Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Calculator

Required Minimum Distribution

$20,325.20

The Numbers

  • IRS distribution period for this age: 24.6

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Good to Know

The age at which RMDs must begin has changed recently under the SECURE 2.0 Act — 73 for most people currently, rising to 75 for those born in 1960 or later. This calculator uses the published IRS Uniform Lifetime Table and assumes a spouse is not the sole beneficiary and is not more than 10 years younger; those situations use a different IRS table. Verify your specific RMD age and table against current IRS guidance or a tax professional.

Disclaimer

This calculator provides estimates for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, medical, legal, or tax advice. Always consult a qualified professional about your specific situation.

How This Calculator Works

Your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) is the smallest amount the IRS requires you to withdraw each year from a tax-deferred retirement account once you reach the required age. Enter your age and your account balance as of December 31 of the prior year, and this calculator finds the required amount.

Accounts like Traditional IRAs and 401(k)s let contributions grow tax-deferred for decades, but that deferral isn’t indefinite — the IRS eventually requires withdrawals so it can collect tax on the money. The required amount is deliberately tied to your remaining life expectancy: younger retirees withdraw a smaller fraction of their balance each year, while the required fraction grows as you get older.

The Formula

RMD=Account balance (Dec 31 of prior year)IRS distribution period for your age\text{RMD} = \frac{\vA{\text{Account balance (Dec 31 of prior year)}}}{\vB{\text{IRS distribution period for your age}}}

The distribution period comes from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table — a fixed reference table, not a calculation. A smaller distribution period (used at older ages) produces a larger required withdrawal for the same account balance.

Worked Example

A $500,000 account balance at age 75:

  1. The IRS distribution period for age 75 is 24.6.
  2. RMD: $500,000 ÷ 24.6 ≈ $20,325.

At age 72, the same $500,000 balance would only require withdrawing about $18,248 (distribution period 27.4) — the required fraction grows every year as the distribution period shrinks.

Source: IRS Uniform Lifetime Table (Publication 590-B, Table III).

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I miss my RMD?

The IRS can impose an excise tax penalty on the amount you should have withdrawn but did not — historically as high as 50%, reduced to 25% (or 10% if corrected promptly) under the SECURE 2.0 Act. This is exactly why RMDs are treated as a mandatory deadline, not a suggestion.

Do Roth IRAs have RMDs?

No — Roth IRAs are exempt from RMDs during the original owner's lifetime, since the IRS has already collected its tax upfront on Roth contributions. This is one more factor to weigh in the Roth vs. Traditional decision alongside tax rates.

Which account balance do I use?

The account's value as of December 31 of the PRIOR year, not today's balance — this is what the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table calculation is based on. If you have multiple Traditional IRAs, you generally calculate each one's RMD separately but can withdraw the combined total from any one or a combination of them.