Accountant messed up Form 8606 - left out lines 7-12 and wrote "IRS PUB 590 Worksheet" instead

You're right to be concerned. Form 8606 needs to be completed correctly for a backdoor Roth, including lines 7-12 which document the conversion part of the process. Simply writing "IRS PUB 590 Worksheet" in the margin isn't proper documentation for the IRS. For a backdoor Roth, your Form 8606 should show your non-deductible traditional IRA contribution (around lines 1-6) AND the conversion to Roth (lines 7-12). Both parts are necessary to properly report the transaction and avoid double taxation. Regarding the IRA Deduction Worksheet - if you're doing a backdoor Roth, you shouldn't be taking a deduction on Schedule 1, Line 20. The traditional IRA contribution in a backdoor Roth strategy is specifically non-deductible, which is why Form 8606 is required in the first place.

I had a similar issue last year and discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which literally saved my sanity. After my accountant botched my backdoor Roth documentation, I uploaded my forms and they identified exactly what was missing on my Form 8606. Their system specifically flagged the conversion section (lines 7-12) as incomplete and explained how it should have been filled out based on IRS requirements. The analysis showed me that just referencing "IRS PUB 590 Worksheet" wasn't sufficient, and the report gave me the exact numbers that should have been on those lines based on my contribution and conversion amounts. I brought this to my accountant who fixed it immediately.

Just wanted to update after trying taxr.ai based on the recommendation here. Wow! I uploaded my tax return and it immediately flagged that my Form 8606 was missing the conversion reporting section (lines 7-12) just like the original poster's situation. The report even explained that the IRS PUB 590 Worksheet reference isn't a substitute for properly completing those lines. The analysis broke down exactly what should've been reported on each line and even explained the potential tax implications of the error. I showed this to my accountant who admitted he wasn't very familiar with backdoor Roth conversions. He's now filing an amended return with the correct information. Definitely worth checking out if you're in a similar situation!

I spent 3 weeks trying to get through to the IRS about a similar Form 8606 issue. Finally used Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) and got connected to an agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent confirmed that writing "IRS PUB 590 Worksheet" in the margins is NOT an acceptable substitute for completing lines 7-12 on Form 8606. They also verified that I needed to file an amended return to correct my form since backdoor Roth conversions must be properly documented on Form 8606 to avoid potential double taxation or questions during an audit.

I have to eat my words here. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try Claimyr since I was desperate to talk to someone at the IRS about my Form 8606 issues. I couldn't believe it actually worked! After weeks of trying to get through myself and giving up after being on hold for 2+ hours each time, I got connected to an IRS agent in about 30 minutes. The agent confirmed exactly what others have said - you can't just write "IRS PUB 590 Worksheet" in the margins of Form 8606. Lines 7-12 need to be properly filled out to document the Roth conversion. They also explained that incorrectly claiming a deduction for non-deductible contributions on Schedule 1 is a common error that could trigger an audit. I'm filing an amended return tomorrow. Totally worth it to get clear answers directly from the IRS.

As a heads up, I dealt with this exact issue last year. My accountant also didn't understand backdoor Roths properly. Here's what you need to know: 1. Form 8606 has TWO parts for backdoor Roths - first part reports the non-deductible contribution, second part (lines 7-12) reports the conversion to Roth. 2. You CANNOT take a deduction on Schedule 1, Line 20 for backdoor Roth contributions - that's the whole point of using Form 8606 to track your basis. 3. File an amended return ASAP. I waited and ended up getting a notice from the IRS requesting clarification on my IRA transactions.

Has anyone used the free fillable Form 8606 on the IRS website to create a corrected version? I'm thinking of preparing my own amended return but I'm not sure if I can just do the 8606 myself or if I need to redo everything.

I went through this exact same nightmare with my 2021 taxes! My accountant also left lines 7-12 blank on Form 8606 and tried to take a deduction for what should have been a non-deductible backdoor Roth contribution. What really helped me understand the issue was realizing that Form 8606 serves two purposes for backdoor Roths: Part I tracks your non-deductible contribution basis, and Part II (lines 7-12) reports the actual conversion from traditional to Roth IRA. Both sections are mandatory - you can't just reference a worksheet. I ended up filing Form 1040-X with a corrected Form 8606. The key things I had to fix were: (1) properly completing lines 7-12 to show the conversion amount, (2) removing the incorrect deduction from Schedule 1 Line 20, and (3) including a clear explanation of the backdoor Roth transaction. Don't wait on this - the IRS matching systems will eventually flag the discrepancy between your 1099-R (showing the conversion) and your incomplete Form 8606. Filing the amendment proactively shows good faith and helps avoid potential penalties down the road.