RMD Calculator (Required Minimum Distribution)
Free RMD calculator for 2026. Enter your age and prior December 31 IRA balance to estimate your Required Minimum Distribution and five-year withdrawal schedule.
What Is an RMD?
A Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) is the minimum amount that many owners of traditional IRAs and workplace retirement plans must withdraw each year after reaching the applicable starting age. This calculator divides the prior December 31 balance by the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table divisor.
The tool shows the current-year estimate and a five-year outlook. It is a planning estimate, not tax advice: account type, beneficiary status, and plan rules can change the required calculation.
Sources used in this calculation
Statutory figures such as tax and insurance rates come from the public bodies listed below. They change when the law is revised, so please also check the primary source before relying on the result for an important decision.
- Uniform Lifetime Table for required minimum distributions (IRS Pub 590-B Table III) — Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Effective from 2023-01 ／ Last checked 2026-09-19
How to Use This RMD Calculator
- Enter your age Use the age you will be on December 31 of the distribution year.
- Enter last year-end balance Use the account value as of the preceding December 31.
- Review the estimate and deadline The first RMD has a special April 1 following-year option; later RMDs are normally due December 31.
Tips for getting more out of it
- Calculate each IRA separately even when you take the total from one or more eligible IRA accounts.
- A first RMD delayed to April 1 can mean two taxable distributions in the same calendar year.
- A Roth IRA owned by the original owner generally has no lifetime RMD, but beneficiary rules differ.
When this is useful
Planning cash flow for the year ahead
**The RMD is fixed by the balance on 31 December of the prior year, so a fall in markets during the current year does not reduce it.** Knowing the amount early makes it easier to avoid being forced to sell assets that have dropped in value.
Deciding whether to defer the first distribution
**The first year can sometimes be deferred to 1 April of the following year, but then two distributions land in the same year's taxable income.** It is worth checking in advance whether that pushes you into a higher bracket.
Deciding how to draw down across several accounts
IRAs are calculated account by account, yet the total may be taken from whichever of them you choose. Seeing the balances side by side helps you settle the split.
Looking ahead at taxable income over five years
**As the balance grows the divisor shrinks, so the required amount tends to rise year on year.** Laying the projection out shows which years call for restraint elsewhere.
Weighing charitable giving or a conversion
Once the distribution is known, options such as a qualified charitable distribution or a Roth conversion can be compared against the tax they carry.
RMD Glossary
- RMD
- Required Minimum Distribution: the annual minimum withdrawal required from many tax-deferred retirement accounts.
- Uniform Lifetime Table
- The IRS table most original account owners use to find the divisor for an RMD.
- Prior year-end balance
- The value of the retirement account on December 31 of the preceding calendar year.
RMD Calculator FAQ
Why the December 31 Balance Matters
The RMD formula looks simple, but its timing matters. The amount for a distribution year is based on the account value at the end of the previous year, not on the value on the day you withdraw. That gives account owners a consistent figure to use even when markets move during the year.
RMDs set a minimum rather than a recommended spending target. You may withdraw more, but taking extra in one year does not normally reduce a future year's RMD. Coordinating withdrawals with tax brackets, charitable gifts, and other income is a useful discussion to have with a qualified tax professional.