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RMD Calculator

Your required minimum distribution from an IRA or 401(k) this year: last year-end's balance divided by the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table divisor for your age.

At 75, your required minimum distribution on a $500,000 balance is $20,325: the balance divided by 24.6, from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table.

Required minimum distribution
$20,325
Divisor (Uniform Lifetime Table)
24.6
RMDs start at
age 73
Share of the balance
4.07%

Uniform Lifetime Table divisors, and the RMD on $500,000

AgeDivisorRMD on $500,000
7326.5$18,868
7524.6$20,325
8020.2$24,752
8516$31,250
9012.2$40,984
958.9$56,180
1006.4$78,125

How this calculator works

RMD = the account balance on December 31 of last year ÷ the divisor for the age you reach this year, from the Uniform Lifetime Table (26 CFR 1.401(a)(9)-9).

Under SECURE 2.0, RMDs start at 73 for people born 1951 to 1959 and at 75 for those born in 1960 or later.

What it assumes

  • If your spouse is your only beneficiary and more than 10 years younger, a different table (Joint and Last Survivor) gives a smaller RMD.
  • Roth IRAs have no RMDs for the owner; Roth 401(k)s no longer do from 2024.

Questions people ask

When do I have to start taking RMDs?

At 73 if you were born between 1951 and 1959, at 75 if born in 1960 or later. The first can wait until April 1 of the next year, but then two are due that year.

How is an RMD calculated?

Divide last December 31's balance by your age's divisor: at 75 the divisor is 24.6, so $500,000 needs $20,325 withdrawn.

What if I miss an RMD?

The penalty is 25% of the amount not taken, cut to 10% if you correct it within two years.

Do I pay tax on an RMD?

Yes, as ordinary income for traditional IRAs and 401(k)s. A qualified charitable distribution from an IRA can satisfy the RMD without it counting as income.

Related calculators

  • 401(k) CalculatorWhat your 401(k) grows to by retirement with your contributions, your employer's match and investment returns, within the 2026 limit of $24,500.
  • Social Security CalculatorA rough estimate of your Social Security retirement benefit from your typical earnings, and how much claiming early or late changes it.
  • Income Tax CalculatorYour 2026 federal and state income tax from your income, filing status and children, with your tax bracket and the effective rate you really pay.

Sources

Updated by the RateHerald team. The maths is tested against worked examples; report a problem.

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