Free calculator
RMD calculator: your required minimum distribution for 2026 and beyond
By Secure Retirement PlannerUpdated
Your required minimum distribution (RMD) is last year's December 31 balance divided by the IRS life expectancy factor for your age. In 2026, RMDs apply if you were born in 1953 or earlier (age 73 or older this year); people born in 1960 or later start at 75.
Enter your birth year and balance to see this year's RMD, when yours begin, and a projection of how they grow. Then see how a Roth conversion plan could shrink them at Lowering tax on your RMDs.
Calculate your RMD
Add up traditional IRAs, 401(k)s and similar accounts. Leave out Roth accounts.
Your RMDs start at
Age 73
In 2031. That's 5 years from now.
Estimated RMD at 73
$36,121
Balance then: about $957,211
Total RMDs through age 95
$1,318,694
Tax on those RMDs at 22%
$290,113
Federal only, before any Roth conversions
Show my year-by-year RMDs
| Age | Year | Balance Jan 1 | RMD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age 73 | 2031 | $957,211 | $36,121 |
| Age 74 | 2032 | $967,144 | $37,927 |
| Age 75 | 2033 | $975,678 | $39,662 |
| Age 76 | 2034 | $982,817 | $41,469 |
| Age 77 | 2035 | $988,416 | $43,162 |
| Age 78 | 2036 | $992,516 | $45,114 |
| Age 79 | 2037 | $994,772 | $47,146 |
| Age 80 | 2038 | $995,007 | $49,258 |
| Age 81 | 2039 | $993,037 | $51,187 |
| Age 82 | 2040 | $988,942 | $53,456 |
| Age 83 | 2041 | $982,260 | $55,495 |
| Age 84 | 2042 | $973,103 | $57,923 |
| Age 85 | 2043 | $960,940 | $60,059 |
| Age 86 | 2044 | $945,925 | $62,232 |
| Age 87 | 2045 | $927,878 | $64,436 |
| Age 88 | 2046 | $906,614 | $66,176 |
| Age 89 | 2047 | $882,460 | $68,408 |
| Age 90 | 2048 | $854,754 | $70,062 |
| Age 91 | 2049 | $823,927 | $71,646 |
| Age 92 | 2050 | $789,895 | $73,138 |
| Age 93 | 2051 | $752,595 | $74,514 |
| Age 94 | 2052 | $711,984 | $74,946 |
| Age 95 | 2053 | $668,891 | $75,156 |
Estimate using the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table and a steady growth rate, with no withdrawals beyond the RMD. Real returns vary. Not tax advice. See how a conversion plan changes this.
What age do RMDs start?
The SECURE 2.0 Act raised the starting age. Your RMD age depends on the year you were born.
Your first RMD can wait until April 1 of the year after you reach your RMD age. Every RMD after that is due by December 31. If you delay the first one, you'll take two RMDs in the same year, which can push you into a higher bracket.
| Born in | RMDs start at age | First RMD year |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 or earlier | 72 (or 70½ if born before July 1, 1949) | Already started |
| 1951 to 1959 | 73 | The year you turn 73 |
| 1960 or later | 75 | 2035 at the earliest |
What is the 2026 RMD table (Uniform Lifetime Table)?
Most IRA owners use the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table. Divide your December 31, 2025 balance by the factor for the age you'll be on your 2026 birthday. The percentage column shows how much of the account you must take out.
If your only beneficiary is a spouse more than 10 years younger, you use the Joint Life and Last Survivor table instead, which gives a smaller RMD. Inherited IRAs follow different rules.
| Age | Distribution period | Share you must withdraw |
|---|---|---|
| 72 | 27.4 | 3.65% |
| 73 | 26.5 | 3.77% |
| 74 | 25.5 | 3.92% |
| 75 | 24.6 | 4.07% |
| 76 | 23.7 | 4.22% |
| 77 | 22.9 | 4.37% |
| 78 | 22.0 | 4.55% |
| 79 | 21.1 | 4.74% |
| 80 | 20.2 | 4.95% |
| 81 | 19.4 | 5.15% |
| 82 | 18.5 | 5.41% |
| 83 | 17.7 | 5.65% |
| 84 | 16.8 | 5.95% |
| 85 | 16.0 | 6.25% |
| 86 | 15.2 | 6.58% |
| 87 | 14.4 | 6.94% |
| 88 | 13.7 | 7.30% |
| 89 | 12.9 | 7.75% |
| 90 | 12.2 | 8.20% |
| 91 | 11.5 | 8.70% |
| 92 | 10.8 | 9.26% |
| 93 | 10.1 | 9.90% |
| 94 | 9.5 | 10.53% |
| 95 | 8.9 | 11.24% |
| 96 | 8.4 | 11.90% |
| 97 | 7.8 | 12.82% |
| 98 | 7.3 | 13.70% |
| 99 | 6.8 | 14.71% |
| 100 | 6.4 | 15.63% |
| 72 | 27.4 | 3.65% |
| 73 | 26.5 | 3.77% |
| 74 | 25.5 | 3.92% |
| 75 | 24.6 | 4.07% |
| 76 | 23.7 | 4.22% |
| 77 | 22.9 | 4.37% |
| 78 | 22.0 | 4.55% |
| 79 | 21.1 | 4.74% |
| 80 | 20.2 | 4.95% |
| 81 | 19.4 | 5.15% |
| 82 | 18.5 | 5.41% |
| 83 | 17.7 | 5.65% |
| 84 | 16.8 | 5.95% |
| 85 | 16.0 | 6.25% |
| 86 | 15.2 | 6.58% |
| 87 | 14.4 | 6.94% |
| 88 | 13.7 | 7.30% |
| 89 | 12.9 | 7.75% |
| 90 | 12.2 | 8.20% |
| 91 | 11.5 | 8.70% |
| 92 | 10.8 | 9.26% |
| 93 | 10.1 | 9.90% |
| 94 | 9.5 | 10.53% |
| 95 | 8.9 | 11.24% |
| 96 | 8.4 | 11.90% |
| 97 | 7.8 | 12.82% |
| 98 | 7.3 | 13.70% |
| 99 | 6.8 | 14.71% |
| 100 | 6.4 | 15.63% |
Why do RMDs keep getting bigger?
The factor shrinks every year, so the share you must take out rises: about 3.8% at 73, about 5% at 80 and about 8.2% at 90. If your account keeps growing, the dollar amount can climb for years.
Every RMD dollar is taxed as ordinary income, on top of Social Security and pensions. Larger RMDs can also raise Medicare premiums (see 2026 IRMAA brackets and checker) and make more of your Social Security taxable.
Which accounts have RMDs?
RMDs apply to pre-tax retirement accounts. Roth IRAs don't have them while the owner is alive, which is one of the main reasons people convert.
| Account | RMDs during your lifetime? |
|---|---|
| Traditional, rollover, SEP and SIMPLE IRAs | Yes |
| 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), TSP | Yes (can wait until you retire if still working and not a 5% owner of the business) |
| Roth 401(k) and Roth 403(b) | No, since 2024 |
| Roth IRA | No |
| Annuity held inside an IRA | Yes, counted with your IRA |
What happens if I miss an RMD?
The penalty is 25% of the amount you should have taken. It drops to 10% if you correct it within two years, and the IRS can waive it for reasonable errors if you file Form 5329 with an explanation.
How can I lower my future RMDs?
The main way is to move money out of pre-tax accounts before RMDs begin, at a tax rate you choose. Roth conversions in the years between retirement and your RMD age do this. See How much to convert each year.
Other tools: qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) from age 70½ count toward your RMD and aren't taxed, and a qualifying longevity annuity (QLAC) can push part of an IRA's RMDs out as late as age 85.
Common questions
How is my RMD calculated?
Take your account balance on December 31 of last year and divide it by the distribution period for the age you reach this year in the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table.
Do I have to take an RMD in 2026?
Yes if you turn 73 or older in 2026 (born 1953 or earlier). If 2026 is your first RMD year, you can wait until April 1, 2027, but then you'll take two RMDs in 2027.
Can I take my RMD from just one IRA?
Yes for IRAs: you add up the RMDs for all your IRAs and can take the total from any one or more of them. 401(k)s and other workplace plans each need their own RMD.
Can I convert my RMD to a Roth?
No. The RMD for the year must be taken first and can't be converted. After that you can convert additional money.
Do Roth IRAs have RMDs?
No, not for the original owner. Heirs who inherit a Roth IRA do generally have to empty it within 10 years, but those withdrawals are usually tax-free.
What is the penalty for missing an RMD?
25% of the amount not taken, reduced to 10% if corrected within two years. The IRS may waive it for reasonable cause.
Sources
Facts on this page were last checked on November 9, 2026.
- IRS Publication 590-B, Distributions from IRAs · Uniform Lifetime Table and RMD rules. Read Nov 9, 2026.
- IRS: Retirement Topics, Required Minimum Distributions · RMD ages, deadlines, penalty. Read Nov 9, 2026.
- IRS: RMD comparison chart (IRAs vs. defined contribution plans) · Still-working exception and aggregation rules. Read Nov 9, 2026.
- Congress.gov: SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (Division T, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023) · RMD age 73/75, penalty cut to 25%/10%, Roth 401(k) RMD removal. Read Nov 9, 2026.