Required Minimum Distribution Calculator 2026

An RMD is the minimum amount the IRS requires you to withdraw each year from tax-deferred retirement accounts starting at age 73 (under SECURE 2.0). The point is to force the government to eventually collect taxes on money you contributed pre-tax decades earlier. RMDs apply to traditional IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, 457(b)s, SEP-IRAs, and SIMPLE IRAs.

Under SECURE 2.0, the RMD starting age is 73 if you were born between 1951 and 1959, and 75 if you were born in 1960 or later. Your first RMD is due by April 1 of the year after you turn 73 (or 75). Every subsequent year, the deadline is December 31. Note: if you delay your first RMD to April 1, you will owe two RMDs in that year.

Take your account balance as of December 31 of the prior year and divide it by the IRS divisor for your age from the Uniform Lifetime Table (Pub 590-B). For example, at age 73 the divisor is 26.5, so a $500,000 balance produces a $500,000 / 26.5 = $18,868 RMD. The divisor decreases each year, so RMDs grow as a percentage of your balance as you age.

The penalty is 25% of the amount you should have withdrawn but did not (reduced from 50% by SECURE 2.0 in 2023). If you correct the shortfall within a "correction window" (typically 2 years) and file Form 5329 to request a waiver, the penalty drops to 10%. The IRS often forgives the penalty entirely for first-time mistakes if you can show reasonable cause.

Roth IRAs do NOT have RMDs during the original owners lifetime. As of 2024, Roth 401(k)s also no longer have RMDs (a SECURE 2.0 change). This is one reason Roth accounts are popular for estate planning — you can let the money grow tax-free for your heirs without being forced to withdraw. Inherited Roth IRAs do have distribution requirements for non-spouse beneficiaries.

Yes. The RMD is a minimum, not a maximum. You can withdraw any amount above the RMD without penalty (just regular income tax on the distribution). But excess withdrawals do NOT count toward future years RMDs — you cannot prepay. Each year stands alone.

For traditional IRAs (including SEP and SIMPLE IRAs), yes — you calculate the RMD for each account separately, but you can take the total from any one or any combination. For 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and 457(b)s, you must take the RMD from each plan separately. 403(b)s can be aggregated like IRAs (special rule), but 401(k)s cannot.

The Uniform Lifetime Table is the divisor table the IRS publishes in Publication 590-B that most account holders use to calculate RMDs. It assumes a hypothetical 10-years-younger spouse beneficiary. If your sole beneficiary is actually a spouse more than 10 years younger than you, use the Joint Life Table instead, which produces a smaller RMD.

Yes. RMDs from traditional IRAs and 401(k)s are taxed as ordinary income at your federal marginal rate (10% to 37% in 2026), plus state tax in most states. The custodian will send you a 1099-R reporting the distribution. You can ask the custodian to withhold federal tax (typically 10% default) to avoid an underpayment penalty, or pay quarterly estimated taxes.

Yes — the Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) lets you direct up to $108,000 per year (2026 limit) from your IRA to a qualified charity, and that amount counts toward your RMD without being included in your taxable income. This is one of the most tax-efficient ways to give if you are 70 1/2 or older. The QCD limit is now indexed to inflation under SECURE 2.0.

If you are still working past age 73 and own less than 5% of the company sponsoring your 401(k), you can delay RMDs from THAT 401(k) until you actually retire. This "still working exception" only applies to your current employer plan — traditional IRAs and old 401(k)s from previous employers still require RMDs starting at 73.

Mathematically it does not matter much for tax purposes — the same total amount counts as ordinary income for the year regardless of timing. Some retirees prefer monthly distributions for budgeting, while others wait until December to maximize the tax-deferred growth. Just make sure the full amount is withdrawn by December 31 to avoid the penalty.