Schedule K-1 (Form 1065), box 19
Box 19: Distributions
Money and property the partnership paid out to you. Generally not income by itself; it reduces your basis.
What box 19 reports
Cash and property the partnership distributed to you during the year. Code A is cash and marketable securities, code B is a distribution subject to section 737, code C is other property.
A distribution is not the same as income. A fund can pay you cash while reporting a tax loss in box 2.
Where it goes on your return
Basis records
The common case
In the common case a distribution is not reported as income when you receive it. It reduces your basis in the partnership. Tax software mostly does not ask for it, but your own basis records need it.
When it depends on you
A distribution larger than your basis can create taxable gain, and distributions of property other than money can require extra forms. See the Partner's Instructions.
Common codes in box 19
| Code | Title | Goes to |
|---|---|---|
| A | Cash and marketable securities other than for services | Reduces basis |
| B | Distribution subject to section 737 | See the Partner's Instructions |
| C | Other property | See the Partner's Instructions |
| D | Deemed distributions of money - decreases in your share of liabilities (2025 list) | Reduces basis |
Code letters and titles change between tax years: new codes are added and old ones are retired. This list is the 2025 list. K1 FastTax reads and exports only the code letter and the amount, so check the letter against the instructions for the year printed on your K-1 and against the partnership's attached statement.
A real example line
Below, a line written the way the document text arrives, run through the same reader as your upload. The reader matches the box number and the IRS label, then reads the amount, so it still finds the line when the scan is noisy.
| Line as the engine reads it | Box | Recorded value | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
19 Distributions A 8,000 | 19 | A 8,000 | Read |
Check before you enter it
- The capital account on the K-1 (Part II, item L) is not your basis. The K-1 does not show your outside basis.
- Box 19 appears in the CSV so you can total distributions across K-1s for your own records.
In the K1 FastTax output
CSV column: box_19_codes, for example A:8000. In the checklist a line looks like Schedule K-1 (1065) screen, box 19, code A. All CSV columns.
Official source
The IRS text for every box is in the Partner’s Instructions for Schedule K-1 (Form 1065). Use the edition for the tax year printed on your K-1, because box wording and code lists change.
Plain answers
Questions about box 19
Are the distributions in box 19 taxable income?
In the common case a distribution is not reported as income when you receive it. It reduces your basis in the partnership. A distribution larger than your basis can create taxable gain, and distributions of property other than money can require extra forms. See the Partner's Instructions for Schedule K-1 (Form 1065).
Do I enter box 19 in my tax software?
Tax software mostly does not ask for it, but your own basis records need it. K1 FastTax puts it in the CSV so that you can total distributions across K-1s.
What are the codes in box 19?
Code A is cash and marketable securities, code B is a distribution subject to section 737 and code C is other property. Newer K-1s can add more codes, and letters and titles change between tax years, so check the instructions for the year on your K-1.
Is the capital account on my K-1 the same as my basis?
No. The capital account (Part II, item L) is not your basis, and the K-1 does not show your outside basis. Keep your own basis worksheet and use box 19 as one of its inputs.
Why did I receive a distribution when box 2 shows a loss?
A fund can pay you cash while reporting a tax loss, for example because of depreciation. The two numbers are unrelated: the distribution is not income and the loss is a tax figure, not a statement about the cash.
Box 19 shows STMT instead of an amount. What do I enter?
STMT or an asterisk means the amount is on a statement attached to the K-1, so read the statement for it. K1 FastTax writes a code line that points to a statement as, for example, C:STMT, and adds the line to the review list, but it does not read attached statements.
How does K1 FastTax record box 19?
Each code and amount goes into the box_19_codes cell as a pair, for example A:8000, with several lines separated by semicolons. The plain box_19 column stays empty for coded boxes.
Is box 19 the same on a Form 1120-S or Form 1041 K-1?
On a Form 1120-S K-1 distributions are in box 16, code D. A Form 1041 K-1 has no distributions box.
Related boxes
Read box 19 from your own K-1
Free: 1 file per day, up to 10 pages, no account. Nothing is filed and nothing is entered into tax software for you.