Why is the software leaving box 4a on the 1040 blank? The total taxable amount is showing up in box 4b. I think this will be confusing to taxpayers.

[jvarnercpa]

This doesn't explain why pensions aren't reported in line 4a.

[Allan at Intuit · Accepted solution]

Please see the government instructions for Form 1040 page 28 and 29

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040gi.pdf

[IRonMaN]

"I think this will be confusing to taxpayers"

I think it has been confusing to a lot of tax preparers too, but nobody in Washington asked us.  While we are at it, where in the world would you find a tax preparer that would suggest putting a tax return on  a postcard and then have six pages of schedules attached to it?