Once you reach a certain age, the IRS requires you to withdraw a minimum amount from most retirement accounts each year. This works out that amount using the IRS’s own published table.
How it works
Required minimum distribution
RMD = prior year-end account balance ÷ IRS distribution period for your age
The distribution period comes from IRS Publication 590-B’s Uniform Lifetime Table — current since the SECURE 2.0 Act’s 2022 update, fetched and cross-checked against two independent sources rather than recalled from an older, outdated table.
This table applies to the common case, not every case
The Uniform Lifetime Table covers unmarried owners and married owners whose spouse is not the sole beneficiary and not more than 10 years younger. A spouse more than 10 years younger who is the sole beneficiary uses a different, more favourable table (the Joint Life and Last Survivor Table), which this calculator doesn’t implement — that situation needs its own lookup, not this one applied incorrectly.
RMDs begin at 73 under current law
The starting age has changed more than once in recent legislation (SECURE Act, then SECURE 2.0) — exactly why relying on a remembered age rather than checking current guidance is risky. This calculator uses the current age-73 threshold.
How to use this calculator
- Enter your account balance as of December 31 of last year.
- Enter your age this year.
- Read your required distribution for the year.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I don’t take my full RMD?
The IRS can impose a penalty on the shortfall — check current IRS guidance for the exact penalty rate, since this has also changed in recent legislation.
Does this apply to Roth IRAs?
Roth IRAs are not subject to RMDs during the original owner’s lifetime under current law — this calculator is intended for Traditional IRAs, 401(k)s and similar pre-tax accounts where RMDs do apply.
Can I take more than the RMD?
Yes — the RMD is a minimum, not a maximum. You can withdraw more if you want or need to; the calculation here is only the floor the IRS requires.
Do I need to take a separate RMD from every account I own?
Rules vary by account type — some IRA balances can be aggregated and the total RMD taken from any one or combination of them, while workplace plans like 401(k)s generally require a separate RMD from each plan. Check current IRS guidance for your specific situation.
Why does a higher age require a bigger distribution from the same balance?
Because the IRS distribution period — an estimate of remaining life expectancy — gets shorter as you age, and dividing the identical balance by a smaller number produces a larger required distribution.
