What Is IRS Form 5498: IRA Contribution Information?

What Is IRS Form 5498: IRA Contribution Information?

IRS Form 5498: IRA Contribution Information is a tax form that reports individual retirement account (IRA) contributions, required minimum distributions (RMDs), Roth IRA conversions, rollovers, and the fair market value (FMV) of IRA accounts. The form is prepared by IRA issuers or trustees and submitted to the account holder and IRS.

Form 5498 should be filed with IRS by May since contributions to an IRA are allowed for the previous year through mid-April, before tax filing. The document is for informational purposes only and the recipient is not required to file it with their tax return.

Who Reports IRA Contribution Information on Form 5498?

Form 5498 lists contributions made to IRAs for the tax year of the form (if no contributions are made, then there is no entry). Reporting applies to the following accounts:

• Traditional IRAs
• Roth IRAs
• SEP IRAs
• SIMPLE IRAs
• Deemed IRAs

Deemed IRAs are employee contribution plans set up as traditional or Roth IRAs that are tacked on to an employer’s qualified retirement plan.

An IRA trustee or custodian sends Form 5498 to the IRS and taxpayers. It is required to be sent by May 31 following the year to which the contributions relate. Taxpayers don't have to include a copy of the form when they file taxes but should keep it with their tax records.

All copies of Form 5498 are available on the IRS website.

What's Included on Form 5498: IRA Contribution Information

1. IRA Ownership and Type

Form 5498 includes information (name, address, and federal identification number) about the trustee and includes the same type of information for the participant, who is the owner of the IRA. The type of IRA is indicated by a checkmark in Box 7 of the form.

2. Contributions

All IRA contributions for the year from all types of IRAs are added together, with the total entered in Box 1. Some types of contributions are then specifically broken out: Box 10 for Roth IRAs, Box 8 for SEP IRAs, and Box 9 for SIMPLE IRAs. Deemed IRAs are treated as regular IRAs and may be traditional or Roth IRAs.

3. Rollovers

Box 2 reports rollover contributions. Only one rollover is permitted within a 12-month period for IRAs, but there is no cap on the dollar amount of the rollover.

A taxpayer who claims a deduction that is greater than the amount reported on Form 5498 likely will receive a letter from the IRS referencing the discrepancy. The letter will ask for additional taxes, interest, and penalties for any tax underpayment resulting from the deduction in excess of the amount reported on the form.

4. Roth IRA Conversions and Recharacterizations

Box 3 reports conversions to Roth IRAs. The amount converted to this type of IRA does not limit the amount that can be contributed annually to an IRA, including a Roth IRA.

As of Jan. 1, 2018, you can no longer recharacterize conversions to a Roth IRA. However, you can recharacterize contributions made to one type of IRA (Roth or traditional) as having been made to the other type of IRA.

To do this, simply instruct the trustee of the institution holding your IRA to transfer your contribution amount plus earnings to a different type of IRA, either with the same trustee or a different trustee. Recharacterized contributions are entered in Box 4 of Form 5498.

5. Withdrawal and Distribution Information

Anyone who is 73 years old (for people born between 1951 and 1959) or age 75 (for those born in 1960 or later) must take the required minimum distributions from their account each year. This rule also applies to surviving spouses and minor children who inherit an IRA and elect not to roll it over into an account of their own or withdraw funds on a five-year schedule.

RMDs for the current year are based on the account holder's age and on the fair market value of the account as of Dec. 31 of the prior year. For example, the account’s value on Dec. 31, 2023, determines the RMD for 2024. This amount is reported in box 5 of Form 5498.

The form notes (via Box 11) whether an RMD is required for the year in which you receive the form—for example, the 2019 form notes whether an RMD is necessary for 2020. Form 5498 also reports the amount of the RMD that should be taken, based on certain calculations made by the trustee (Box 12b) and the date for the RMD (Box 12a).

To facilitate RMDs, the form is required to be furnished by Jan. 31 (or the nearest business day), showing the account’s value as of the previous Dec. 31. The form showing the value of the account as of Dec. 31, 2023, for example, must be furnished by Jan. 31, 2024.

IRA Taxable Distributions

If you took a distribution from your IRA of more than $10, you’ll receive a Form 1099-R: Distributions From Pensions, Annuities, Retirement or Profit-Sharing Plans, IRA, Insurance Contracts, etc. Information from this form helps you report the distribution and what portion of it is taxable.

The Bottom Line

The institution that manages your IRA will send you Form 5498 to report to the IRS any IRA contributions, rollovers, Roth IRA conversions, and required minimum distributions you made during the tax year. If you didn't make any contributions, you won't receive a form. You are required to file it by May 31 following the year to which the contributions were made. Always keep a copy of Form 5498 with your tax records.