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RMD Calculator

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Use this free RMD calculator to determine your required minimum distribution from a traditional IRA, 401(k), or other tax-deferred retirement account. Enter your age, account balance, and a few details to see your estimated RMD amount in seconds.

The IRS requires most retirement account owners to begin taking annual withdrawals starting at a specific age. Missing or underpaying your RMD triggers a steep penalty. This calculator helps you estimate the minimum amount you need to withdraw so you can plan ahead and avoid surprises.

Required Minimum Distribution RMD Calculator

A required minimum distribution is the minimum amount the IRS requires you to withdraw from your tax-deferred retirement account each year once you reach RMD age. The purpose is straightforward: the government gave you a tax break when you contributed, and now it wants to collect income tax on those funds.

Your RMD amount depends on two things:

  • Account balance as of December 31 of the prior year
  • Life expectancy factor from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table (or the Joint Life and Last Survivor Table if your sole beneficiary is a spouse more than 10 years younger)

This calculator uses the information you provide to divide your year-end balance by the correct IRS factor. The result is an estimate of the minimum you must withdraw for the current tax year.

How to Calculate Your RMD

Calculating your RMD takes three steps:

  1. Find your prior year-end balance. Look at your December 31 account statement for each tax-deferred retirement account.
  2. Find your life expectancy factor. Use the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table for your current age. If your spouse is your sole beneficiary and is more than 10 years younger, use the Joint Life and Last Survivor Table instead.
  3. Divide. Your account balance divided by the life expectancy factor equals your RMD.

For example, say your traditional IRA balance was $500,000 on December 31 and your distribution period factor is 26.5. Your RMD would be approximately $18,868.

You can take more than the RMD withdrawal amount in any given year. However, the excess does not count toward next year's requirement.

RMD Worksheet and IRS Life Expectancy

The IRS publishes worksheets in Publication 590-B to walk you through RMD calculations by hand. These worksheets reference the same Uniform Lifetime Table built into this calculator.

The IRS updated its life expectancy tables starting with 2022 distributions. The new tables reflect longer life expectancies, which generally results in slightly lower RMD amounts compared to the old tables.

Key columns in the Uniform Lifetime Table:

Your AgeDistribution Period
7326.5
7524.6
8020.2
8516.0
9012.2

The distribution period shrinks as you age, which means your RMD percentage grows each year even if your balance stays the same.

Required Distributions From Your Retirement Account

Not every account type follows the same rules. Here is how required distributions apply to the most common retirement accounts.

IRA Required Minimum Distributions

Traditional IRAs, SEP IRAs, and SIMPLE IRAs are all subject to RMDs. If you have multiple IRAs, the IRS requires you to calculate the RMD for each account separately. However, you can total those amounts and withdraw the combined RMD from one or more of your IRAs. You do not have to take a separate distribution from every account.

This flexibility can help with tax planning. For instance, you might choose to withdraw from the IRA with the lowest-performing investments while leaving other accounts to continue growing.

Roth IRAs are different. The original account owner is not required to take distributions from a Roth IRA during their lifetime. This makes Roth accounts a useful tool for estate planning and tax diversification.

401(k) and Other Retirement Account RMDs

Traditional 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), and other employer-sponsored plans are subject to RMDs. Unlike IRAs, you generally must calculate and withdraw the RMD from each 401(k) separately. You cannot pull one 401(k)'s RMD from a different 401(k).

One exception: if you are still working at age 73 or older and do not own more than 5% of the company, some plans let you delay RMDs from that specific employer's plan until you retire. This does not apply to IRAs or plans from former employers.

Types of retirement accounts subject to RMDs:

  • Traditional IRA
  • SEP IRA
  • SIMPLE IRA
  • Traditional 401(k)
  • 403(b)
  • 457(b)
  • Profit-sharing plans

Calculate RMD for an Inherited IRA

If you inherited a retirement account, the RMD rules depend on your relationship to the original owner and when the owner passed away.

Eligible designated beneficiaries (surviving spouses, minor children, disabled or chronically ill individuals, and beneficiaries not more than 10 years younger than the deceased) can generally stretch distributions over their own life expectancy.

Most other beneficiaries fall under the 10-year rule introduced by the SECURE Act. This means the entire inherited account must be emptied by December 31 of the 10th year following the original owner's death. Depending on whether the original owner had already begun taking RMDs, annual distributions within that 10-year window may also be required.

A surviving spouse has additional options. A spouse can roll the inherited IRA into their own IRA and treat it as their own, delaying RMDs until they reach RMD age. Alternatively, they can remain a beneficiary and use the Single Life Expectancy Table.

Which calculator method applies to you depends on the specifics. This tool includes an inherited IRA RMD calculator option. Select "inherited IRA" and enter the relevant details to see your estimated distribution.

When to Withdraw Your Distribution

Timing matters for both compliance and tax planning.

RMD Age and Distribution Deadlines

Under current law, most people must begin taking RMDs the year they turn age 73. The SECURE Act 2.0 pushed this threshold from age 72 to age 73 starting in 2023, with a further increase to age 75 planned for 2033.

Key deadlines to know:

  • First RMD: You have until April 1 of the year after you turn 73 to take your first RMD. This is called the required beginning date.
  • All subsequent RMDs: Due by December 31 of each year.

Delaying your first RMD to April 1 sounds appealing, but it means you will take two taxable distributions in the same calendar year (your first RMD plus your second-year RMD by December 31). That can push you into a higher tax bracket.

For most people, taking the first distribution in the year they turn 73 is the simpler and often more tax-efficient choice.

How the RMD Calculator Determines Your Distribution

Account Balance and IRS Uniform Lifetime Table

This calculator uses the same formula the IRS prescribes:

RMD = Account balance (December 31 of prior year) ÷ Life expectancy factor

Enter your age and your year-end account balance, and the tool pulls the correct factor from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table. If you indicate a spouse beneficiary who is more than 10 years younger, it applies the Joint Life and Last Survivor Table instead.

How much are RMDs at age 73? With a $1,000,000 balance and the Uniform Lifetime Table factor of 26.5, the RMD is roughly $37,736. A $500,000 balance at the same age would produce an RMD of about $18,868.

The so-called "4% rule" is a separate retirement spending guideline and has nothing to do with IRS RMD calculations. Your actual RMD percentage starts lower (around 3.8% at age 73) and climbs each year as the distribution period shrinks.

Tax on Required Minimum Distributions

Distributions from traditional IRAs, 401(k)s, and other tax-deferred accounts count as ordinary income in the year you withdraw them. You will owe federal income tax (and state income tax, depending on where you live) on the full distribution amount.

Roth accounts are the exception. Qualified Roth IRA distributions are tax-free to the original owner. Inherited Roth IRAs may still require distributions under the 10-year rule, but those withdrawals are generally not taxable.

A few things to keep in mind:

  • You cannot reinvest your RMD back into a tax-advantaged retirement account like a traditional IRA or 401(k). The RMD is considered a distribution, not an eligible rollover.
  • You can use the withdrawn funds for any purpose: living expenses, taxable brokerage investments, charitable giving, or anything else.
  • If you are 70½ or older, a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) lets you send up to $105,000 per year directly from your IRA to a qualifying charity. A QCD can satisfy your RMD without adding to your taxable income.

RMD Calculator Estimate and Limitations

This calculator provides an estimate based on the information you provide and current IRS tables. It is designed for illustrative purposes and general planning.

It does not account for:

  • Mid-year contributions, rollovers, or transfers that may adjust your balance
  • Multiple account types with different rules
  • State-specific tax implications
  • Changes to IRS rules after the tool was last updated

The results are not tax advice, financial advice, or a guarantee of accuracy. Consult a qualified tax advisor or financial adviser for guidance specific to your situation, especially if you have inherited accounts, multiple retirement plans, or complex tax circumstances.

Required Minimum Distribution Calculator: Common Questions

What Is a Required Minimum Distribution?

A required minimum distribution (RMD) is the minimum amount the IRS requires you to withdraw each year from a tax-deferred retirement account like a traditional IRA or 401(k). The requirement begins the year you reach RMD age (currently 73) and continues every year after that.

How Do I Calculate My RMD for Multiple Accounts?

Calculate the RMD for each IRA separately using each account's December 31 balance. You can then add those amounts together and withdraw the total from one or a combination of your IRAs. For 401(k) plans, you must calculate and withdraw the RMD from each plan individually.

What Happens if I Withdraw Less Than My RMD?

If you do not take the full RMD by the deadline, the IRS imposes a penalty of 25% on the amount you failed to withdraw. If you correct the shortfall within a specific correction window, the penalty drops to 10%. This penalty is in addition to any regular income tax owed on the distribution.

Do Roth IRAs Have Required Distributions?

No. The original owner of a Roth IRA is not subject to RMDs during their lifetime. However, beneficiaries who inherit a Roth IRA may need to follow distribution rules, including the 10-year rule, depending on their relationship to the deceased owner.

Can a Financial Adviser Help With RMDs?

Yes. A financial adviser or tax advisor can help you coordinate RMDs across multiple accounts, minimize tax impact, plan charitable giving strategies, and ensure you meet all IRS deadlines. This calculator gives you a useful starting estimate, but personalized advice from a qualified professional is valuable for more complex situations.