gains at all!
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Natasha Orlova
•This is actually really good advice! I switched my small investments to a Roth IRA last year and it made my tax filing so much simpler this year. No more reporting tiny dividends and occasional stock sales.
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