RMD Calculator
Calculate the required minimum distribution from your traditional IRA or 401(k). Enter your balance and age for this year's RMD using the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table, your withdrawal rate, and a 10-year projection.
A $500,000 traditional IRA at age 73 requires withdrawing about $18,868 this year — roughly 3.77% of the balance, or $1,572 a month.
$18,868
RMD on a $500,000 balance at age 73
3.77%
Withdrawal rate at 73 (factor 26.5)
$1,572
Monthly equivalent if spread across the year
Required minimum distributions, made simple
When they start, how they're figured, and why the deadline matters.
Required at 73
Once you reach the required beginning age, the IRS makes you draw down pre-tax accounts so the deferred tax finally gets paid. This tool uses the current Uniform Lifetime Table.
Balance ÷ a factor
Your RMD is simply last year's ending balance divided by your age's life-expectancy factor. Lower factor with age means a bigger required percentage each year.
Don't miss the deadline
Skip or underpay an RMD and the excise tax is 25% of the shortfall. The projection shows roughly what to expect over the next decade so nothing sneaks up on you.
How the RMD Calculator Works
Formula
factor = IRS Uniform Lifetime Table[age]
RMD = priorYearEndBalance ÷ factor
rate = 1 ÷ factor (as a %)
projection (each future year):
rmd = balance ÷ factor(age)
balance = (balance − rmd) × (1 + return)Enter your balance
Your account value on December 31 of last year.
Enter your age
The age you reach during this calendar year.
Set an expected return
Used only to project future years' RMDs.
Read your RMD
Balance divided by your age's life-expectancy factor.
Review the projection
See how the requirement trends over the next decade.
This calculator uses the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table (effective 2022), which applies to most account holders. If your sole beneficiary is a spouse more than 10 years younger, the IRS Joint Life and Last Survivor Table gives a larger factor and a smaller RMD, so your actual figure may differ. RMDs apply to traditional IRAs, 401(k), 403(b), and similar pre-tax accounts — Roth IRAs have no RMD during the owner's lifetime.
Figures here are estimates for planning and aren't tax advice. Distributions from pre-tax accounts are generally taxable as ordinary income, and rules around first-year timing, multiple accounts, and aggregation can be nuanced. Confirm your exact amount with your plan administrator or a tax professional before withdrawing.
Frequently Asked Questions
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