U.S. · Tax forms
Form 8606 line 6, year-end IRA value.
What counts in the December 31 value, outstanding rollovers and repayments.
Line 6 is the total value of all your traditional IRAs on December 31, 2025, plus any outstanding rollovers. You subtract certain repayments of 2025 distributions that are treated as rollovers. It is the denominator that drives the pro-rata rule on lines 9 and 10.
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Result
What goes into line 6 (2025 instructions)
| Line | Meaning | What the IRS says |
|---|---|---|
| Year-end value | Value of all traditional IRAs on December 31, 2025 | A statement should be sent by January 31, 2026, showing the value of each IRA on that date |
| Recharacterized amounts | Contributions you recharacterized | Enter the total value after all recharacterizations, including ones made after December 31, 2025 |
| Outstanding rollover | A 2025 distribution received after November 1, 2025 and rolled over in 2026 within 60 days | Include it on line 6 |
| Rollover to a plan | Outstanding rollover from a traditional IRA to a qualified retirement plan | Do not include |
| Form 8915-F repayments | Qualified distributions from Part IV of 2025 Form 8915-F repaid in 2025 | Include on line 6 |
| Treated-as-rollover repayments | Repayment made in 2025 for a distribution made in 2025 | Reduce what you would enter on line 6 by the repayment. If zero or less, enter -0- |
| Repayment of an older distribution | Repayment in 2025 of a pre-2025 distribution | Do not reduce line 6 |
Why line 6 matters
Line 9 adds lines 6, 7 and 8. Line 10 divides your remaining basis (line 5) by that total. A bigger line 6 makes the line 10 decimal smaller, so a smaller share of a conversion or distribution is tax-free. That is why a large rollover IRA balance can undo a planned backdoor Roth conversion.
Rollover timing
The instructions define an outstanding rollover as generally a distribution received in 2025 after November 1, 2025 that was rolled over in 2026 but within the 60-day rollover period. The 60-day period can sometimes be waived by self-certification under Revenue Procedure 2020-46, which the instructions describe.
SIMPLE IRAs
The instructions note that a rollover between a traditional SIMPLE IRA and a qualified retirement plan or other IRA can only take place after the first 2 years of participation in the SIMPLE IRA. Publication 590-A has the details.
IRS example, worked
The instructions give this example: you received a $20,000 qualified disaster distribution on May 6, 2025 from your traditional IRA and made a $10,000 repayment on November 25, 2025. The value of all your traditional IRAs at December 31, 2025 was $50,000, with no outstanding rollovers. You enter $40,000 ($50,000 minus the $10,000 repayment) on line 6. For a plain case without repayments, such as a $93,000 total balance on December 31, you enter $93,000.
More Form 8606 line pages
Other pages in this set: Form 8606 Line 2, Form 8606 Line 8, Form 8606 Line 10, Form 8606 Line 14, Form 8606 Line 18, Form 8606 Line 25c.
Sources
- Instructions for Form 8606 (2025): the line-by-line instructions on this page. Page last reviewed or updated April 30, 2026. Read November 2, 2026.
- Form 8606 (2025): the printed line wording and arithmetic on the form. Read November 2, 2026.
Tax year 2025 edition. Line numbers and dollar limits are those printed in the 2025 instructions and form and change by year. Names in worked examples are made up.
Frequently asked questions
What goes on Form 8606 line 6?
The total value of all your traditional IRAs as of December 31, 2025, plus any outstanding rollovers, less certain repayments treated as rollovers.
What is an outstanding rollover?
Generally a distribution received in 2025 after November 1, 2025 that was rolled over in 2026 within the 60-day rollover period.
Do I use the value of every IRA I own?
The instructions say to enter the total value of all your traditional IRAs, not just the account you converted from.
Where do I find the year-end value?
A statement showing the value of each IRA on December 31, 2025 should be sent to you by January 31, 2026.
How does line 6 affect a Roth conversion?
It sits in the denominator on line 9 and so lowers the nontaxable percentage on line 10.
Not tax advice
This page summarizes IRS instructions, mostly written for the people who prepare the form, and is not tax, legal or financial advice. A CPA or an enrolled agent can confirm what a line means for your return. Everything runs in your browser; nothing you enter is sent anywhere.