Taxes on Roth Conversion Paid to IRS as an Estimated Tax Payment

[Mark-In-Chicago]

In May 2025, I plan to make a large Roth Conversion and have the financial company take out no taxes. I understand I can login to the IRS and pay the taxes within 60 days as an estimated tax payment for 2026. My friend, a retired CPA, said the IRS doesn't send you any for to show this at tax time. So my question is how would this be handled in TurboTax? I'd import the 1099-R from my investment company, but how would TurboTax know I paid the tax months ago? Where would I enter this?

[baldietax]

I assume you mean May 2026 - when you prepare your return you would enter estimated taxes under Deductions and Credits / Estimates and Other Taxes Paid

If you expect a significant increase in taxable income for 2026 due to the Roth conversion you may be better off paying fixed quarterly estimated tax based on 100% of 2025 tax (110% if 2025 AGI > 150k or 75k if filing MFS) rather than 90% of 2026 tax (see Form 2210 for the safe harbor calcs); with uneven ES payments you likely need to file Form 2210 AI method (in TT - Other Tax Situations / Underpayment Penalties) to show the uneven income vs. ES payments otherwise you may get a penalty for Q1 underpayment.   Without the AI method then by default IRS will assume your income was even thru the year, but ES applies to specific quarters so you may show underpaid for Q1.  To file AI method you have to calculate your AGI, withholding, qualified divs and LTCG by quarter which is extra filing work, and note the quarters for this method are uneven thru 3/31, 5/31, 8/31, 12/31.

If you are using TT desktop you can create a dummy return for 2026 using the 2025 s/w and play around with the numbers albeit with 2025 tax tables but will be in the ballpark and you can validate the Form 2210 calculations for your situation.

[NCperson]

@Mark-In-Chicago 

without getting into the complexities of Form 2210ai, if you do the conversion in May, 2026, the estimated taxes are due on June 15.  There is no "60 day rule" on estimated payments that I am aware of. 

completing form 2210ai will tell you the minimum amount due on June 15.