Phone Number Required for 1099-R Input?

I'm working on my first 2019 individual tax return to be e-filed. I use Lacerte for individual returns. I am getting a critical diagnostic, stating that I must enter a phone number for the entity that issued the 1099R. There is no number listed on the 1099R. Has anyone heard of some new requirement? I must have missed something somewhere! Thanks!

I just got off of the phone with support. They are telling me that in order to e-file, we have to enter a phone number in the field. Are other software programs requiring this? Do any of the 1099R's you have received have a phone number listed? It appears to only trigger the diagnostic if there is federal withholding on the form.

The 2019 Form 1099-R on the IRS website shows that the phone number is required to be shown in the payer's name and address block. On the forms that I've seen so far, the payers aren't listing the phone number, so I've been going to their website and using the phone number found there.

Thank you Dave! None of the 1099R's I have seen have them listed either. It took me quite a while to find a number for the one that I was working with, but finally found it. What a pain this is going to be!

Haven't done too many 1040s yet, but I did have one with a 1099-R.

Ultratax did not have any diagnostics showing about a phone number being required. Haven't e-filed the return yet, but with no diagnostics showing up I'm assuming it will be okay without a phone number entered.

If you weren't able to find a phone number for the payer, I wonder what would happen if you entered the IRS's phone number, (800) 829-1040.

Drake Tax Software has provided an input area for payer phone number on the 1099 R screen but if you leave it blank there is no critical error or NOTE provided .

I checked the IRS instructions for preparing 1099 R and there is no information provided indicating a change in practice requiring the phone number to be reported

At one point the IRS e-file specifications were going to require the phone number, but they changed their minds about that. Lacerte may not have gotten the memo ... but seriously, with all of the retroactive nonsense that Congress in its infinite wisdom has decreed it can be no surprise if some of the software is caught flat footed and having a hard time keeping up.

When I go to the 1099-R input sheet with ProSystemFX and right click on the field for payor's telephone number, it states that a number must be provided in order to e-file. Strangely enough, the return is ready to e-file and the diagnostics do not show anything about the telephone number and do show the returns are ready to e-filed.

Thanks for all of the feedback on this! Interesting how everyone's software is handling this. I did try entering all zeros and the diagnostic goes away. If I can't find a number, guess I'll try that method!

I called Ultra-tax and they had no info. We just e-filed a 1099R with no phone number and it was accepted. Just another data point.