1099r and box 2a is blank

[cipparulo12345]

Client has 1099-r. Box 1 gross distribution is $10,000. Box 2a taxable amount is blank. Box 2b taxable amount not determined is not checked. Box 5 employee contributions/designated roth contributions or insurance premiums is $10,000. Box 7 distribution code is 1d. This is from a non qualified annuity.
It appears that the taxable amount is $0. Why is box 2a blank and not $0? Should i dig deeper into this?

[Anarchrist]

The software used to print the 1099 doesn't print zeros. A lot of tax software doesn't print zeros. If zeros were printed, no field would be left blank.

[Rapid Robert]

Was this a total distribution?

The instructions for Form 1099-R give several specific cases where zero should be entered in Box 2a. This includes a designated Roth account (box 5) where the distrbution is a rollover. They also give an example of a designated Roth account (Box 5) where the taxable amount is slightly more than zero.

It may be true that some software (or more likely, the human operator of the software) doesn't print zeros when they are supposed to. But if you can easily determine that the total amount distributed consisted solely of after tax contribtutions or earnings, I would go with the missing zero amount.

[cipparulo12345]

yes she got $10000 distribution and it says box 5 $10,0000 contributuions (employee, roth contributions, insurance premium).I will follow up with her about her $10,000 contribution,