Required Minimum Distribution Calculator

About this calculator

A Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) is the minimum amount the IRS requires you to withdraw each year from tax-deferred retirement accounts like traditional IRAs and 401(k)s, starting at age 73 under current rules. The calculation divides your account balance (as of December 31 of the prior year) by a life-expectancy factor from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table, which decreases as you age — meaning the required percentage withdrawn goes up each year.

Retirees and their financial advisors calculate RMDs annually because missing one or withdrawing too little triggers a steep IRS excise tax penalty (25% of the shortfall, reduced to 10% if corrected promptly), and because RMDs apply separately to most account types, so someone with multiple IRAs typically needs to run the calculation for each. Financial planners also use projected RMDs when deciding whether Roth conversions earlier in retirement make sense, since Roth accounts are not subject to RMDs during the original owner's lifetime.

This calculator takes your account balance and age and returns your required minimum distribution using the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table.