Form 5498, IRA Contribution Information, is filed by the trustee or issuer of your IRA to report your contributions, rollovers, Roth conversions and the account's value on December 31. As of October 2026, for 2026 accounts the IRS copy and contribution details are due by May 31, 2027, which is why it often arrives after you've filed your return: contributions for 2026 can be made through April 15, 2027.
Nobody has to attach it to a tax return. It's an information return that tells the IRS what went into your IRA, so the IRS can match it with what you claim. Here's what the 2026 instructions say the trustee reports.
Who files Form 5498
The trustee or issuer files one for each person for whom it maintained any IRA during the year, including a deemed IRA. It covers traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs and SIMPLE IRAs. An IRA includes all investments under one plan, so three CDs in one IRA plan need only one Form 5498, but separate IRA plans with the same trustee need separate forms.
The form is filed even if required minimum distributions, or other annuity or periodic payments, have started. And when no contributions were made, the trustee still files it to report the year-end value.
What each box shows
| Box | What it reports |
|---|---|
| 1 | Traditional IRA contributions made in 2026 and through April 15, 2027, designated for 2026 |
| 2 | Rollover contributions received during the year |
| 3 | Amount converted from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA |
| 4 | Recharacterized contributions plus earnings |
| 5 | Fair market value of the account on December 31 |
| 8 | SEP contributions |
| 9 | SIMPLE contributions |
| 10 | Roth IRA contributions |
| 11, 12a, 12b | Whether a required minimum distribution is due for 2027, and its date and amount |
| 13a to 13c | Postponed or late contributions for a prior year |
| 14a, 14b | Repayments |
| 15a, 15b | Value and codes for hard-to-value assets |
Box 1 includes gross contributions, and the instructions say that includes excess contributions even if you withdrew them. So a figure that looks too high may still be right.
Why Form 5498 arrives in May
Because the deadline for contributions runs past the end of the year. Box 1 picks up contributions made through April 15, 2027 for the 2026 year, so the trustee can't give final figures in January. The timeline looks like this:
- By February 1, 2027: the trustee sends you a statement of the account value on December 31, 2026, plus any required minimum distribution details.
- By the same date: SIMPLE IRA trustees also send a statement of the account activity.
- By May 31, 2027: contribution information for all other IRAs reaches you, and Form 5498 is filed with the IRS.
If no reportable contributions were made, the February statement can stand in for Form 5498 as long as it carries a legend showing what's being filed with the IRS.
Deductible or not? The form won't say
Here's the part most people expect to find and won't: the instructions say trustees don't have to tell the IRS or you whether a contribution is deductible or nondeductible, and you don't have to tell them either. You work that out on your own return. If you're self-employed and paying into a SEP, the contribution sits in box 8, and our Schedule SE guide covers the self-employment tax side.
Rollovers on Form 5498
Box 2 is for rollovers received in the year: a 60-day rollover between IRAs, a direct or indirect rollover (within 60 days) from a qualified plan, 403(b) or governmental 457(b) plan, and certain other contributions treated as rollovers. Rollovers of property are reported at their fair market value on the date the trustee receives them. The paying side of a rollover shows up on Form 1099-R from the plan that paid it out.
Late and postponed contributions
Boxes 13a to 13c are for contributions made in the year for an earlier year, such as a postponed contribution allowed after a disaster or for military service. If contributions were made for more than one prior year, each year's postponed contribution goes on its own Form 5498. Box 14a covers repayments, for example of certain qualified distributions, so if you paid back a withdrawal you'll see it there rather than in box 1. A Kay Bailey Hutchison spousal IRA contribution is reported on a separate Form 5498 in the spouse's name and taxpayer identification number.
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What to do with your Form 5498
- Check box 1, 8, 9 or 10 matches what you paid in for the year, including any made between January and April 15.
- Check box 2 for any rollover you completed, and match it to the 1099-R from the old plan.
- Keep it with your tax records. You don't attach it to your return.
- If it's wrong, ask the trustee to correct it. The instructions tell trustees to correct errors as soon as possible.
If you made a large contribution and want to avoid a surprise bill elsewhere in the year, estimated tax payments are the usual tool for the self-employed.
The verdict
Don't wait for Form 5498 before filing. You know what you paid into your IRA, and the form simply confirms it to the IRS in May. Its real value is as a check: if box 1 or box 2 doesn't match your own records, ask the trustee to fix it before the IRS's matching letters do the asking for you.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Form 5498 to file my taxes?
No. It isn't attached to your return. It's an information return the trustee files with the IRS, and you keep your copy for your records.
Why did I get Form 5498 in May?
Contributions for a year can be made through April 15 of the next year, so contribution information is due to you and the IRS by May 31.
Who sends Form 5498?
The trustee or issuer of your IRA, for each person for whom it maintained an IRA during the year.
Does Form 5498 show if my contribution is deductible?
No. Trustees aren't required to report whether a contribution is deductible or nondeductible.
What does box 5 on Form 5498 show?
The fair market value of the account on December 31 of the year.
Is Form 5498 filed if I made no contributions?
Yes. The trustee still files it to report the year-end value, and it's required even if RMDs have started.
