RMD Calculator
$0.00 required this year
| Age | Year-Start Balance | Factor | RMD |
|---|
How Required Minimum Distributions Are Calculated
The IRS requires most retirement account owners to begin withdrawing a minimum amount each year once they reach the applicable RMD age (currently 73, rising to 75 for those born in 1960 or later, under the SECURE 2.0 Act). Your RMD is calculated by dividing your account balance as of December 31 of the prior year by a "life expectancy factor" published by the IRS. This calculator uses the Uniform Lifetime Table, which applies to nearly everyone, including account owners who are unmarried, married to a spouse who isn't more than 10 years younger, or whose spouse isn't the sole beneficiary. If your sole beneficiary is a spouse more than 10 years younger, the IRS instead requires the Joint Life and Last Survivor Table, which produces a lower RMD because it's based on both of your life expectancies — this calculator switches automatically when you select that option, using a simplified version of that table.
A Common Pitfall: Missing the Deadline
Your very first RMD can be delayed until April 1 of the year after you reach RMD age, but every RMD after that — including that first year's, if you delayed it — is due by December 31. Delaying the first one means taking two distributions in the same calendar year, which can push you into a higher tax bracket. Missing an RMD deadline entirely triggers an IRS excise tax of 25% of the shortfall (reducible to 10% if corrected promptly), so most retirees are better off taking the first distribution in the year they turn RMD age rather than delaying it.
Plan Ahead With Your Other Retirement Accounts
RMDs are calculated separately for each account type, and the withdrawn amount counts as ordinary taxable income. If you're still deciding how to structure withdrawals across accounts, the retirement calculator can help you model overall retirement income, and the 401(k) calculator is useful for projecting balances in employer plans before RMDs begin. Note that Roth IRAs are exempt from RMDs during the original owner's lifetime.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age do I need to start taking RMDs?
Under the SECURE 2.0 Act, the RMD starting age is 73 for those who turn 72 after 2022, rising to 75 for people born in 1960 or later. Your very first RMD can be delayed until April 1 of the following year, but every year after that the deadline is December 31.
Why is my RMD smaller if my spouse is a beneficiary?
If your spouse is your sole beneficiary and is more than 10 years younger than you, the IRS lets you use the Joint Life and Last Survivor Table instead of the Uniform Lifetime Table. Because it accounts for both of your life expectancies, it produces a larger divisor and therefore a smaller required withdrawal.