RMD Tax Impact Calculator
Estimate the 2026 federal tax impact of a required minimum distribution, including bracket effect, Social Security taxation, and Medicare Part B IRMAA exposure.
Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Calculator
Free RMD calculator. Calculate your Required Minimum Distribution from your IRA or 401(k) using IRS Uniform Lifetime Table rules. Includes multi-year projections and SECURE Act 2.0 age rules.
$
%
Required Minimum Distribution
$20,325.00
4.1% of balance
Distribution Period
24.6
years (age 75)
Monthly Equivalent
$1,693.75
if spread evenly
20-Year Total RMDs⧉
$599,320.00
Sum of all values
Projected Balance (Year 20)⧉
$342,783.00
At 5% growth
RMD Projection (20 Years)
| Age | Balance | Period | RMD | % | Year-End Bal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75 | $500,000.00 | 24.6 | $20,325.00 | 4.1% | $503,659.00 |
| 76 | $503,659.00 | 23.7 | $21,251.00 | 4.2% | $506,528.00 |
| 77 | $506,528.00 | 22.9 | $22,119.00 | 4.4% | $508,629.00 |
| 78 | $508,629.00 | 22.0 | $23,120.00 | 4.5% | $509,784.00 |
| 79 | $509,784.00 | 21.1 | $24,160.00 | 4.7% | $509,905.00 |
| 80 | $509,905.00 | 20.2 | $25,243.00 | 5.0% | $508,895.00 |
| 81 | $508,895.00 | 19.4 | $26,232.00 | 5.2% | $506,796.00 |
| 82 | $506,796.00 | 18.5 | $27,394.00 | 5.4% | $503,372.00 |
| 83 | $503,372.00 | 17.7 | $28,439.00 | 5.6% | $498,680.00 |
| 84 | $498,680.00 | 16.8 | $29,683.00 | 6.0% | $492,447.00 |
| 85 | $492,447.00 | 16.0 | $30,778.00 | 6.3% | $484,752.00 |
| 86 | $484,752.00 | 15.2 | $31,892.00 | 6.6% | $475,503.00 |
| 87 | $475,503.00 | 14.4 | $33,021.00 | 6.9% | $464,606.00 |
| 88 | $464,606.00 | 13.7 | $33,913.00 | 7.3% | $452,228.00 |
| 89 | $452,228.00 | 12.9 | $35,056.00 | 7.8% | $438,031.00 |
| 90 | $438,031.00 | 12.2 | $35,904.00 | 8.2% | $422,233.00 |
| 91 | $422,233.00 | 11.5 | $36,716.00 | 8.7% | $404,793.00 |
| 92 | $404,793.00 | 10.8 | $37,481.00 | 9.3% | $385,678.00 |
| 93 | $385,678.00 | 10.1 | $38,186.00 | 9.9% | $364,867.00 |
| 94 | $364,867.00 | 9.5 | $38,407.00 | 10.5% | $342,783.00 |
Uses the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table. If your spouse is sole beneficiary and more than 10 years younger, use the Joint Life and Last Survivor Expectancy Table for a smaller RMD. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
Planning notes, formulas, and examples
About the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Calculator
The Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Calculator computes the minimum amount you must withdraw annually from your Traditional IRA, 401(k), 403(b), or other tax-deferred retirement accounts starting at the applicable federal RMD age. For many retirees that means age 73, and for those born in 1960 or later it means age 75 under current law. Failing to take your RMD results in a 25% penalty on the amount not distributed.
RMDs are calculated by dividing your account balance as of December 31 of the prior year by the IRS distribution period based on your age from the Uniform Lifetime Table. This calculator projects your RMDs over multiple years including estimated account growth.
Enter your account balance, age, and expected return to see your calculated and projected RMDs. Because RMDs increase as a percentage of your balance each year — the distribution period shrinks from 26.5 at age 73 to 13.4 at age 90 — retirees with large tax-deferred balances can face unexpectedly high taxable income in their 80s and 90s. Projecting RMDs forward helps you plan Roth conversions, charitable distributions (QCDs), and other strategies to manage the tax impact well before it arrives.
When This Page Helps
RMDs are mandatory once you reach the required age, and the penalties for non-compliance are severe. This calculator ensures you know exactly how much to withdraw, helps with tax planning, and projects future RMDs to plan for increasing withdrawal requirements as you age. Early planning can also help you avoid Medicare IRMAA surcharges triggered by high RMD-driven income.
How to Use the Inputs
- Enter your total tax-deferred retirement account balance (as of December 31 of the prior year).
- Enter your age.
- Set the expected annual growth rate of your accounts.
- Review your RMD and multi-year projection.
- Use the results for tax planning and withdrawal scheduling.
Formula used
RMD = Account Balance (Dec 31 prior year) ÷ Distribution Period (from Uniform Lifetime Table)
For each subsequent year: Balance = (Prior Balance − Prior RMD) × (1 + Growth Rate)Example Calculation
Result: RMD: $20,661 (4.1% of balance)
At age 75, the Uniform Lifetime Table distribution period is 24.6 years. RMD = $500,000 ÷ 24.6 = $20,325. At 5% growth, the balance will still grow despite withdrawals for several years before gradually declining as the distribution period shortens.
Tips & Best Practices
- RMDs begin at age 73 (born 1951-1959) or age 75 (born 1960 or later) under SECURE Act 2.0.
- The penalty for missing an RMD was reduced from 50% to 25% (10% if corrected promptly).
- Roth IRAs have NO RMDs during the owner's lifetime — only inherited Roth IRAs do.
- You can always withdraw MORE than the RMD — it's a minimum, not a maximum.
- Consider Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) up to $108,000 to satisfy RMDs tax-free.
- Take your first RMD by April 1 of the year after turning 73/75, then by Dec 31 for subsequent years.
Understanding the Uniform Lifetime Table
The IRS Uniform Lifetime Table provides the distribution period for each age, which determines the RMD percentage. At 73, the factor is 26.5 years (about 3.8% withdrawal). At 80, it's 20.2 (4.95%). At 90, it's 12.2 (8.2%). The percentage increases each year, accelerating withdrawals as you age.
Current RMD Law
Recent federal law made several RMD-friendly changes: it pushed the start age to 73 for current retirees and to 75 for later birth cohorts, reduced the penalty from 50% to 25% (10% if corrected), eliminated RMDs from Roth 401(k)s, and increased the QCD limit with inflation indexing.
Account Balance Growth vs. RMDs
In the early years, if your investment returns exceed the RMD percentage, your account continues to grow despite withdrawals. At 73, the RMD is about 3.8%. If your account earns 7%, the balance still grows. But by your mid-80s, RMD percentages typically exceed reasonable growth rates, and the balance begins to decline.
Sources & Methodology
Last updated:
Methodology
This worksheet divides the prior year-end account balance by the applicable IRS Uniform Lifetime Table factor for the age entered, then projects future RMD amounts using the selected growth assumption. It is a planning aid, not individualized tax advice. Beneficiaries and spouses more than 10 years younger may need different tables.
Sources
- Publication 590-B, Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs) (IRS) — Official Uniform Lifetime Table and required minimum distribution rules.
- Retirement topics - Required minimum distributions (RMDs) (IRS) — Official IRS overview of RMD rules, start ages, and timing requirements.
- Secure 2.0 Act changes to retirement plan distributions (IRS) — SECURE 2.0 context for the age-73 and age-75 RMD starting rules used on this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Under SECURE Act 2.0, RMDs begin at age 73 for those born between 1951-1959, and age 75 for those born in 1960 or later. Your first RMD must be taken by April 1 of the year after you reach the applicable age. All subsequent RMDs must be taken by December 31.
The penalty for not taking a required RMD is 25% of the amount that should have been withdrawn. If you correct the shortfall within a "correction window" (generally by the end of the second tax year after the penalty occurred), the penalty is reduced to 10%. Previously, the penalty was 50%.
Traditional IRAs, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, 457 plans, and profit-sharing plans all require RMDs. Roth IRAs do NOT require RMDs during the original owner's lifetime. Roth 401(k)s do not require RMDs under the SECURE 2.0 rules reflected on this page.
For IRAs, yes — you can calculate the total RMD across all your Traditional IRAs and withdraw from any one or combination. For 401(k)s, no — each 401(k) has its own separate RMD that must be taken from that specific account.
If you're still working and don't own more than 5% of the company, you may delay RMDs from your employer's 401(k) until you retire. This does not apply to IRAs or previous employer plans — those RMDs still apply at 73/75.
A QCD allows you to transfer up to $108,000 per year directly from your IRA to a qualifying charity. The QCD counts toward your RMD but is excluded from taxable income. You must be 70½ or older. This is one of the most tax-efficient ways to donate if you have IRA assets.
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