RMD Calculator: Required Minimum Distribution Calculator 2026

What Is a Required Minimum Distribution Calculator?

A Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Calculator helps retirement account holders determine the exact minimum amount the IRS requires them to withdraw from their tax-deferred retirement accounts each year. Congress created the RMD rules to ensure that money invested in tax-advantaged retirement accounts — such as Traditional IRAs, 401(k) plans, and 403(b) plans — is eventually distributed and subject to income tax. Without RMD rules, savers could theoretically shelter their wealth from taxes indefinitely, which the tax code does not allow.

Under the SECURE Act 2.0 (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023), the RMD starting age increased to 73 for individuals born between 1951 and 1959, and will rise to 75 for those born in 1960 or later (effective 2033). This is a significant change from the prior age of 72, giving retirees more years of tax-deferred growth before distributions become mandatory.

The RMD formula itself is straightforward: you divide your prior year-end account balance by an IRS-provided life expectancy factor. However, choosing the correct IRS life expectancy table — Uniform Lifetime, Joint and Last Survivor, or Single Life Expectancy — is where many retirees make costly errors. Using the wrong table can result in taking either more or less than required, triggering penalties or forfeiting years of additional tax-deferred growth. Our calculator guides you through these choices and shows your exact obligation based on the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table and SECURE Act 2.0 rules.

For retirees managing multiple income sources, consider also using our Annual Income Calculator to understand how your RMD will affect your total taxable income for the year.

How to Use the RMD Calculator

Follow these steps to calculate your required minimum distribution accurately:

Step 1 — Enter your prior year-end account balance. Use the fair market value of your account as of December 31 of the prior calendar year. Your financial institution typically provides this figure on your year-end account statement. If you have multiple accounts of the same type (for example, several Traditional IRAs), you can aggregate the balances and calculate a combined RMD — then withdraw from any account or combination of accounts you choose.

Step 2 — Enter your age. Enter your age as of December 31 of the current distribution year. The IRS uses your age on your birthday in the calendar year, not your age on January 1. A person who turns 75 in October is considered age 75 for the entire distribution year.

Step 3 — Select your account type. Choose the type of retirement account you are calculating the RMD for. This affects the applicable rules and deadline context. Note that 401(k) plans have a “still-working” exception; IRA accounts do not.

Step 4 — Select the applicable IRS life expectancy table. Most account owners use the Uniform Lifetime Table. If your sole beneficiary is a spouse who is more than 10 years younger than you, select the Joint and Last Survivor Table and enter your spouse’s age. For inherited IRA beneficiaries calculating distributions from an account they inherited, select the Single Life Expectancy Table and enter the beneficiary’s age.

Step 5 — Review your results. The calculator displays your required distribution amount, the distribution period used, your RMD deadline, and the estimated penalty if you miss the distribution. If you have a prior year missed RMD, enter that amount to see the penalty on the shortfall.

What Is a Required Minimum Distribution?

A Required Minimum Distribution is the minimum dollar amount the IRS mandates you withdraw from certain tax-deferred retirement accounts each year once you reach the applicable RMD age. The underlying logic is straightforward: contributions to Traditional IRAs, 401(k) plans, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, 403(b) plans, and 457(b) plans were made with pre-tax dollars — meaning the government deferred your income tax at the time of contribution. RMDs are the mechanism by which the IRS collects that deferred tax. Each withdrawal you take is added to your ordinary taxable income for that year.

Accounts that require RMDs include Traditional IRAs (and Rollover IRAs), SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, traditional 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, and governmental 457(b) plans. Inherited IRAs — even Roth IRAs that were inherited — also require distributions under either the 10-year rule or the life expectancy method, depending on the beneficiary’s relationship to the original owner.

Accounts that do NOT require RMDs during the owner’s lifetime include Roth IRAs. Beginning in 2024, the SECURE Act 2.0 also eliminated RMD requirements from Roth 401(k) and Roth 403(b) accounts, eliminating a long-standing disparity between Roth IRAs and Roth workplace accounts. This change makes Roth 401(k) contributions even more attractive for high earners who want maximum long-term tax-free growth.

The RMD amount generally grows as a percentage of your account balance as you age, because the IRS distribution period (life expectancy factor) shrinks each year. At age 73, the distribution period is 26.5 years, representing roughly 3.77% of your account balance. By age 85, the factor drops to 16.0, requiring approximately 6.25% of your balance. By age 90, you must distribute nearly 8.2% annually.

Understanding how your RMD will be taxed is important for retirement cash flow planning. Use our Gross to Net Calculator to estimate how your additional RMD income will affect your effective tax rate and net take-home amount after federal and state taxes.

RMD Deadlines and the Required Beginning Date

The Required Beginning Date (RBD) is the deadline by which you must take your very first RMD:

• Traditional IRAs, SEP IRAs, and SIMPLE IRAs: April 1 of the year following the year you reach your RMD age (73 or 75).
• 401(k), 403(b), and 457(b) plans: April 1 of the year following the later of (a) the year you reach your RMD age, or (b) the year you retire — if your plan allows the still-working exception and you are not a 5% or greater owner of the company.

All subsequent annual RMDs — from the second year onward — must be taken by December 31 of each distribution year, without exception.

The double-RMD trap: If you delay your first RMD until April 1 of the following year, you still owe your second RMD by December 31 of that same year. This means two RMD amounts will be added to your taxable income in a single calendar year, which could push you into a higher tax bracket, increase your Medicare Part B and D premiums (through IRMAA surcharges), reduce Roth conversion opportunities, or phase out other deductions and credits. Most financial advisors recommend taking the first RMD by December 31 of the year you reach RMD age to smooth out the tax impact.

For employer plan accounts, the still-working exception offers an important planning opportunity. A 74-year-old who continues working for their employer (and owns less than 5% of the company) can delay RMDs from that employer’s 401(k) until the year they actually retire — even if they are already taking RMDs from their IRAs. This exception does not apply to old 401(k) plans from former employers.

The Three IRS Life Expectancy Tables

The IRS provides three life expectancy tables, effective January 1, 2022, under T.D. 9930 (IRS Reg. 1.401(a)(9)-9). These updated tables use the 2012 mortality experience study and contain longer life expectancy factors than the prior tables — resulting in smaller required distributions across the board.

Table I — Uniform Lifetime Table (IRS Reg. 1.401(a)(9)-9(c)): This is the default table used by the overwhelming majority of account owners. It is a single-factor table indexed by the account owner’s age. At age 73, the factor is 26.5. At age 80, it is 20.2. At age 90, it is 12.2. This table assumes a hypothetical joint life expectancy — it’s constructed as if you had a beneficiary exactly 10 years younger — which is why it gives a longer distribution period than looking only at your own single life expectancy.

Table II — Joint and Last Survivor Table (IRS Reg. 1.401(a)(9)-9(d)): Use this table only when your sole beneficiary is a spouse who is more than 10 years younger than you. It is a two-dimensional table indexed by both the owner’s age and the spouse’s age. Because it accounts for the longer survival horizon of a younger surviving spouse, the distribution period will always be longer (more favorable) than the Uniform Lifetime Table, resulting in a smaller required distribution. If the age difference is exactly 10 years or less, you must use the Uniform Lifetime Table.

Table III — Single Life Expectancy Table (IRS Reg. 1.401(a)(9)-9(b)): This table is used primarily by beneficiaries of inherited IRAs who qualify to use the life expectancy method rather than the 10-year rule. It is indexed by the beneficiary’s age in the first distribution year. In subsequent years, the beneficiary does not re-look up their new age in the table — instead, they subtract 1 from the prior year’s distribution period.

The 2022 updated tables — enacted through T.D. 9930 — use longer life expectancy projections than the prior tables used since 2002. This update immediately reduced RMDs for millions of retirees starting in 2022. If you have not recalculated your RMDs since 2022, you may be taking more than required.

How the Formula Works

The RMD formula is deceptively simple, but each component requires precision:

RMD = Prior Year-End Account Balance ÷ Distribution Period

Variable definitions:

• Prior Year-End Account Balance: The fair market value of your retirement account as of December 31 of the year before the distribution year. If you turned 75 in 2026, you use your December 31, 2025 balance to calculate your 2026 RMD.
• Distribution Period: The life expectancy factor from the applicable IRS table, based on your age (and your spouse’s age if using the Joint Table). This number decreases by approximately 1.0 each year, meaning your required distribution percentage grows as you age.

Step-by-step example (Traditional IRA owner, age 75):

1. Prior year-end IRA balance: $500,000
2. Age in distribution year: 75
3. Applicable table: Uniform Lifetime Table (default)
4. Distribution period at age 75: 24.6
5. RMD = $500,000 ÷ 24.6 = $20,325.20

The owner must withdraw at least $20,325.20 from their Traditional IRA by December 31 (or April 1 if this is their first RMD). This amount is added to their ordinary taxable income for the year.

How the RMD percentage grows with age:

Age	Distribution Period	RMD as % of Balance
73	26.5	3.77%
75	24.6	4.07%
80	20.2	4.95%
85	16.0	6.25%
90	12.2	8.20%
95	8.9	11.24%

Source: IRS Reg. 1.401(a)(9)-9(c), T.D. 9930, effective January 1, 2022; IRS Publication 590-B.

Edge cases:

• If the owner dies before December 31, the RMD for the year of death must still be taken by the beneficiary if it had not yet been withdrawn.
• If you rolled over or converted part of your account during the year, the December 31 prior-year balance still governs your current-year RMD — the rollover or conversion does not reduce the current year’s RMD requirement.

Understanding how your RMD income interacts with your Adjusted Gross Income is critical for planning. A large RMD can increase your AGI enough to trigger IRMAA Medicare surcharges, reduce Roth IRA contribution eligibility, and affect taxation of Social Security benefits.

Detailed Examples

Example 1: Traditional IRA Owner Age 73 — First-Ever RMD

Barbara turns 73 in 2026. Her Traditional IRA had a balance of $450,000 on December 31, 2025. She takes her first RMD in 2026.

• Distribution period (age 73): 26.5
• RMD = $450,000 ÷ 26.5 = $16,981.13
• Deadline: She can delay until April 1, 2027 (first RMD only), but if she does, she must also take her 2027 RMD by December 31, 2027 — two taxable distributions in 2027.
• Penalty if missed: $16,981.13 × 25% = $4,245.28

Example 2: 401(k) Owner Age 80 — Large Account Balance

James, age 80, retired in 2024. His 401(k) had a December 31, 2025 balance of $1,200,000.

• Distribution period (age 80): 20.2
• RMD = $1,200,000 ÷ 20.2 = $59,405.94
• Deadline: December 31, 2026
• This $59,405 is added to James’s ordinary income. He uses our FICA Tax Calculator to confirm that RMDs from retirement plans are not subject to FICA taxes — only to income tax.
• Penalty if missed: $59,405.94 × 25% = $14,851.49

Example 3: Joint Table — Spouse More Than 10 Years Younger

Robert is 75 and his wife Lisa is 60 (a 15-year age gap). Lisa is the sole beneficiary of Robert’s Traditional IRA. Because Lisa is more than 10 years younger, Robert uses the Joint and Last Survivor Table.

• Owner age 75, Spouse age 60 → Distribution period: approximately 29.3 (longer than the Uniform Table’s 24.6)
• IRA balance: $800,000
• RMD = $800,000 ÷ 29.3 = $27,303.75
• Compare to Uniform Table: $800,000 ÷ 24.6 = $32,520.33 — using the Joint Table saves Robert $5,216 in required income this year.

Example 4: Inherited IRA — Non-Spouse Beneficiary Age 50

Carol, age 50, inherited a Traditional IRA from her father who died in 2024 before reaching his Required Beginning Date. She is a non-spouse beneficiary subject to the 10-year rule but chooses to use the Single Life Expectancy Table under an eligible exception. Account balance: $350,000.

• Single Life Expectancy at age 50 (2022 updated table): 37.3
• First-year RMD = $350,000 ÷ 37.3 = $9,383.38
• In year 2, her distribution period reduces to 37.3 − 1 = 36.3; in year 3, to 35.3; and so on. She does not re-look up her new age in the table.
• Deadline: December 31 of the year following the original owner’s death (for the first distribution), then December 31 each year thereafter.

Example 5: Age 85 with Prior Year Missed RMD

Helen is 85 with a $300,000 traditional 403(b). She missed $10,000 of last year’s RMD and wants to understand her total penalty exposure.

• Current year distribution period (age 85): 16.0
• Current year RMD = $300,000 ÷ 16.0 = $18,750.00
• Current year penalty if missed: $18,750 × 25% = $4,687.50
• Prior year missed RMD penalty: $10,000 × 25% = $2,500.00 (or $10,000 × 10% = $1,000 if corrected within the correction window)
• Helen should file IRS Form 5329 to report the missed RMD and, if eligible, request a penalty waiver. The IRS has historically granted waivers for first-time, isolated failures when the account holder takes corrective action promptly.

Common Use Cases for the RMD Calculator

Annual retirement cash flow planning: Retirees use the RMD calculator each December to determine their upcoming distribution obligation. Knowing the required amount helps them decide whether to take it in one lump sum, spread it monthly throughout the year, or coordinate it with other income sources to minimize their effective tax rate. Our MAGI Calculator can help you model how different distribution strategies affect your Modified Adjusted Gross Income, which determines eligibility for Medicare Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amounts (IRMAA).

First-RMD deadline planning: Turning 73 (or 75) triggers a critical decision — take the first RMD by December 31 or delay until April 1. The calculator helps quantify the tax impact of each choice by showing both the current-year RMD and the total amount that would be required if you double up in the following year.

Penalty exposure assessment: Anyone who has missed an RMD or suspects they may have shortchanged a prior distribution uses the calculator’s penalty fields to understand exactly what they owe and whether correcting the shortfall within the correction window (reducing the penalty from 25% to 10%) makes financial sense.

Multiple account management: Retirees with both IRAs and 401(k) plans can run separate calculations for each account type. IRAs can be aggregated (calculate the total, withdraw from any combination), but employer plans (401k, 403b) must each satisfy their own RMD independently.

Inherited IRA distribution strategy: Beneficiaries who qualify for the life expectancy method (eligible designated beneficiaries) use the Single Life table option to calculate their minimum annual distribution obligation and plan withdrawals around their personal tax situation.

Strategies to Manage RMDs and Reduce Tax Impact

Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs): Account owners age 70½ or older can direct up to $105,000 per year (2026 limit, indexed to inflation) from their IRA directly to a qualifying charity. A QCD satisfies your RMD requirement but is excluded from your taxable income — making it the most tax-efficient way to satisfy an RMD if you are charitably inclined. The QCD goes directly from the IRA custodian to the charity; you cannot take the distribution yourself first.

Roth conversions before RMD age: In the years between retirement and your RMD starting age, consider converting some traditional IRA funds to a Roth IRA. Roth conversions reduce your future traditional IRA balance — and therefore your future RMDs — while potentially allowing you to convert in lower tax bracket years. Converting strategically and modeling the income impact of each conversion year’s taxable income can save tens of thousands in future mandatory distributions.

Still-working 401(k) deferral: If you are still employed and qualify for the still-working exception, continuing to defer to your current employer’s 401(k) delays RMDs on that account and keeps more money growing tax-deferred.

IRA aggregation for flexible withdrawals: Since multiple Traditional IRA RMDs can be satisfied from any combination of IRA accounts, you can concentrate withdrawals from the accounts with the best distribution economics — for example, withdrawing from a money market IRA to avoid selling equity positions at an inopportune time.

Missing an RMD is expensive, but it is not catastrophic if corrected promptly. The SECURE Act 2.0’s reduction of the penalty to 25% — and to 10% for timely correction — gives retirees a reasonable window to address errors without facing the previously punishing 50% excise tax.

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Sources: IRS Publication 590-B; IRS Reg. 1.401(a)(9)-9, T.D. 9930; IRS RMD FAQs; SECURE 2.0 Act — IRS Summary; IRS Form 5329; Fidelity — RMD Rules; Vanguard — RMD Overview.