Free rmd (required minimum distribution) calculator
Find your required minimum distribution from the prior-year-end balance and the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table divisor — updated live, as you type.
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Results are estimates. Consult a professional.
What is a required minimum distribution (RMD)?
A required minimum distribution (RMD) is the smallest amount the IRS forces you to withdraw from a tax-deferred retirement account each year once you reach age 73. This RMD calculator finds that figure by dividing your prior-year-end account balance by an IRS life-expectancy divisor — the moment you enter your age and balance, it returns the dollar amount you must take out this year to avoid a penalty.
RMDs exist because traditional IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s and similar accounts grow tax-deferred — you never paid income tax on the contributions or the growth. The government uses the RMD rules to make sure that money is eventually taxed during your lifetime rather than sheltered forever. Roth IRAs have no RMDs for the original owner, and as of 2024 designated Roth 401(k) accounts no longer have lifetime RMDs either.
How the RMD is calculated
The RMD formula is a single division: take the account's value on the last day of the prior year and divide by the divisor the IRS assigns to your age. For most retirees the divisor comes from the Uniform Lifetime Table.
Under the SECURE 2.0 Act, the starting age is 73 for anyone reaching 72 after December 31, 2022, and it rises to 75 in 2033. You calculate a separate RMD for each tax-deferred account, although IRAs may be aggregated — the total can be withdrawn from any one IRA.
IRS — Retirement topics: Required minimum distributions (RMDs). Confirms age-73 start, December 31 prior-year balance, and the Uniform Lifetime Table.How to use the RMD calculator
The calculator needs only two inputs, and the result updates live as you type:
- Age — your age at the end of the distribution year. The calculator looks up the matching Uniform Lifetime Table divisor (26.5 at 73, 24.6 at 75, and so on).
- Account balance — the fair market value of the account on December 31 of the prior year. Use the year-end statement figure, not today's balance.
The result is the dollar amount you must withdraw before the year-end deadline. You can always take more than the RMD; you simply cannot take less. If you own several IRAs, run each balance through and total the results — though the IRS lets you satisfy the combined IRA total from any single IRA.
A worked RMD example at age 75
Linda turned 75 this year. Her traditional IRA was worth $500,000 on December 31 last year. She wants to know the minimum she must withdraw to stay penalty-free.
Step 1 — Find the divisor for her age
The Uniform Lifetime Table divisor at age 75 is 24.6.
Step 2 — Divide the prior-year-end balance
By contrast, at age 73 the divisor is larger (26.5), so the same $500,000 balance would require only $18,867.92 — proof that the required percentage climbs every year as the divisor shrinks.
IRS Uniform Lifetime Table divisors and RMD on $500,000
The table below lists the Uniform Lifetime Table divisor for each age the calculator uses, plus the RMD it would produce on a $500,000 balance and the share of the account that represents. The required percentage rises steadily with age.
| Age | Divisor | RMD on $500,000 | % of balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 73 | 26.5 | $18,868 | 3.77% |
| 75 | 24.6 | $20,325 | 4.07% |
| 80 | 20.2 | $24,752 | 4.95% |
| 85 | 16.0 | $31,250 | 6.25% |
| 90 | 12.2 | $40,984 | 8.20% |
| 95 | 8.9 | $56,180 | 11.24% |
Divisors from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table (2022+, post-SECURE 2.0). RMD figures computed by this calculator on a $500,000 balance.
IRS Publication 590-B, Appendix B — Uniform Lifetime Table (used by most owners to calculate lifetime RMDs).RMD deadlines and the missed-RMD penalty
Your first RMD has a special deadline: April 1 of the year after you turn 73 (the required beginning date). Every RMD after that — including a second one in that same first year if you delay — is due by December 31. Delaying the first RMD into the following April means taking two distributions in one calendar year, which can push you into a higher tax bracket.
Common RMD mistakes to avoid
- Using the current balance instead of last year's. The formula always uses the December 31 prior-year-end value, never today's number.
- Assuming Roth IRAs need an RMD. Roth IRAs have no RMD during the original owner's lifetime, and Roth 401(k)s lost their lifetime RMD requirement starting in 2024.
- Forgetting that 401(k)s are not aggregated like IRAs. You can satisfy your total IRA RMD from one IRA, but each employer plan's RMD must come from that plan.
- Missing the two-distribution trap. Pushing the first RMD to the April 1 deadline forces a second RMD by December 31 of the same year.
- Overlooking QCDs. A qualified charitable distribution sent directly to charity can count toward your RMD and keep it out of taxable income.
Accuracy, assumptions, and sources
This RMD calculator divides the balance you enter by the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table divisor for your age, matching the standard lifetime-RMD method in IRS Publication 590-B. It assumes you are the account owner using the Uniform Lifetime Table, not an inherited-account beneficiary and not an owner with a much-younger spouse as sole beneficiary. It is an estimate for planning, not tax advice — confirm your exact figure with your plan administrator or a tax professional, and verify the current rules at the IRS links below.
IRS — Retirement topics: Required minimum distributions (RMDs).IRS Publication 590-B — Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs).Frequently asked questions about the free rmd (required minimum distribution) calculator
About this RMD calculator
This RMD calculator finds the required minimum distribution you must take from a tax-deferred retirement account starting at age 73 under SECURE 2.0. It divides the prior-year-end balance you enter by the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table divisor for your age and returns the figure instantly.
It sits alongside our other retirement calculators, and you can browse every tool on the full calculators directory. The result is an estimate for planning, not tax advice.