How do I report backdoor Roth IRA contributions made for previous tax year after receiving 1099-R?

The reporting for backdoor Roth contributions can be confusing! Let me clarify how this works. When you do a backdoor Roth IRA contribution, you're actually doing two separate steps: 1) making a non-deductible contribution to a traditional IRA, and 2) converting that traditional IRA money to a Roth IRA. These steps are reported differently on your taxes. For the non-deductible contribution part, you report the TOTAL amount you contributed for the tax year on Form 8606, regardless of when you received tax documents. So if you contribute $4,000 now and another $3,000 before the tax deadline (4/15/25), you'll report the full $7,000 on Form 8606 for tax year 2024. The conversion part (moving money from traditional to Roth) is what generates the 1099-R, and that's reported based on the calendar year when the conversion happened. So if you do both conversions in 2025, you'll get those 1099-Rs for your 2025 tax return.

I was in the same boat last year and discovered a service called taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) that was super helpful in sorting through my backdoor Roth reporting issues. I had like 6 different transactions throughout the year and was totally confused about how to report everything. Their system analyzed my 1099-Rs and other tax docs and walked me through exactly how to fill out Form 8606. It showed me that I needed to track my "basis" from my previous non-deductible contributions so I wouldn't get double-taxed. They even explained how to handle my mid-year contribution situation similar to yours.

I tried out taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here and wow - it was exactly what I needed for my backdoor Roth situation. I had been making contributions over 3 different tax years with conversions happening at different times and was completely lost. The system analyzed my previous tax returns, figured out my non-deductible basis tracking (which I had been doing wrong for 2 years!), and showed me exactly how to report everything correctly. It caught that I had been double-counting some conversions and potentially setting myself up for an audit. For anyone dealing with backdoor Roth contributions that span across tax years like the original question, I'd definitely recommend checking it out. Saved me from making more reporting errors and probably paid for itself in reduced audit risk alone.

If you're struggling to get answers from the IRS about backdoor Roth reporting, I highly recommend trying Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I had a complex question about my 8606 forms and couldn't get through to anyone at the IRS after trying for weeks. Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. You can see a demo of how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent was able to clarify exactly how to handle my backdoor Roth contributions that spanned different tax years, and confirmed that I needed to keep meticulous records of my basis to avoid double taxation. Much better than guessing or relying on conflicting advice online.

I need to publicly eat my words about Claimyr. After being super skeptical in my last comment, I decided to try it anyway out of desperation regarding my backdoor Roth reporting questions. Not only did it work, but I got through to an IRS tax law specialist in 45 minutes after trying unsuccessfully for WEEKS on my own. The agent confirmed exactly how to handle my situation with contributions made across tax years and gave me specific instructions for Form 8606. For anyone dealing with backdoor Roth reporting issues like the original poster, this saved me days of frustration. The IRS agent even noted something I was doing wrong with my basis calculations that could have caused problems later. Completely worth it.

Just to add another approach - I handle this exact situation by waiting to file my taxes until after I've made all my prior year contributions. Since the deadline for 2024 contributions is 4/15/25, I just wait until early April to make any final contributions, then file my taxes by the deadline with all information included. This may not work if you need your refund ASAP, but it eliminates the confusion of having to report contributions that came after your tax documents.

One important thing nobody has mentioned - you need to be super careful about the pro-rata rule if you have ANY existing pre-tax money in ANY traditional IRA accounts (including SEP or SIMPLE IRAs). The backdoor Roth strategy really only works cleanly if you have zero pre-tax IRA money anywhere.

Great question about timing! I went through this exact scenario last year and here's what I learned: You're correct that you can report the full $7,000 on Form 8606 even if you only have a 1099-R for $4,000 at the time you file. The IRS expects you to report ALL contributions made for the tax year, regardless of when you received the supporting documents. A few key points to keep in mind: 1. Make sure to designate your March contribution as a "2024 contribution" when you make it (your broker should ask) 2. Keep detailed records of both contributions with dates and amounts 3. The 1099-R you receive for the March conversion will be for tax year 2025, so you'll report that conversion on next year's return I'd recommend making your additional contribution and conversion before mid-March to give yourself some buffer time before the 4/15 deadline. Also, double-check that you don't have any other traditional IRA balances that could complicate the pro-rata calculation. The key is being consistent and thorough with your record-keeping - the IRS cares more about accurate reporting than perfect timing of tax documents.