I made a backdoor Roth conversion ($5500 IRA contribution followed by conversion) in March of 2018. How do I account for this on my 2017 return (I have no 1099R yet)?

[kelly-goshe]

Basically I want the conversion to be accounted for my in 2017 return (I was planning to make another contribution to my IRA followed by a conversion in after April 15th 2018 to get back on the same annual cycle).  Since the contribution and conversion were made after December 31st (but before April 15th), I thought I could file them with my 2017 return.  I could not however obtain a 1099 R for the conversion from Schwab because they told me they are released at the end of the calendar year.  

[macuser_22]

You don't account for it on a 2017 tax return.  You enter your non-deductible Traditional IRA contribution which will establish a basis in the IRA that will offset (or help offset) the taxable amount of the conversion when reported next year on your 2018 tax return.

2017 IRA *contributions* can be made before the April due date.    Any 2017 *conversion* must have been completed before December, 31, 2017.   A conversion  in March of 2018 is  2018 conversion and will be reported next year you your 2018 tax return.

[kelly-goshe]

Thank you - do I need to report anything for the IRA contribution in 2017 or can I just claim both the IRA contribution and the conversion on my 2018 taxes together?  Thank you!

[macuser_22]

Yes - you must report a 2017 contribution  on the 2017 tax return.  For doing a backdoor Roth you want that to be a non-deductible contribution that will be reported to the IRS on line 1 of a 8606 form.   Any other prior year non-deducible contribution (if any) on line 2 and the the total on lines 3 & 14.  In 2018 you will use that line 14 amount to offset the tax on the conversation.  TurboTax will attach the 8606 automatically when you enter a non-deductible Traditional IRA contribution.

Enter IRA contributions here:
Federal Taxes,
Deductions & Credits,
I’ll choose what I work on (if that screen comes up),
Retirement & Investments,
Traditional & Roth IRA contribution.

OR  Use the "Tools" menu  (if online version under My Account) and then "Search Topics" for "ira contributions" which will take you to the same place.

[tq_mtr]

Continue with questioner's situation: What if in 2018 he did another non deduction contribution to Trad IRA and turned around and did a backdoor conversion again, but this time the conversion is by 12/31/2018. How should this be handled for 2018 return?

[macuser_22]

@tq_mtr - same way.  Enter the contribution and the distribution/conversion on the 2018 tax return.

[IsabellaG]

See SuperUser macuser_22's response. Your deadline for the conversion was December 31, 2017. 

[Edit 04/04/18 2:39 PM]