Repairing excess Rollover with Re-characterization?

[oldscoop]

Can IRA owner rollover error be repaired during current tax year cycle?

In February, 60 year old IRA owner takes $8,000 distribution.

In March, replaces funds as a “Rollover Contribution”.

In December, changes IRA custodians,

UNFORTUNATELY,

Original custodian sends check made out to IRA owner’s name (e.g. a rollover) instead of new Custodian’s name (e.g. a custodian-to-custodian transfer).

IRA owner deposits check in new IRA with Custodian B.

Since IRA owner has not completed tax forms for the year, can he remedy through re-characterization?

For example:

Re-characterize $6,500 of the $8,000 March Rollover Contribution as a Regular Contribution,

Withdraw the extra $1,500 as an excess contribution,

Deposit the extra $1,500 as a regular contribution to spouse IRA to mitigate the income tax?

Or are other remedies available, given that this is within the current tax year cycle?

[masteff]

Proposed strategy makes sense to me.

From what little reading I've done just now: If we could go back in time, we'd treat the $8000 as a Roth conversion, put it in a Roth account and then immediately recharacterize it back to a traditional IRA. But the proverbial cat is already out of the bag.