How do I know whether I claimed the money in IRA in my tax return

[tianwaifeixian]

Here is my situation: Back in 2013, I contributed too much to my Roth IRA. I realized that when preparing the tax using turbo tax.  So I re-categorized to traditional IRA. This happened in previous year (2012) as well. And Turbotax prepare the form 8606 for me in previous year. So I thought it would do the same thing for me. Now I realized that the form 8606 is not in the final package of 2013. I know I can resubmit. But my question is: could it because I claimed the amount that being re-characterized to IRA by mistake and that's why Turbo tax didn't have the 8606 for that year? How do I figure out? Thank you!

[macuser_22]

If you properly recharactorized in 2013 and choose not to deduct the contribution then you should have a 2013 8606 with the non-deductible contribution on line 1.    Otherwise if you took the deduction instead then the contribution would be on the 2013 1040 form line 32.

[tianwaifeixian]

Thanks for your reply! I just checked. I do not see 1040 line 32 has any number for 2013. And I do not see 8606 either :( How could that happen? is that a bug of turbox tax?

[macuser_22]

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@tianwaifeixian wrote:

Thanks for your reply! I just checked. I do not see 1040 line 32 has any number for 2013. And I do not see 8606 either :( How could that happen? is that a bug of turbox tax?

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More likely, you failed to indicate in the IRA contribution interview  that you recharacterized the contribution.  Just file the missing 8606 now with an explanation.

2013 8606 https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/f8606--2013.pdf

2013 instructions https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/i8606--2013.pdf

Where to mail:  https://www.irs.gov/filing/where-to-file-addresses-for-taxpayers-and-tax-professionals-filing-form-1...

[tianwaifeixian]

Thank you!

[tianwaifeixian]

is there any way I can efile the missing 2013 8606 with this year's return? Or do I have to mail the everything in paper including this year's return, or should I efile this year's return and send 8606 via mail separately?

[dmertz]

You cannot now e-file a 2013 Form 8606.  It must be filed by mail separately from filing your 2019 tax return.

[tianwaifeixian]

Thank you! So I will need to efile my 2019 return and then mail a separate 2013 8606 form, right? Do I need to include anything else in the 2013 8606 form in mail?

[dmertz]

You can probably get away with filing just the Form 8606, particularly if you include an explanation statement indicating that the traditional IRA contribution was not previously reported on Form 8606 or as a deduction on Form 1040 line 32 at all.  Still, you could do the same on Form 1040-X to show that there are no changes to your filed tax return and Form 1040-X also provides a place for the explanation.

[tianwaifeixian]

Thank you! So are you saying that I don't have to submit 2013 8606. Instead, I just give explanation on this year's 8606?

[dmertz]

No, I was referring to the 2013 Form 8606 you were talking about mailing, the one you mentioned in your reply immediately prior to mine.  You must file the 2013 Form 8606, either stand-alone with an explanation statement or with your explanation provided on a 2013 Form 1040-X accompanying the 2013 Form 8606.

[tianwaifeixian]

Oh I see. Got it. Thanks again!