Where to find your Roth IRA contribution records

Your Roth IRA contribution history lives in three places: your brokerage account statements, the IRS Form 5498 that your financial institution sends you each year, and your own records of what you deposited. The easiest place to start is your brokerage's website or app — log in and look for a section called "Account History," "Contributions," "Transactions," or "Tax Documents." Most brokers show you every deposit you made, when you made it, and which tax year it counts toward.

If you cannot find it online, call your brokerage's customer service line. Have your account number ready. They can pull up a complete list of contributions going back to when you opened the account. This takes about five minutes and requires no special paperwork.

The IRS also tracks your contributions through Form 5498, which your financial institution is required to send you by May 31 each year. This form shows how much you contributed in the prior tax year. If you filed taxes and received a copy, check your tax return file or email — your tax preparer may have included it. If you cannot find it, you can request a copy from your brokerage.

Key Takeaways

  • Your brokerage account statements and online history show every contribution you made and when you made it.
  • Form 5498, sent by your financial institution each May, officially reports your contributions to the IRS for the prior tax year.
  • You can call your brokerage and ask them to print or email a complete contribution history at no cost.
  • Knowing your contribution total matters if you are trying to figure out how much you can still contribute this year or if you need to correct a prior-year mistake.

Why you might need to find your contribution records

The most common reason is to figure out how much you can still contribute in the current tax year. Roth IRA contribution limits are set by the IRS each year, and you cannot exceed them. If you have already contributed $4,000 and the limit is $7,000, you have $3,000 left. Your brokerage can tell you this instantly, but knowing how to find it yourself prevents mistakes.

Another reason is to track your basis — the total amount of your own money you have put in, as opposed to investment earnings. This matters because you can withdraw your contributions tax-free at any time, but withdrawing earnings before age 59½ usually triggers taxes and penalties. Keeping a running total of what you contributed helps you know what is safe to withdraw.

You might also need contribution records if you made a mistake — contributed too much, contributed to the wrong account type, or contributed in the wrong tax year. The IRS allows you to fix these errors, but you need documentation of what you actually did before you can correct it.

Reading your brokerage statement for contributions

When you log into your account online, look for a section labeled "Account History," "Transactions," "Activity," or "Tax Documents." Click into it and filter by transaction type — most brokers let you sort by "Deposits," "Contributions," or "Cash In." This shows you every time money entered your account from your bank.

The statement will show the date of the deposit, the amount, and sometimes a note about which tax year it counts toward. If the note is missing, you can figure it out yourself: contributions made between January 1 and April 15 of any year can count toward either that year or the prior year, depending on which one you choose when you file taxes. Contributions made after April 15 count toward the current tax year.

If your brokerage does not break this out clearly, download your full transaction history as a spreadsheet or PDF. Search for deposits from your bank account. Add them up by calendar year, and you have your contribution total.

Understanding Form 5498 and what it tells you

Form 5498 is the official IRS record of your Roth IRA contributions. Your brokerage must send it to you by May 31 of the year after you contribute. For example, contributions you made in 2024 appear on the Form 5498 you receive in May 2025.

The form shows several pieces of information: your total contributions for the year, any rollover amounts, any recharacterizations (if you moved money between account types), and your account balance as of December 31. The IRS receives a copy of this form, so your contributions are already on record with them.

You do not need to send Form 5498 to the IRS when you file your taxes — they already have it. You keep it for your own records. If you are trying to prove to the IRS that you contributed a certain amount, this form is your strongest evidence.

What to do if you cannot find your contribution records

Start by contacting your brokerage directly. Call the customer service number on the back of your statement or the contact page of their website. Tell them you need a complete list of contributions to your Roth IRA account. They will ask for your account number and may ask you to verify your identity. Within a few business days, they will email or mail you a document showing every contribution you made.

If you have switched brokerages, you will need to contact the old brokerage, not the new one. Your new brokerage can see contributions made after you transferred your account to them, but not contributions made before the transfer. If you rolled over money from an old account, that rollover will show up on your current statements, but the original contributions will be in the old brokerage's records.

If the brokerage is out of business or you cannot reach them, you can request a transcript from the IRS. Call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and ask for a "Roth IRA Contribution History." The IRS can pull this from the Form 5498 records they received from your brokerage. This takes longer than calling your brokerage, but it is a reliable backup.

Keeping your own contribution records going forward

The simplest method is to keep a spreadsheet with three columns: the date you contributed, the amount, and the tax year it counts toward. Update it every time you make a deposit. This takes 30 seconds per contribution and gives you a record that is entirely in your control.

Alternatively, save your brokerage statements as PDFs each quarter or each year. Highlight the contribution lines. Store them in a folder on your computer or in cloud storage. When you need to prove what you contributed, you have a timestamped document from an official source.

Many people also photograph or scan their bank transfer confirmations — the receipt you get when you transfer money from your bank to your brokerage. These are not as official as brokerage statements, but they are useful backup proof if you ever need to show the IRS that you actually sent the money.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see contributions made more than 10 years ago?

Yes. Your brokerage keeps contribution records indefinitely, and the IRS keeps Form 5498 records for at least seven years. If you need records older than that, contact your brokerage — they may have archived records available. The IRS can also pull old contribution data from their files if you request a transcript.

What if I contributed to a Roth IRA at multiple brokerages?

You need to add up contributions across all accounts. Each brokerage only knows about the account you hold with them. Add up the contributions from each brokerage's statements, and that is your total for the year. This matters because the IRS limit applies to all your Roth IRAs combined, not per account.

Does my contribution show up on my tax return?

Not directly. Roth IRA contributions are made with after-tax money, so you do not deduct them on your tax return the way you do with a traditional IRA. However, if you made a contribution and then withdrew it in the same year, you may need to report that. Your tax preparer can advise you on whether your specific situation requires any tax return entry.

What if my brokerage says I contributed more than I remember?

Check your bank statements from that year. Search for transfers to your brokerage and add them up. If the brokerage total matches your bank records, the brokerage is correct — you may have simply forgotten about a contribution. If the numbers do not match, contact the brokerage and ask them to explain the difference.