New IRS Reporting Requirements for IRAs

In the 2014 edition of these forms, the IRS added some new boxes and codes pertaining to hard-to-value assets (or, as the IRS calls them, assets without a readily available fair market value).
The reporting regarding such assets was optional for the 2014 reports, but beginning with reports for the 2015 year it will become mandatory. It has always been the case that Form 5498 required the IRA provider to report the “fair market value” of the IRA as of the preceding year-end. However, except for a rule dealing with certain deferred annuities, the IRS has never provided any specific valuation rules for IRAs. Whatever may have been the case in the past, IRA owners and providers will need to take the annual valuation requirement more seriously in the future. The IRS’s interest in valuation relates to calculating the tax on non-cash distributions and determining the amount of the required minimum distributions.
Form 5498.
Form 5498 must be filed each year for every IRA and Roth IRA. In general, it provides the IRS with the following information:
- The name, address and federal employer identification number of the taxpayer and IRA provider;
- The fair market value of the account as of the prior year-end;
- What contributions were received in the account in the prior year; and
- Whether a distribution was required for the prior year (i.e., whether the IRA owner was over age 70½).
Beginning with calendar year 2015, an IRA provider must now report in new box 15a the fair market value of “assets held in an IRA that are not readily tradable on an established securities market or option exchange, or that do not have a readily available FMV.” In Box 15b, the IRA provider must place a code to indicate the type of non-tradable assets held in the account. A maximum of two codes can be entered in box 15b. If more than two codes apply, the then IRA provider must enter code H. The letter-code choices are:
- A — Stock or other ownership interest in a corporation that is not readily tradable on an established securities market.
- B — Short or long-term debt obligation that is not traded on an established securities market.
- C — Ownership interest in a limited liability company or similar entity (unless the interest is traded on an established securities market).
- D — Real estate.
- E — Ownership interest in a partnership, trust, or similar entity (unless the interest is traded on an established securities market).
- F — Option contract or similar product that is not offered for trade on an established option exchange.
- G — Other asset that does not have a readily available FMV.
- H — More than two types of assets (listed in A through G) are held in this IRA.
- Whenever there is a noncash distribution, the distributed assets must be valued so that the recipient pays income tax on the correct amount. The same is true for any “deemed” distribution, such as in the case of a Roth conversion or prohibited transaction.
- If the account holder is taking required minimum distributions (RMDs), then the total account value must be determined correctly in order to compute the required distribution.
- If the owner of the account dies, then the account must be correctly valued for estate tax purposes.
What the IRS can now police via Form 5498.
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