In reporting the IRA Conversion to Roth, I am asked to report all previous contributions to my Roth. I don't have this information. Should I leave this blank?

[Mary-Vojtko]

I am being asked for my year end balance of my Traditional IRA which I am told is on the Form 5498.  The amount on my Form 5498 is my ROTH IRA balance.

[DanaB27]

You can find your traditional IRA value/balance on your end-of-the-year statement. If you cannot find it then please contact your financial institution for assistance.

You can also find the value of the Roth IRA on your end-of-the-year statement. Please enter the value of the Roth IRA when asked.

As far as Roth contribution, you would have to go back through your documents (look for Form 5498, IRA contributions each year) and record what you have contributed in the past. It can be important to know how much you contributed and withdrew if you ever take funds out before age 59 1/2. Contributions to a Roth IRA can be withdrawn anytime penalty- and tax-free but you will have to know your net contributions (contributions minus distributions). 

[Opus 17]

If for any reason you withdraw money from the Roth IRA before age 59-1/2, you will need to know your amount of contributions, because it will determine if the withdrawal is taxable. 

Your Roth IRA balance is divided into 3 classifications:

1. Direct contributions.

2. Rollovers or conversions.

3. Earnings.

You don't need to know your previous contributions to calculate the tax on the rollover, but Turbotax wants to know so it can keep track for you for the future.  Now is as good a time as any to go back into the records of your account and document all your contributions and previous conversions.  The Roth IRA custodian should be sending you a form 5498 each year documenting your contributions, or you can assemble bank records and so on.