RMD Calculator – Required Minimum Distribution
Estimate your required minimum distribution and view a 10-year projection. Enter the owner's birth year, distribution year, previous December 31 balance, and an assumed growth rate; add spouse details if applicable.
Estimate Your Required Minimum Distribution
RMD Formula
Where:
- \(y\) — distribution year
- \(b\) — owner's birth year
- \(A_y\) — age reached during the distribution year
- \(B_y\) — account balance on the preceding December 31
- \(D_y\) — applicable lifetime-table divisor
- \(P_y\) — RMD as a percentage of the starting balance
- \(g\) — assumed annual growth rate, in percent
The annual RMD is the previous year-end balance divided by the applicable divisor. For the projection, the calculator subtracts each year's RMD before applying the assumed growth rate.
RMD – Calculation Example
Example: An owner born in 1953 has a $500,000 balance on December 31, 2025, and is estimating a 2026 RMD. Their sole beneficiary is a spouse born in 1970, so the default younger-spouse option is selected. Assumed annual growth is 5%.
\[\begin{aligned}\text{Owner's age} &= 2026-1953=73 \\ \text{Spouse's age} &= 2026-1970=56 \\ \text{Estimated divisor} &= \max(26.5+0.18(73-56-10),\;30.74+0.9)=31.64 \\ \text{Estimated RMD} &= \frac{\$500{,}000}{31.64}=\$15{,}802.78 \\ \text{Projected Dec. 31 balance} &= (\$500{,}000-\$15{,}802.78)\times1.05\approx\$508{,}407.08\end{aligned}\]
Result: The estimated 2026 RMD is $15,802.78, or 3.16% of the starting balance. The calculator displays the divisor rounded to 31.6 but uses its unrounded estimate for the calculation. Its projected December 31, 2026, balance is $508,407.08.
How to use the calculator
- Enter the Owner's birth year and the Distribution year. The calculator uses their difference as the owner's age for that year.
- Enter the Previous December 31 balance for the account. For a 2026 distribution, use its December 31, 2025, balance.
- Select Sole beneficiary is my spouse, more than 10 years younger only if that description applies. If selected, enter Spouse's birth year. Otherwise, leave the option unchecked to use the Uniform Lifetime Table.
- Set Assumed annual growth for the projection. It does not change the current year's RMD, which is based on the balance already entered.
- Read the Required minimum distribution, RMD as a share of starting balance, and First RMD year. Use the 10-year projection to see how the chosen growth assumption affects later estimated balances and distributions.
What your RMD estimate means
A required minimum distribution is generally the minimum amount an eligible retirement-account owner must withdraw for a distribution year. The usual calculation divides the account's balance at the end of the previous calendar year by a life-expectancy divisor. A smaller divisor produces a larger required withdrawal from the same balance. The amount shown is a minimum under the calculator's assumptions, not a recommended withdrawal or a forecast of investment returns.
For owners born from 1951 through 1959, this calculator sets the first RMD year at the year they turn 73; for those born in 1960 or later, it uses age 75. For a 1953 birth year, that makes 2026 the first RMD year. Earlier birth cohorts may have started under older rules; the calculator labels a first year before 2023 as dependent on those rules. If the selected year precedes the calculated first RMD year, it reports that no RMD is required yet.
With the younger-spouse option unchecked, the divisor comes from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table in effect since 2022. The calculator's age is the age reached during the distribution year, even if that birthday has not occurred when you make the calculation. The 10-year table applies each year's estimated distribution, then the growth rate, to produce a projected year-end balance. Compare that assumption with a separate compound interest calculation if you want to examine growth without annual RMD withdrawals.
Assumptions and important limits
Younger-spouse results are approximations. When the spouse option is selected, the calculator estimates a joint-life divisor using both ages; it does not look up the official IRS Joint Life and Last Survivor Expectancy Table (Table II). It displays the divisor rounded to one decimal place but calculates with the unrounded estimate. Verify the actual Table II divisor before taking a distribution. Birth years at least 11 years apart pass the calculator's eligibility check, but birthdays—not birth years alone—determine whether a spouse is more than 10 years younger.
The estimate is for an account owner, not an inherited account. It does not model inherited-account rules, exceptions for certain 401(k) participants who are still working, or first-year payment deadlines. Check the rules for your account and distribution year: delaying a first RMD can mean taking two distributions in the following calendar year. Withdrawals may also have tax consequences not shown here.
The projection assumes no contributions or withdrawals beyond the calculated RMDs and applies the same growth rate after each withdrawal. Actual returns, balances, and future RMDs will differ. To explore a broader savings plan with additional deposits, use the savings and investment calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which retirement accounts require an RMD?
Traditional IRAs, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, and most tax-deferred employer retirement plans generally require RMDs once the applicable rules take effect. Original owners do not have lifetime RMDs from Roth IRAs or designated Roth accounts in employer plans. Inherited accounts follow different rules, so check the requirements for each account before relying on an owner RMD estimate.
Can I take the RMD for several accounts from just one account?
You must calculate the RMD for each account separately, but you can generally withdraw the combined amount from one or more of your traditional, SEP, and SIMPLE IRAs. RMDs from 403(b) accounts may generally be combined with other 403(b) accounts. A 401(k) RMD generally must come from that specific plan. Do not combine inherited-account RMDs with your own.
When is an RMD due?
An annual RMD is generally due by December 31 of its distribution year. You can usually delay your first RMD until April 1 of the following year, but doing so may leave both your first and second RMDs due in that same calendar year. Employer-plan exceptions can affect when distributions begin, so confirm the deadline with your plan administrator.
Is there a normal or good RMD percentage?
There is no target RMD percentage to aim for: the required share is determined by your applicable IRS divisor, not by investment performance or a recommended spending rate. The percentage generally rises as you get older because lifetime-table divisors decline. A higher withdrawal may fit your needs, but consider its tax effects and your long-term income plan.
What happens if I withdraw more than my RMD?
You may generally withdraw more than the required minimum, but the excess cannot be credited toward a future year’s RMD. A larger withdrawal can reduce your year-end account balance and therefore may reduce the following year’s RMD. Taxable withdrawals may also raise your income for the year, so consider the tax consequences before taking extra funds.
Are RMD withdrawals taxable?
RMDs from tax-deferred accounts are generally included in ordinary taxable income, except for any portion attributable to after-tax contributions or another applicable exclusion. The RMD amount itself is not a tax estimate; withholding choices do not change how much must leave the account. If you have after-tax basis or are considering a qualified charitable distribution, consult a tax professional about the applicable rules.
What if I miss an RMD or take too little?
An RMD shortfall may be subject to a federal excise tax of 25%, potentially reduced to 10% if corrected within the permitted correction period. The IRS may waive the tax if the shortfall resulted from reasonable error and you take steps to remedy it. Contact your account custodian or plan administrator promptly, and seek tax advice about any required filing.