Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Calculator
Calculate the IRS-mandated minimum amount you must withdraw annually from your traditional IRA, 401(k), or other tax-deferred retirement accounts once you reach the required beginning date.
Formula
RMD = Prior Year-End Account Balance ÷ IRS Life Expectancy Factor
- Prior Year-End Balance: Fair market value of all applicable accounts as of December 31 of the preceding year.
- Life Expectancy Factor: Obtained from the applicable IRS table based on your age (and spouse's age for the Joint table).
- Year-End Balance (projection): (Starting Balance − RMD) × (1 + Growth Rate)
- Withdrawal Rate: RMD ÷ Starting Balance × 100
Assumptions & References
- RMD rules apply to traditional IRAs, SEP-IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), and most other tax-deferred retirement plans.
- The SECURE 2.0 Act (2022) raised the RMD starting age to 73 (for those born 1951–1959) and 75 (for those born 1960 or later, effective 2033).
- Life expectancy factors are from the IRS 2022 Final Regulations (effective January 1, 2022), published in Treasury Regulation §1.401(a)(9).
- Uniform Lifetime Table: Used by most account owners regardless of beneficiary designation.
- Joint Life & Last Survivor Table: Used only when the sole beneficiary is a spouse more than 10 years younger; yields a lower RMD.
- Single Life Expectancy Table: Used by eligible designated beneficiaries (e.g., surviving spouses, minor children) who inherited an IRA.
- Roth IRAs are not subject to RMDs during the original owner's lifetime.
- If you have multiple IRAs, the RMD is calculated separately for each but can be aggregated and withdrawn from any one IRA.
- The penalty for missing an RMD is 25% of the shortfall (reduced to 10% if corrected within the 2-year correction window) per IRC §4974.
- Projections assume a constant growth rate and are for illustrative purposes only; actual returns will vary.
- References: IRS Publication 590-B; IRC §401(a)(9); Treasury Reg. §1.401(a)(9)-9; SECURE 2.0 Act §107.
- This calculator does not constitute legal or tax advice. Consult a qualified tax professional for your specific situation.