RMD Calculator

What Your Required Minimum Distribution Means for This Year

Your required minimum distribution (RMD) is the amount you must withdraw from certain retirement accounts each year once the applicable distribution rules begin. If you have spent decades saving in a Traditional IRA or a workplace retirement plan, an RMD marks the point when you must start taking money out according to federal rules, whether or not you need the money to cover your living expenses.

The annual figure is a minimum, not a spending recommendation. You can generally withdraw more, but taking less than required can lead to an excise tax unless you qualify for relief.

When reviewing your calculator results, pay attention to what each number actually represents:

• Annual RMD: The minimum amount the calculation estimates you must withdraw for the year. This is generally a gross distribution, before any applicable income tax.

• Distribution period factor: The IRS figure used to calculate the withdrawal from your previous year-end account balance. The correct factor depends on your age and the distribution table that applies to your circumstances.

• Monthly withdrawal estimate: The annual RMD divided by 12. This can help with retirement budgeting, but it does not mean the IRS requires twelve equal monthly payments.

• Remaining account balance: The balance left after subtracting the estimated withdrawal from the starting balance. It is a simple subtraction, not a forecast of what your investments will be worth after market movements, fees, or other transactions.

That last point is particularly important. If your account contains investments, its value may rise or fall while you take distributions. The amount left after an RMD is not necessarily the amount you will see on your next statement.

You should also distinguish the amount required to leave the account from the amount you can spend. A distribution from a pre-tax Traditional IRA is generally taxable to the extent it represents untaxed money. If you withdraw $20,000, for example, you should not automatically assume the full $20,000 will be available after taxes.

The calculator helps establish a withdrawal target. Your account type, applicable IRS rules, and personal tax situation determine how that figure should be used.

Why the IRS Distribution Factor Changes Your RMD

Two people can have identical retirement account balances and still have different RMDs. The reason is that the calculation uses both the account balance from the previous December 31 and an applicable distribution period factor.

For an account owner using the Uniform Lifetime Table, the factor generally becomes smaller as the owner gets older. Dividing the same balance by a smaller number produces a larger required withdrawal.

Consider a $500,000 retirement account. The following figures show how different factors affect the calculation:

These are mathematical comparisons using illustrative factors. They are not three alternative factors for the same person and year. You must use the factor that actually applies to your circumstances.

Notice what happens as the factor decreases: the withdrawal rises even though the account balance remains unchanged. In real life, the balance will also change over time, so both figures can affect your RMD from one year to the next.

Which IRS Distribution Table Applies to You?

The Uniform Lifetime Table is commonly used by retirement account owners calculating their own RMDs. However, it is not the correct table for every situation.

The IRS provides three life expectancy tables for different circumstances:

• Uniform Lifetime Table: Generally used by account owners calculating their lifetime RMDs, except when the special rule for a sole beneficiary spouse who is more than ten years younger applies.

• Joint and Last Survivor Expectancy Table: Used when the account owner’s spouse is the sole beneficiary and is more than ten years younger than the account owner.

• Single Life Expectancy Table: Used in certain beneficiary situations, including applicable inherited retirement account calculations.

The difference can be significant. A younger sole beneficiary spouse may allow the account owner to use a longer distribution period, which can reduce the required withdrawal compared with the amount calculated under the Uniform Lifetime Table.

For example, an account owner with a $500,000 balance should not assume that the factor used for another person of the same age will necessarily apply to them. Their spouse’s age and beneficiary status may change the relevant calculation.

The IRS explains how to choose the correct table in Publication 590-B. If your circumstances involve a younger spouse, an inherited account, or a beneficiary calculation, verify the applicable table before relying on a basic RMD estimate.

Which Retirement Accounts Require RMDs?

Not every retirement account follows the same withdrawal rules. Before acting on a calculated amount, confirm that the calculator’s method applies to the account you actually own.

Traditional, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs

Owners of Traditional IRAs and applicable SEP and SIMPLE IRAs generally must take RMDs once the required beginning age and timing rules apply. Continuing to work does not ordinarily remove the RMD requirement for these IRA accounts.

If you own several Traditional IRAs, you generally calculate the RMD for each account separately. You can usually take the combined amount from one or more of your Traditional IRAs rather than making a separate withdrawal from every account.

For example, suppose you have two Traditional IRAs:

• IRA A has a calculated RMD of $4,000.

• IRA B has a calculated RMD of $6,000.

Your combined IRA RMD is $10,000. Subject to the applicable aggregation rules, you could withdraw the full $10,000 from IRA A, IRA B, or a combination of both. You still need to calculate each account’s requirement correctly.

This flexibility does not mean every retirement account can be treated as part of one combined balance.

401(k) and Other Workplace Retirement Plans

Workplace plans, including 401(k), 403(b), and 457(b) plans, have their own RMD rules. Some participants can delay distributions until the year they retire if the plan permits it and they meet the applicable conditions. This exception generally does not apply to a 5% owner of the business sponsoring the plan.

There is also an important difference in how withdrawals can be combined. A person generally cannot satisfy the RMDs for several separate 401(k) plans simply by withdrawing the total amount from whichever plan they prefer. Each plan’s requirement generally must be met separately. Different aggregation rules apply to certain other arrangements, including eligible 403(b) contracts.

If you have an old employer’s 401(k) and a current employer’s plan, do not assume that one withdrawal satisfies both requirements.

The IRS RMD guidance explains the distinctions between IRAs and workplace retirement plans.

Roth IRAs During the Original Owner’s Lifetime

An original Roth IRA owner generally does not have to take RMDs during their lifetime. That is an important difference from a Traditional IRA.

If you have a Roth IRA alongside a Traditional IRA, do not automatically include the Roth IRA balance when estimating the original owner’s lifetime RMD. Beneficiaries who inherit Roth IRAs are subject to separate distribution rules, however, so the lifetime exemption does not apply in the same way after the original owner dies.

This is also why a calculator should identify which type of account it is designed to estimate. A formula suitable for a Traditional IRA should not automatically be applied to every account described as an IRA.

When Must You Take Your RMD?

Knowing the amount is only half the task. You also need to know the deadline that applies to your distribution.

For many current retirement account owners, the general starting age is 73. However, the applicable starting age depends on birth year under the current law: people born in 1951 through 1959 generally begin at 73, while those born in 1960 or later generally begin at 75. Earlier rules apply to some people born before 1951. Workplace plans can also have a still-working exception when the requirements are met.

Your first RMD is generally for the calendar year in which you reach your applicable starting age. You can usually delay that first distribution until April 1 of the following year. That extension does not move the deadline for the next year’s RMD.

Example: Delaying Your First RMD

Suppose you reach age 73 in 2026 and are subject to the age-73 starting rule.

• Your first RMD is for 2026.

• You can generally take that first distribution by April 1, 2027.

• Your 2027 RMD is still due by December 31, 2027.

If you wait until April 2027 to take your first RMD, you may need to take two distributions during 2027: one for 2026 and another for 2027.

That can affect your taxable income for the year. Whether delaying the first distribution makes sense depends on your broader tax and retirement circumstances, so it is worth comparing the potential timing benefit with the possibility of having two distributions included in one year’s income.

After the first year, RMDs are generally due by December 31 each year. The applicable deadline and any exceptions should be confirmed for your specific account and situation.

You can check the relevant starting-age and deadline rules in the IRS RMD FAQs.

What Happens If You Withdraw Too Little—or More Than Required?

An RMD is a minimum annual withdrawal. You can generally take more than the calculated amount, but taking less can create a tax problem.

The Excise Tax for Missing an RMD

If you fail to withdraw the full required amount by the applicable deadline, the shortfall may be subject to a federal excise tax.

The standard rate is generally 25% of the amount that should have been distributed but was not. The rate may be reduced to 10% if the shortfall is corrected within the applicable correction window and the requirements are met. The IRS may also waive the tax in qualifying cases involving reasonable error when the account holder takes appropriate steps to correct the shortfall.

Consider this example:

The $1,250 figure illustrates the standard rate applied to a $5,000 shortfall. It is not necessarily the final amount owed in every case. Correction timing, eligibility for relief, and the applicable filing requirements can affect the outcome.

If you discover that you have missed an RMD, check the current IRS instructions and consider speaking with a qualified tax professional about correcting the shortfall and filing Form 5329 where required. Do not assume that taking the missing amount later automatically resolves every tax obligation.

Official details are available in the IRS guidance on required minimum distributions.

Can You Withdraw More Than Your RMD?

Yes. The RMD is the minimum you must withdraw, not a limit on how much you can take out.

You might choose a larger distribution to cover living expenses, pay a major bill, or meet another financial need. However, a larger withdrawal from a pre-tax retirement account can also increase your taxable income for the year.

Taking more than required does not generally let you reduce the next year’s RMD by the excess. Each year’s requirement is calculated separately using the applicable account balance and distribution factor.

For example, if your RMD is $15,000 and you withdraw $20,000, the additional $5,000 generally cannot be carried forward to satisfy the next year’s RMD. Before taking substantially more than required, consider the effect on your cash flow and tax situation.

How an RMD Can Affect Your Taxes and Retirement Budget

An RMD tells you how much must be distributed under the applicable rules. It does not tell you how much of that money you will keep after taxes or how much you should spend.

Your RMD Is Not the Same as Your After-Tax Income

Distributions from a Traditional IRA and many pre-tax workplace retirement accounts are generally taxable as ordinary income, except to the extent they represent previously taxed amounts or qualify for different treatment.

Suppose your RMD is $20,000. That is the gross distribution, not necessarily your after-tax income. The amount you ultimately keep depends on your tax circumstances, other income, deductions, and any tax withholding.

Someone who also receives pension income and Social Security benefits may have a different tax outcome from someone whose retirement income comes primarily from the RMD. The same withdrawal can therefore have different implications for two people.

A calculator that asks only for age and account balance cannot determine your complete tax bill. Use the RMD estimate to establish the withdrawal amount, then evaluate the tax consequences separately.

Why Your Other Retirement Income Matters

Your RMD does not exist in isolation. It may be added to pension income, taxable investment income, wages, and other amounts when your taxable income is determined. Depending on your circumstances, it can also affect how much of your Social Security benefits is taxable.

This is one reason retirement withdrawal planning deserves more than a simple account-balance calculation. A withdrawal that meets the RMD requirement may still create a larger tax bill than expected if it coincides with other income.

If you have several retirement accounts or expect a substantial distribution, review the effect on your overall annual income before deciding whether to withdraw more than the minimum.

Using the Monthly Figure to Plan Cash Flow

Dividing the annual RMD by 12 can help you understand what the distribution represents in monthly terms.

For instance, an annual RMD of $18,000 works out to $1,500 per month. That can be a useful budgeting reference when estimating how much retirement income may be available throughout the year.

However, the monthly equivalent is not a separate IRS requirement. You can generally take the annual distribution in one withdrawal or in several installments, provided you meet the applicable rules and deadline.

The best withdrawal schedule depends on your spending needs, account arrangements, investment considerations, and tax planning. Someone who needs regular income may prefer installments, while another person may choose a different schedule.

Remember that the gross distribution and the amount available to spend can differ once taxes are considered.

What the RMD Calculator Assumes—and What You Should Verify

An RMD calculation is straightforward only when the correct account balance, age, distribution factor, and applicable rules have been identified. If one of these details is wrong, the result can be wrong even when the division itself is correct.

Before relying on the estimate, check the following:

The balance should generally be from the previous December 31. For an RMD for 2026, the standard calculation generally uses the account balance at the end of 2025. The current account value may be different because of investment gains, losses, contributions, or withdrawals during the year.

The distribution factor must match your circumstances. The applicable factor generally comes from an IRS life expectancy table. Your age during the distribution year matters, and a younger spouse who is the sole beneficiary may change which table applies.

Your account type affects the rules. Traditional IRAs, 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, and inherited accounts do not all follow identical distribution and aggregation rules. Verify that the calculator’s method is appropriate for your account.

The monthly figure is a budgeting estimate. Dividing the annual RMD by 12 does not create a legal requirement to withdraw money every month.

The remaining balance is not a market forecast. Subtracting the RMD from the starting balance does not account for subsequent investment returns, market losses, fees, or other transactions.

The calculation does not establish your final tax bill. The amount of tax you owe depends on your complete tax circumstances, not simply your age and account balance.

Inherited accounts may need a separate calculation. Beneficiary rules can depend on who inherited the account, when the original owner died, and other factors. A basic calculator intended for original account owners should not be treated as a complete inherited-IRA tool unless it explicitly supports those situations.

For the standard calculation and official tables, consult IRS Publication 590-B. If the calculator does not ask about account type or beneficiary circumstances, treat its result as an estimate for the scenario its method supports, rather than as a definitive figure for every retirement account.