Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Calculator
Federal plus state bracket; RMDs are taxed as ordinary income.
About Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)
What are RMDs? The IRS requires you to withdraw a minimum amount from tax-deferred retirement accounts starting at age 73 (born 1951–1959) or 75 (born 1960 or later). The amount is the December 31 balance of the previous year divided by your Uniform Lifetime Table factor; the first RMD can wait until April 1 of the following year, but then two RMDs fall in one tax year.
RMD Calculation: RMD = Account Balance (Dec 31 prior year) ÷ Life Expectancy Factor
- RMDs must be taken by December 31 each year
- First RMD can be delayed until April 1 of the following year
- Failure to take RMD results in 25% penalty (reduced to 10% if corrected within 2 years)
- Roth IRAs do NOT require RMDs during owner's lifetime
- Each retirement account requires separate RMD calculation
- Traditional IRAs
- SEP IRAs
- SIMPLE IRAs
- 401(k), 403(b), 457(b) plans
- Inherited Roth IRAs (not original owner's Roth IRA)
Note: This calculator uses the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation, especially for inherited accounts or if your spouse is more than 10 years younger.
Calculate your required minimum distribution from a traditional IRA or 401(k) with the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table, the tax it will cost at your marginal rate, and a five-year projection of future RMDs.
Formula
Worked Example
The Uniform Lifetime Table's distribution period at 75 is 24.6 years, so the RMD is $500,000 ÷ 24.6 = $20,325. The period shrinks each year (23.7 at 76, 22.9 at 77), so the share of the account you must withdraw rises with age.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age do RMDs start?
At 73 for people born from 1951 to 1959 and at 75 for those born in 1960 or later, under the SECURE 2.0 Act. The first RMD can wait until April 1 of the following year, but then two RMDs fall into that tax year.
What is the penalty for missing an RMD?
An excise tax of 25% of the amount not withdrawn, cut to 10% if the shortfall is corrected within two years. File Form 5329, and ask the IRS to waive it if the miss was a reasonable error that you have fixed.
Do Roth accounts have RMDs?
Not for the original owner: Roth IRAs never have, and Roth 401(k)s have been exempt since 2024. Inherited Roth accounts do have distribution rules for most beneficiaries.
Common Mistakes
- !Taking the total RMD from a 401(k) for several IRAs: IRA RMDs can be combined and taken from any IRA, but each 401(k) must pay its own.
- !Using the Uniform Lifetime Table when your spouse is more than 10 years younger and your sole beneficiary; the Joint Life table gives a smaller RMD.