About the RMD Calculator
Once you reach a certain age, the IRS requires you to withdraw a minimum amount each year from traditional IRAs, SEP and SIMPLE IRAs, and most workplace plans such as a 401(k) or 403(b). This calculator finds that required minimum distribution (RMD) by dividing the account balance on 31 December of the previous year by the distribution period for your age in the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table. It knows the start ages set by the SECURE 2.0 Act and projects the next years' RMDs at a growth rate you choose. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
Updated October 2026
How to use the RMD Calculator
- 1Enter the year you were born.
- 2Enter the year you want the RMD for.
- 3Enter the account balance on 31 December of the year before.
- 4Set an expected growth rate for the projection.
- 5Read the RMD, the share of the balance and the table of future years.
Which accounts this covers
The Uniform Lifetime Table applies to traditional, SEP and SIMPLE IRAs and to employer plans such as 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) accounts while you are the original owner. If you hold several IRAs, work out each RMD and you may take the total from any one of them. Workplace plans are different: each plan's RMD must come from that plan.
Distribution periods at common ages
The divisor falls each year, so the RMD takes a larger share of the balance as you age.
- Age 73: 26.5 (about 3.8% of the balance)
- Age 75: 24.6 (about 4.1%)
- Age 80: 20.2 (about 5.0%)
- Age 85: 16.0 (6.25%)
- Age 90: 12.2 (about 8.2%)
- Age 95: 8.9 (about 11.2%)
Reading the projection
The table assumes the balance grows by the rate you enter after each withdrawal. Real returns vary year to year, and each RMD is always based on the actual balance at the end of the previous year, so treat the projection as a planning guide. Try a low and a high growth rate to see the range of future withdrawals.
Planning around RMDs
RMDs count as taxable income, so a large one can push you into a higher bracket or raise Medicare premiums. Some people take money out in their sixties to smooth their income, convert part of an IRA to a Roth before RMDs begin, or use qualified charitable distributions after age 70½, which can count towards the RMD without being taxed. These choices depend on your full situation, so check with a tax adviser before acting.
Using it on a phone
The four boxes are easy to fill in on a phone with your year-end statement in hand. The projection table scrolls sideways on narrow screens, and nothing is stored. Required distributions are one part of retirement planning. Compare accounts with the Roth IRA Calculator, plan a workplace plan with the 401(k) Calculator, and see a safe spending rate with the Withdrawal Rate Calculator.
Features
- IRS Uniform Lifetime Table built in
- SECURE 2.0 start ages (73 and 75)
- Shows when your first RMD is due
- Projection of the next RMDs
- Monthly equivalent of the RMD
- Private: your figures stay on your device
Frequently asked questions
How is an RMD calculated?
Take the account balance on 31 December of the previous year and divide it by the distribution period for the age you reach this year in the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table. At age 75 the period is 24.6, so a $500,000 balance gives an RMD of about $20,325.
At what age do RMDs start?
Under the SECURE 2.0 Act, at 73 if you were born from 1951 to 1959, and at 75 if you were born in 1960 or later. People born in 1950 or earlier started at 72 or earlier.
When must I take my RMD?
By 31 December each year. Your very first RMD can wait until 1 April of the following year, but then you take two in that year, which can raise your tax bill.
Does a Roth IRA have RMDs?
Not for the original owner. Since 2024, Roth 401(k) accounts no longer require RMDs during the owner's lifetime either.
What if my spouse is much younger?
If your spouse is more than 10 years younger and the sole beneficiary, the IRS Joint Life and Last Survivor table applies and gives a smaller RMD than this calculator.
What happens if I miss an RMD?
The excise tax is 25% of the amount not taken, cut to 10% if you correct it in time. Contact your plan or a tax adviser if you missed one.