RMD Calculator: How Much Must You Withdraw From Retirement Accounts?
How much must you withdraw from retirement?
Required Minimum Distribution Calculator
Enter your Dec 31 prior-year balance, age, and income to calculate your 2026 RMD, estimated tax impact, and 10-year projection. Results update live.
Your RMD Details
Use Dec 31 balance from last year's statement
RMDs begin at age 73 (SECURE 2.0)
Social Security + pension + other (for tax estimate)
Used for 10-year projection
Other IRA/401k balances to include in projection
Results are estimates only and do not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Always consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.
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Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) are the IRS-mandated annual withdrawals you must take from traditional IRAs, 401(k)s, and most other tax-deferred retirement accounts starting at age 73 (under the SECURE 2.0 Act, effective 2023). Missing an RMD, or withdrawing too little, triggers a 25% excise tax on the shortfall — one of the steepest penalties in the tax code, reduced from 50% by SECURE 2.0. The RMD formula is straightforward: divide your account balance as of December 31 of the previous year by your life expectancy factor from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table. At age 73, the factor is 26.5 — so a $500,000 IRA balance generates an RMD of $18,868. At 80, the factor is 20.2, producing an RMD of $24,752 on the same balance. What makes RMD planning complex is the tax impact: every dollar withdrawn is ordinary income. Large RMDs can push you into higher tax brackets, trigger Medicare IRMAA surcharges (which add $70–$420+ per month to Medicare premiums), make Social Security benefits taxable, and create unexpected state tax bills. Strategic planning — Roth conversions before RMDs begin, qualified charitable distributions (QCDs), and coordinating with other income sources — can significantly reduce the tax burden. This calculator shows your current year RMD, estimated tax impact, and a 10-year projection of declining balances and growing withdrawals.
- →Approaching age 73 and need to know when and how much to start withdrawing
- →Already taking RMDs and want to verify your calculation is correct
- →Planning Roth conversions to reduce future RMD amounts
- →Calculating the tax impact of RMDs on total retirement income
- →Managing an inherited IRA with its own RMD rules
Robert turns 73 in 2024. His traditional IRA balance on December 31, 2023 was $620,000. His RMD for 2024: $620,000 ÷ 26.5 = $23,396. Combined with $24,000 in Social Security and a $12,000 pension, his total income is $59,396. The calculator shows this pushes $10,200 of his Social Security into taxable status and places him in the 22% bracket. A $30,000 Roth conversion in the prior year would have reduced his current IRA balance and this year's RMD by $1,132.
What is the RMD age after SECURE 2.0?
Under SECURE 2.0 (signed December 2022), the RMD starting age was raised from 72 to 73 for people who turn 72 after December 31, 2022. It will increase again to age 75 for people born after December 31, 1959 (turning 75 in 2035 or later). Roth IRAs are exempt from RMDs during the owner's lifetime; Roth 401(k)s were also exempted from RMDs beginning in 2024.
Can I take more than my RMD?
Yes — the RMD is a minimum, not a maximum. You can withdraw any amount above the RMD, and many retirees do to fund living expenses. However, the excess doesn't satisfy future RMD requirements. If you inherit an IRA, different rules apply: most non-spouse beneficiaries must empty the account within 10 years (the 10-year rule), though annual RMDs within that period depend on when the original owner died.
What is a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)?
A QCD allows people aged 70½ or older to transfer up to $105,000 (2024, indexed for inflation) per year directly from a traditional IRA to a qualified charity. The QCD counts toward your RMD but is excluded from taxable income — unlike a regular withdrawal that would be taxable. For retirees who don't need their RMD income and are charitably inclined, QCDs are one of the most tax-efficient strategies available.
What happens if I miss an RMD?
Under SECURE 2.0, the penalty for missed RMDs dropped from 50% to 25% of the shortfall amount — and further to 10% if corrected within 2 years. The IRS also has a correction program. Despite lower penalties, missing an RMD is still costly: on a $20,000 missed RMD, the penalty is $5,000 (at 25%) or $2,000 (corrected within 2 years). Always take at least the minimum on time.