Estimate your required minimum distribution using age, prior year-end retirement balance, and the applicable IRS factor for eligible retirement accounts in the United States annually.
| Age | Balance | RMD Amount |
|---|---|---|
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Click "Calculate" to see your RMD schedule |
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Result = Financial inputs processed using the applicable rate, payment, compounding or cash-flow relationship shown by this calculator.The estimate uses the starting balance, contribution or withdrawal schedule, time horizon and assumed rate entered. Compounding frequency, contribution timing, inflation, fees, taxes and employer or program rules affect how closely the estimate resembles a real account.
An RMD Calculator estimates the required minimum distribution you may need to withdraw from an eligible U.S. retirement account for a specific year. The calculation typically uses your prior year-end account balance, your age, and the applicable IRS life-expectancy table. In certain cases, your spouse’s age and beneficiary status also affect the calculation. The result shows an estimated minimum annual withdrawal, not your recommended retirement spending amount or final tax liability. RMD requirements vary by account type and circumstances, so inherited accounts and special beneficiary situations may require different calculations.
For a standard RMD calculation involving your own retirement account, gather your account information before entering values. The most important figure is normally the account balance as of December 31 of the previous calendar year.
Do not enter your current balance when the calculator specifically requests the prior December 31 balance. Market gains, losses, contributions, and withdrawals during the current year generally do not replace the required prior-year balance used in the standard calculation.
An RMD Calculator typically uses the previous year's December 31 balance in the retirement account divided by an IRS distribution period based on the age of the account owner. Generally owners use the Uniform Lifetime Table. An alternate table is usually used if the owner is married, the spouse is the only beneficiary of the account, and the spouse is more than 10 years younger.
The distribution period is also called a life expectancy factor or divisor. The older the individual who owns the account, the lower the divisor tends to be, thereby increasing the percentage of the account value that must be withdrawn.
Each IRA or other retirement plan for which the calculation is being made must be calculated separately. How the RMD amounts to be satisfied will be combined across more than one of those plans depends on the type of plan. For instance, when multiple IRAs, RMDs to be satisfied are normally first calculated separately; but eligible IRA RMDs might be summed together for withdrawal from one or more of those IRAs. An employer defined contribution plan generally will have separate distribution rules.
For a typical retirement account owned by the participant, the basic RMD formula is:
Required Minimum Distribution = Prior December 31 Account Balance ÷ Applicable IRS Distribution Period
Where:
The Uniform Lifetime Table is generally used for an account owner's RMD. If the owner's spouse is the sole beneficiary and is more than 10 years younger, the Joint and Last Survivor Table is generally used instead. Inherited retirement accounts may involve different tables and distribution rules and should not automatically be calculated using the standard owner formula.
Consider a retirement account owner who is age 73 during the distribution year and had a traditional IRA balance of $530,000 on December 31 of the previous year. Assume the standard Uniform Lifetime Table applies.
| Item | Example Value |
|---|---|
| Age during RMD year | 73 |
| Prior December 31 balance | $530,000 |
| Uniform Lifetime Table divisor | 26.5 |
| Estimated RMD | $20,000 |
Calculation: $530,000 ÷ 26.5 = $20,000.
The estimated RMD for the year is therefore $20,000. The 26.5 distribution period is the Uniform Lifetime Table factor for age 73.
This does not mean the account owner is limited to withdrawing $20,000. It represents the calculated minimum for the year under these assumptions. Taking more than the required amount generally does not reduce a future year's RMD because each year's calculation is based on the rules and values applicable to that year.
The main output is an estimated minimum annual distribution. If the calculator also shows an effective withdrawal rate, it can potentially help illustrate how large the RMD is compared to the prior year-end account balance.
The more money in the account, the higher the RMD if the same distribution factor is applied. Age affects the distribution period, so two people with the same final balance can have different RMDs if their ages (or IRS tables) differ.
The prior December 31 balance directly affects the result. For example, doubling the account balance while keeping the same divisor would generally double the calculated RMD.
The calculator should use your age for the applicable distribution year rather than simply subtracting your birth year without considering the requested RMD year. An incorrect age can cause the wrong IRS distribution factor to be selected.
A spouse who is the sole beneficiary and more than 10 years younger can change the applicable table. Because the Joint and Last Survivor Table can produce a different distribution period, omitting this information may materially change the result.
There are different starting ages under current federal rules, again depending on the account owner's birth date and RMD rules. Age 73 applies to many present-day retirees, but SECURE 2.0 provides for age 75 for younger cohorts. As these rules have fluctuated in the past, users should look to their birth date to determine what they will use rather than blindly assuming a given age is applicable to all.
For an IRA owner who is subject to RMDs, the first distribution may, in most cases, be deferred until April 1 of the year following the year in which distributions are otherwise required to begin. Subsequent RMDs are generally due by December 31. Deferring the first distribution effectively postpones receipt of the initial and second RMDs until the same calendar year.
Some employer sponsored retirement plans permit various rules of the commencement date including the possibility of an eligible participant delaying receipt of distribution until retirement. The fact that the participant owns the account and that the plan provides for ownership make it inappropriate to default to the normal IRA calculation for any individual employer sponsored retirement plan.
RMD rules generally apply to traditional IRAs, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, 457(b) plans, profit-sharing plans, and certain other defined contribution arrangements.
Roth IRAs are not subject to lifetime RMDs for the original owner. Under current rules, designated Roth accounts in 401(k) and 403(b) plans also do not require lifetime RMDs for the original account owner. Beneficiaries can be subject to different requirements after the owner's death.
Having several retirement accounts does not necessarily mean you can add all balances together before using the calculator.
For multiple IRAs, the RMD generally must first be calculated separately for each IRA. The eligible IRA RMD amounts can generally then be totaled and withdrawn from one IRA or divided among the IRAs. Employer defined contribution plans generally require the RMD for each plan to be calculated and satisfied separately.
For this reason, when calculating RMDs for several accounts, enter each account separately unless the calculator specifically supports account aggregation under the applicable rules.
The amount displayed by an RMD Calculator is a distribution estimate, not a federal or state tax estimate. The tax consequences of a retirement distribution depend on factors such as the type of account, whether nondeductible or after-tax amounts are present, other taxable income, and applicable tax rules.
Do not subtract estimated taxes from the account balance before calculating the RMD unless a specific calculation method instructs you to do so. The RMD calculation and the income-tax calculation are separate steps.
Using the complete applicable IRS divisor before rounding generally produces a more accurate calculation. If an RMD is displayed to the nearest dollar or cent, small differences between calculators can result from rounding at different stages.
A calculator may display $20,000.00 while an account custodian displays a slightly different amount if different balances, adjustments, tables, or rounding procedures are involved. When satisfying an actual distribution requirement, confirm the relevant account information with the retirement plan administrator or IRA custodian.
A standard RMD estimate may not properly handle every retirement distribution situation. Additional rules can apply to inherited IRAs, surviving spouses, beneficiaries, annuity contracts, certain employer plans, account transfers, and other specialized circumstances.
The calculator also does not determine how much retirement income you should withdraw for living expenses, whether withdrawing more than the minimum is financially appropriate, or what investment strategy you should follow.
RMD and tax laws can change. Treat the calculator result as an informational estimate and verify the applicable rules before making tax-sensitive retirement decisions.
For a standard owner RMD, generally use the retirement account balance as of December 31 of the calendar year immediately before the RMD year.
The standard calculation divides the prior December 31 account balance by the applicable IRS life-expectancy distribution period. The correct table depends on the account owner's circumstances.
Yes. An RMD establishes a required minimum rather than a maximum withdrawal. However, withdrawing more than required generally does not reduce the RMD calculated for a later year.
Original Roth IRA owners are generally not required to take lifetime RMDs. Beneficiaries are subject to separate distribution rules.
It can. If your spouse is your sole beneficiary and is more than 10 years younger than you, the Joint and Last Survivor Table generally applies instead of the Uniform Lifetime Table.
You generally calculate the RMD separately for each IRA first. Eligible IRA RMD amounts can then generally be aggregated and withdrawn from one or more of the IRAs. Different rules apply to many employer plans.
Create a base case with the contribution and return assumption you consider reasonable. Then test a lower return, a later start or a higher contribution to see which change has the largest effect on the projected value.
An RMD Calculator is most useful when you compare more than one retirement-account scenario. Because the required minimum distribution depends heavily on the prior year-end balance and the applicable IRS distribution factor, even modest changes in account value can affect the amount that must be withdrawn.
| Scenario | Prior Year-End Balance | Example Divisor | Estimated RMD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Balance | $400,000 | 26.5 | $15,094.34 |
| Base Scenario | $500,000 | 26.5 | $18,867.92 |
| Higher Balance | $600,000 | 26.5 | $22,641.51 |
This comparison shows why the previous December 31 balance matters. With the same age and distribution factor, a larger retirement-account balance produces a proportionally larger required minimum distribution.
Your required minimum distribution is recalculated for each applicable year. It is not normally a fixed withdrawal amount carried forward from the previous year.
For these reasons, calculate the RMD again for each distribution year instead of assuming last year's amount still applies.
Your RMD should not be mistaken for the dollar amount you will need for retirement expenses. While you will probably use the RMD as a general guide of how much you can withdraw from your retirement accounts, it is mainly a minimum distribution requirement of federal retirement-account rules.
For instance, an individual with an estimated RMD of $24,000 might end up drawing $40,000 from his or her retirement savings in a given year, while another individual might only draw a portion of the mandated distribution to meet current costs. The calculator merely provides an estimated minimum distribution; it does not generate a personalized retirement-income plan.
You can also express an RMD as a percentage of the prior year-end account balance. This provides another way to understand the size of the required withdrawal.
RMD Percentage = RMD ÷ Prior Year-End Balance × 100
For example, if the account balance is $530,000 and the RMD is $20,000:
$20,000 ÷ $530,000 × 100 = approximately 3.77%
This percentage is descriptive rather than a universal retirement withdrawal recommendation. The applicable percentage generally changes as the IRS distribution period changes with age.
If you own more than one traditional IRA, calculate the required minimum distribution for each account using its own prior December 31 balance. Depending on applicable rules, eligible IRA RMD amounts may then be combined for distribution purposes.
| IRA | Prior Year-End Balance | Example Divisor | Estimated RMD |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRA 1 | $250,000 | 26.5 | $9,433.96 |
| IRA 2 | $150,000 | 26.5 | $5,660.38 |
| IRA 3 | $100,000 | 26.5 | $3,773.58 |
| Total | $500,000 | — | $18,867.92 |
Do not assume the same aggregation treatment applies to every workplace retirement account. Rules for 401(k), 403(b), and other employer-sponsored plans may differ from IRA rules.
Having the correct account information helps prevent avoidable calculation errors. Before using the RMD Calculator, confirm the following:
Two RMD calculators can occasionally display different answers even when they appear to calculate the same retirement account. Before assuming one result is incorrect, compare the assumptions and inputs.
When comparing results, verify the year, balance, age, beneficiary information, and distribution table before focusing on small rounding differences.
Keeping basic records can make annual RMD calculations easier and help you review how the amount was determined.
Financial institutions may provide RMD information for certain accounts, but the account owner is generally responsible for making sure applicable distribution requirements are satisfied.