Our required minimum distribution calculator is easy to use. Simply fill in the following fields:
Account balance on December 31 last year: Enter the value of your retirement account on Dec. 31 of the previous year. This is the starting point for calculating this year's RMD.
Your age at the end of this year (Dec. 31): Your age determines the IRS distribution period used in the calculator.
Spouse is your sole beneficiary and more than 10 years younger: Marriage can affect your RMD if your spouse is your sole beneficiary and is more than 10 years younger than you. In that case, a different IRS life expectancy table applies.
A required minimum distribution, or RMD, is the minimum amount you must withdraw each year from certain tax-deferred retirement accounts once you reach a certain age. Traditional IRAs, 401(k)s, and similar accounts let you defer taxes while you save, but Uncle Sam wants his cut eventually. RMD rules require that some of that money be taken out, whether you need it or not.
To calculate your RMD, divide your retirement account balance on Dec. 31 of the previous year by a distribution factor from an IRS life expectancy table. The distribution factor is a number based on your age.
The factor gets smaller as you get older, which means you're required to withdraw a larger percentage of your account over time. For example, the Uniform Lifetime Table assigns a factor of 26.5 to someone age 73 and 20.2 to someone age 80. If you're 73 and had $500,000 in your account at the end of last year, dividing $500,000 by 26.5 gives you an RMD of about $18,868.
Most account owners use the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table to determine their distribution factor. However, if your spouse is your sole beneficiary and is more than 10 years younger than you, you'll use the Joint Life and Last Survivor Expectancy Table instead. Because your RMD depends on both your age and your account balance, you'll need to calculate a new amount each year.
Thankfully, our RMD calculator automatically finds the correct distribution factor based on your age and marital status, so you don't need to look up this information or do the calculation yourself.
There are several RMD rules to be aware of. Missing a deadline or withdrawing too little can trigger an additional tax.
July 1, 1949, through Dec. 31, 1950
If you were born from 1951 to 1959, your RMD age is 73. If you were born in 1960 or later, it's 75. You can delay your first RMD until April 1 of the year after you reach your RMD age. After that, RMDs are due by Dec. 31 each year.
However, if you wait, you'll be forced to take two RMDs in one year, which could increase your taxable income for the year significantly.
If you have several traditional IRAs, you'll calculate the RMD for each one separately, but you can take the combined amount from one or more of those IRAs. That flexibility doesn't extend across all account types, though. For example, an IRA withdrawal can't be used to satisfy an RMD owed from a 401(k).
Not all tax-advantaged accounts are subject to RMDs, though many are. Here's a quick rundown:
Roth accounts: Roth IRAs don't require RMDs while the original owner is alive. And since 2024, Roth 401(k)s and Roth 403(b) plans are also exempt from lifetime RMDs for the account owner.
Traditional, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs: These accounts all require RMDs once you reach your RMD age, even if you're still working.
Traditional 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), and other workplace plans: You can usually delay RMDs from your current employer's plan until you retire if the plan allows it and you aren't a 5% owner in the company. Because distribution rules can vary by plan type, check with your plan administrator before withdrawing money.
If you don't take your full RMD by the deadline, the amount you didn't withdraw can be subject to a 25% penalty tax.
So, if you fail to take out $4,000 for your RMD, you could get hit with $1,000 in additional taxes. You may also need to file Form 5329 to report the shortfall or request a waiver.
The tax can drop to 10% if you correct the mistake and report it properly. The IRS may also waive the tax if the mistake was due to a reasonable error and you're taking steps to fix it.
You can't skip an RMD once it's due, but planning ahead can help soften the tax blow.
Make a qualified charitable distribution: If you're at least age 70.5, money sent directly from an IRA to an eligible charity can count toward your RMD without being included in your taxable income.
Consider Roth conversions before RMDs begin: Moving some traditional retirement money into a Roth account can reduce the balance used to calculate future RMDs. Keep in mind that Roth conversions can be complicated and create taxable income in the year you make the conversion.
Take withdrawals earlier in retirement: Drawing down tax-deferred accounts early in retirement, before RMDs begin, can reduce future account balances and RMDs.
Think twice before delaying your first RMD: Taking it in the year it's due can help you avoid getting hit with two RMDs the following year.
Unfortunately, you still need to withdraw it. After paying any taxes, you can save or reinvest the money in a taxable account, spend it, or give it away. However, you can't roll the RMD back into an IRA or another eligible retirement plan.
Yes. An RMD is the floor, not the ceiling. Extra withdrawals don't count toward future RMDs, though reducing your account balance could lower the amount of future RMDs.
Most RMDs from traditional retirement accounts are taxed as ordinary income. However, if you made nondeductible contributions to a traditional IRA — meaning you contributed money without taking a tax deduction — part of your RMD may be tax-free because you already paid taxes on that money. Qualified charitable distributions can also be excluded from taxable income as long as you follow the IRS rules.
You'll owe an RMD for that calendar year based on your account balance as of Dec. 31 the previous year. You can take your first RMD that year or delay it until April 1 of the following year. But if you delay it, remember that your next RMD is still due by Dec. 31 of that same year.
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