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Calculation Machine

RMD Calculator

Required minimum distribution and the tax on it.

Reviewed by the Calculation Machine team · Updated 24 October 2026 · How we check our maths

Your values

ⓘ Live results

Results
Required minimum distribution
$24,390.24
Still to withdraw
$24,390.24
Estimated tax on the RMD
$5,365.85
Net amount you keep
$19,024.39
As a share of the balance
4.07%
Monthly if spread evenly
$2,032.52
Penalty if missed (25%)
$6,097.56

Quick answer

A required minimum distribution (RMD) is the least you must withdraw each year from a traditional IRA or 401(k) once you reach RMD age. Divide the account balance on December 31 of last year by the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table factor for your age this year. At age 75 the factor is 24.6, so a $600,000 balance gives an RMD of $24,390.24.

What the RMD calculator does

This calculator works out this year's RMD for one tax-deferred retirement account, the federal income tax it is likely to trigger at your marginal rate, and how much you still need to withdraw if you have already taken some. It also shows the 25% excise tax that would apply to any shortfall.

It is for account owners using the Uniform Lifetime Table — the table most retirees use. If your spouse is your sole beneficiary and more than 10 years younger, the IRS Joint Life and Last Survivor table gives a smaller RMD. Inherited accounts follow different rules (see below).

RMDs are taxed as ordinary income, so they can push you into a higher bracket and affect Medicare premiums. Planning withdrawals before RMD age, or converting some savings to Roth (compare with the Roth vs traditional calculator), can smooth this out. For anything beyond a straightforward single account, a tax advisor or your plan administrator can confirm the figure.

The formula

RMD = prior year-end balance ÷ life expectancy factor; tax ≈ RMD × marginal rate

Formula variables
SymbolMeaningUnit
balanceAccount value on December 31 of the previous year (from your year-end statement)$
factorDistribution period from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table for the age you reach this yearyears
marginal rateYour federal income tax bracket for the extra income%

The method and tables are set out in IRS Publication 590-B. The current tables took effect in 2022. The 25% penalty shown is the excise tax on the amount not withdrawn; it falls to 10% if you correct the shortfall within the IRS correction window, and the IRS can waive it for reasonable error if you file Form 5329 with an explanation. State income tax is not included.

Worked examples

Typical RMD at 75

A 75-year-old with $600,000 in a traditional IRA at last year-end, in the 22% bracket.

Inputs

  • Balance on 31 December last year600000 $
  • Your age this year75 yr
  • IRS life expectancy factor24.6
  • Your marginal tax rate22 %
  • Already withdrawn this year0 $

Result

  • Required minimum distribution$24,390.24
  • Still to withdraw$24,390.24
  • Estimated tax on the RMD$5,365.85
  • Net amount you keep$19,024.39
  • As a share of the balance4.07%
  • Monthly if spread evenly$2,032.52

The RMD is $24,390, about 4.07% of the balance, leaving roughly $19,025 after federal tax. Taking it as monthly installments of about $2,033 is allowed as long as the total is out by December 31.

First RMD at 73

A retiree turning 73 this year has $350,000 in a 401(k) and is in the 12% bracket.

Inputs

  • Balance on 31 December last year350000 $
  • Your age this year73 yr
  • IRS life expectancy factor26.5
  • Your marginal tax rate12 %
  • Already withdrawn this year0 $

Result

  • Required minimum distribution$13,207.55
  • Still to withdraw$13,207.55
  • Estimated tax on the RMD$1,584.91
  • Net amount you keep$11,622.64
  • As a share of the balance3.77%
  • Monthly if spread evenly$1,100.63

The first RMD is about $13,208. It can be delayed to April 1 next year, but then two RMDs land in the same tax year, which may push part of the income into a higher bracket.

Partly withdrawn at 80

An 80-year-old with $1.2 million who has already withdrawn $20,000 this year, at a 24% marginal rate.

Inputs

  • Balance on 31 December last year1200000 $
  • Your age this year80 yr
  • IRS life expectancy factor20.2
  • Your marginal tax rate24 %
  • Already withdrawn this year20000 $

Result

  • Required minimum distribution$59,405.94
  • Still to withdraw$39,405.94
  • Estimated tax on the RMD$14,257.43
  • Net amount you keep$45,148.51
  • As a share of the balance4.95%
  • Monthly if spread evenly$4,950.50

The RMD is about $59,406 and $39,406 is still due. Missing it would expose about $9,851 to the 25% excise tax, so schedule the rest before December.

Uniform Lifetime Table factors by age

Find the age you reach this year and enter the factor. The percentage column shows how much of the balance you must take out, which rises every year.

Selected IRS Uniform Lifetime Table distribution periods (in effect since 2022)
AgeFactorRMD as % of balance
7326.53.77%
7425.53.92%
7524.64.07%
7623.74.22%
7722.94.37%
7822.04.55%
8020.24.95%
8516.06.25%
9012.28.20%

When RMDs start and which accounts need them

  • Starting age: under the SECURE 2.0 Act, RMDs begin at 73 if you were born from 1951 to 1959 and at 75 if you were born in 1960 or later.
  • First deadline: your first RMD can wait until April 1 of the year after you reach RMD age. Every later RMD is due by December 31.
  • Accounts covered: traditional IRAs, SEP and SIMPLE IRAs, 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) plans.
  • No RMDs for the original owner: Roth IRAs, and since 2024 Roth 401(k) and 403(b) accounts.
  • Still working: you can usually delay RMDs from your current employer's plan until you retire, unless you own more than 5% of the company. This does not apply to IRAs.

Multiple accounts, inherited accounts and charitable giving

Work out an RMD for every account separately. For IRAs (including SEP and SIMPLE IRAs) you may add the amounts together and withdraw the total from any one or more of them; 403(b)s can be combined with each other the same way. Each 401(k) must pay its own RMD.

Inherited accounts do not use this table. Most non-spouse beneficiaries who inherited after 2019 must empty the account within 10 years, and some must also take yearly amounts using the IRS Single Life Expectancy table. Check Publication 590-B or a tax advisor.

From age 70½ you can send money straight from an IRA to charity as a qualified charitable distribution. It counts towards your RMD but is not added to your taxable income, up to an annual limit that is now adjusted for inflation.

How to use the RMD Calculator

  1. 1Find your account balance on December 31 of last year on your year-end statement.
  2. 2Enter the age you will be on your birthday this year and the matching factor from the table above.
  3. 3Enter your federal marginal tax bracket to estimate the tax withheld or owed.
  4. 4Add anything already withdrawn this year to see how much is still required before December 31.

Frequently asked questions

How is my RMD calculated?

Divide last December 31's balance by the Uniform Lifetime Table factor for your age this year. At 73 the factor is 26.5, so each $100,000 requires about $3,774.

What is the penalty for missing an RMD?

An excise tax of 25% of the amount you should have withdrawn but did not. It drops to 10% if you take the missed amount and file Form 5329 within the correction window.

Can I take more than my RMD?

Yes. The RMD is a minimum; you can withdraw more at any time. Extra withdrawals do not count towards next year's RMD.

Can I have tax withheld from my RMD?

Yes. Ask your IRA custodian or plan to withhold federal tax from the distribution. Withholding is treated as paid evenly through the year, so a December RMD with heavy withholding can cover a year's estimated tax.

Can I reinvest my RMD?

You cannot roll an RMD into another IRA or retirement plan, but you can invest it in a taxable brokerage account, or contribute to a Roth IRA if you have earned income.

References

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