Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Calculator
Calculate your IRS-required annual withdrawal from a traditional IRA, 401(k), 403(b), or other tax-deferred retirement account using the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table.
Required minimum distribution
£10,162.60
- Distribution period (years)
- 24.6
- Withdrawal rate
- 4.07%
- Monthly equivalent
- £846.88
- Remaining balance after RMD
- £239,837.40
RMD = prior-year-end balance ÷ IRS Uniform Lifetime Table divisor. At age 75 the divisor is 24.6 years (IRS Pub 590-B, Table III). Failing to withdraw the full RMD triggers a 25% excise tax on the shortfall (10% if corrected within two years under SECURE 2.0).
How to use this calculator
Enter the fair market value of your retirement account on December 31 of last year (your custodian reports this on Form 5498), then enter the age you will reach this calendar year. The result is the minimum dollar amount the IRS requires you to withdraw before December 31. If you have multiple IRAs you can aggregate the RMDs and take the total from any one of them, but RMDs from 401(k)-style plans must be taken from each plan separately.
How the calculation works
The formula is RMD = prior-year-end balance ÷ distribution period, where the distribution period comes from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table (Pub 590-B, Appendix B, Table III, updated effective 2022). The table assigns each age a divisor based on the joint life expectancy of you and a hypothetical beneficiary 10 years younger. The divisor shrinks each year — your withdrawal percentage rises from about 3.65% at age 73 to 50% at age 120. This calculator uses the Uniform Lifetime Table, which applies unless your sole beneficiary is a spouse more than 10 years younger (in which case the Joint Life and Last Survivor Expectancy table gives smaller RMDs).
Worked example
A 75-year-old IRA owner had a balance of $100,000 on December 31 of the previous year. The Uniform Lifetime divisor at age 75 is 24.6 years. RMD = $100,000 ÷ 24.6 = $4,065.04. They must withdraw at least this amount by December 31 of the current year. They could take it as one lump sum, monthly instalments of about $338.75, or any schedule in between — the IRS only requires the total to clear by year-end.
Frequently asked questions
At what age do RMDs start?
Under the SECURE 2.0 Act (December 2022), the RMD start age is 73 for people born between 1951 and 1959, and 75 for people born in 1960 or later. The first RMD can be delayed until April 1 of the year after you reach the start age (your "required beginning date"), but doing so means you take two RMDs in the same calendar year, which often pushes you into a higher tax bracket. Most people take the first RMD in the year they hit the start age.
Which accounts have RMDs?
Traditional IRAs, SEP-IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, 457(b)s, and other tax-deferred retirement accounts. Under SECURE 2.0, Roth 401(k) and Roth 403(b) accounts no longer require RMDs during the owner's lifetime (effective 2024). Roth IRAs never required RMDs during the owner's lifetime. Inherited accounts have their own (different) RMD rules under the 10-year rule.
What happens if I miss an RMD?
The IRS imposes a 25% excise tax on the shortfall — the difference between what you should have withdrawn and what you actually took. SECURE 2.0 reduced this from the previous 50%. The excise tax drops further to 10% if you correct the shortfall within two years and file Form 5329 explaining the missed distribution. You can also request a waiver by attaching a statement to Form 5329 showing the shortfall was due to reasonable error.
Can I aggregate RMDs across accounts?
Partly. RMDs from multiple traditional IRAs can be aggregated — you compute each RMD separately, then withdraw the total from any one IRA or any combination. The same is true within 403(b)s (aggregate across multiple 403(b)s). But RMDs from a 401(k) must be taken from that specific 401(k) — no aggregating across plans or with IRAs. If you have multiple 401(k)s with different employers, each plan needs its own RMD withdrawal.
Does the calculator handle a younger spouse beneficiary?
No — this calculator uses the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table, which is the correct table for the vast majority of account owners. If your sole beneficiary is a spouse more than 10 years younger than you, you would use the Joint Life and Last Survivor Expectancy Table (Pub 590-B, Table II) instead, which produces a smaller RMD. Talk to your custodian or a tax professional — that variant requires both your age and your spouse's age each year.
How is the RMD taxed?
RMDs from traditional retirement accounts are taxed as ordinary income at your federal marginal rate (and state rate, if applicable). The custodian typically withholds 10% federal tax by default; you can change the withholding rate when you take the distribution. If you do not need the cash, a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) sends up to $105,000 (2024 limit, indexed) directly from your IRA to a qualified charity and counts toward your RMD without being taxable — useful for charitable givers in retirement.