How to use the RMD calculator
- 1 Enter your age at the end of this year.
- 2 Enter the account balance on December 31 of last year.
- 3 Enter an expected return to project future RMDs.
- 4 Read this year's RMD and the next five years.
Worked example
A 75-year-old with $500,000 in an IRA on December 31. The Uniform Lifetime Table factor at 75 is 24.6, so this year's RMD is $500,000 ÷ 24.6 = $20,325, about 4.07% of the account. If the account earns 5%, next year's RMD rises to about $21,251.
RMD deadlines and penalties
- Starting age: 73 for people born from 1951 to 1959, and 75 for people born in 1960 or later, under SECURE 2.0.
- First RMD can wait until April 1 of the year after you reach the starting age, but then you take two in one year, which can push you into a higher bracket.
- Missed RMD: the penalty is 25% of the shortfall, cut to 10% if you correct it within two years.
- Charity: from age 70½, a qualified charitable distribution paid straight from an IRA counts toward the RMD and is not taxable income.
Roth IRAs have no RMDs for the owner, which is one reason to consider a Roth IRA. See the tax on a withdrawal with the Federal Income Tax Calculator.
Features
Uniform Lifetime Table
The IRS table in use since 2022.
Five-year view
Projects future RMDs as the balance changes.
Percent of account
Shows what share of the balance you must take.
When to use it
Planning withdrawals
Know the minimum you must take each year. See the tax with the Federal Income Tax Calculator.
Tax planning
Estimate taxable income in retirement. Roth accounts have none; see the Roth IRA Calculator.
Qualified charitable distributions
Plan giving that counts toward your RMD. Plan income with the Retirement Calculator.
Roth conversions
Compare RMDs with converting earlier. Combine it with the Social Security Calculator.
Related Savings and Investing tasks
Frequently asked questions
When do RMDs start?
At 73 for people born from 1951 to 1959, and at 75 for those born in 1960 or later.
When must I take it?
By December 31 each year. Your first RMD can wait until April 1 of the next year, but then you take two in one year.
What is the penalty for missing an RMD?
25% of the amount not taken, reduced to 10% if corrected within two years.
Do Roth IRAs have RMDs?
No, not for the original owner. Roth 401(k)s no longer require RMDs from 2024.
Can I take more than the RMD?
Yes. The RMD is only the minimum.
What if my spouse is much younger?
If your spouse is the sole beneficiary and more than 10 years younger, you use the Joint Life table, which gives a smaller RMD.
Can I give my RMD to charity?
Yes. From age 70½ a qualified charitable distribution of up to about $111,000 in 2026 can count toward your RMD and is not taxable.
Is the RMD taxed?
Yes, as ordinary income, except any part that is a return of after-tax contributions.
Do I take an RMD from each account?
For IRAs you can total the RMDs and take them from any one or more IRAs. For 401(k)s, each plan's RMD must come from that plan.
Do inherited IRAs have RMDs?
Yes, with different rules. Most non-spouse beneficiaries must empty the account within 10 years, and some must also take yearly RMDs.
Can I reinvest my RMD?
Yes, in a taxable account or, if you have earned income, a Roth IRA, but not back into the same tax-deferred account.
Does working longer delay RMDs?
If you are still working and do not own 5% of the company, you can usually delay RMDs from that employer's 401(k) until you retire.
Results are estimates based on the official rates linked above. Confirm important figures with the issuing authority or a qualified adviser before you act on them.
Built and reviewed by Hamza Farooq, founder and lead developer
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