1. Your accounts
Assumptions
Withdrawals are modelled at the start of each year and growth applies to what remains. The two rates are your own estimate of the federal rate on this income; the tool does not look up brackets.
Fill in the boxes above, then click Calculate my RMD.
Result
Year by year
| Year | Age | Distribution period | RMD | QCD | Taxable | Est. tax | Year-end balance |
|---|
The first row is your first RMD year. Balances are nominal dollars at the growth rate above.
The rules, and what they leave out
- Amount: prior December 31 balance divided by the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table distribution period for the age you reach this year (73 gives 26.5, 75 gives 24.6, 90 gives 12.2).
- Start age: 73 if born 1951 to 1959, 75 if born 1960 or later. The first RMD may wait until April 1 of the next year; every later one is due December 31.
- Where to take it: IRAs are added together and may be taken from any of them; each 401(k) or 403(b) plan is calculated and taken separately. Roth IRAs have no RMD.
- Penalty: 25% of the shortfall, 10% if corrected in time; the IRS may waive it for reasonable cause.
- Not modelled: inherited IRAs and the 10-year rule, the Joint Life table for a spouse more than ten years younger, the still-working exception, state tax, IRMAA, tax on Social Security benefits, and legislative change.
- Unverified: the table and rules were read from IRS Publication 590-B and the arithmetic checked by hand, but not against an IRS worksheet or your custodian's statement. If your custodian's figure differs, follow the custodian and report the difference.
Common questions
What is a required minimum distribution?
The amount the IRS requires you to withdraw each year from a traditional IRA, SEP, SIMPLE or employer plan such as a 401(k) or 403(b) once you reach your RMD age. It is your December 31 balance of the year before, divided by a distribution period from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table for the age you reach this year.
At what age do I have to start taking RMDs?
Age 73 if you were born from 1951 to 1959, and age 75 if you were born in 1960 or later (SECURE 2.0). People born in 1950 or earlier are already taking them, at 72 or older. Your first RMD is due by December 31 of the year you reach that age, or you may wait until April 1 of the next year.
What happens if I delay my first RMD to April 1?
You then owe two RMDs in that second year, the first one by April 1 and the second by December 31. Both are taxable income in the same year, which can push you into a higher bracket and raise Medicare IRMAA premiums. This tool shows the extra tax at a rate you choose.
What is the penalty for missing an RMD?
An excise tax of 25% of the amount you should have taken and did not. It drops to 10% if you take the missed amount and file Form 5329 within the correction window, and the IRS can waive it for reasonable cause. You still owe ordinary income tax on the money once withdrawn.
What is a qualified charitable distribution?
A direct transfer from an IRA to an eligible charity, allowed from age 70½. It counts toward your RMD but is left out of your taxable income, up to an annual limit the IRS indexes for inflation. It is not available from 401(k) or 403(b) plans, and gifts to donor-advised funds do not qualify.
Do Roth accounts have RMDs?
Roth IRAs have none while the owner is alive. Since 2024 designated Roth accounts in 401(k) and 403(b) plans have none either. Traditional IRAs, SEPs, SIMPLEs and pre-tax employer plan balances do.
What does this tool leave out?
Inherited IRAs and the 10-year rule, the Joint Life table used when your sole spousal beneficiary is more than ten years younger, the still-working exception for a current employer's plan, state tax, IRMAA and the tax on Social Security benefits, and any change in the law. It is a planner, not a substitute for your custodian's RMD figure.
Is my information uploaded anywhere?
No. Everything you type stays in this browser tab. There are no accounts, cookies or analytics vendors.