Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Calculator

How Much Will Your RMDs Be?"

How much will you be required to withdraw from your retirement accounts each year? Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) can be surprisingly large and may significantly increase your retirement taxes.

Use our free RMD Calculator to estimate your required withdrawals and see how they could change over time.

When Do RMDs Begin?

RMDs are mandatory withdrawals from tax-deferred retirement accounts, including traditional IRAs, rollover IRAs, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, and most traditional 401(k) plans.

Under current law, RMDs generally begin at:

• Age 73 if you were born between 1951 and 1959.

• Age 75 if you were born in 1960 or later.

Earlier birth years follow different rules. Some employer-sponsored plans also allow eligible employees to delay RMDs until retirement.

How Will RMDs Affect Your Retirement?

RMDs are generally taxed as ordinary income and can push you into a higher tax bracket or increase your Medicare premiums.

For example, a retiree age 75 with $1.5 million in traditional IRAs would have an RMD of approximately $61,000, potentially creating a substantial tax obligation.

Want to see how RMDs affect your complete retirement plan?

With WealthTrace Retirement Planning Software, you can project future RMDs, federal and state taxes, Social Security, and Roth conversions together. You can also compare strategies for reducing lifetime taxes and improving your retirement outlook.

Start a free trial to see how RMDs could affect your retirement plan.

Important RMD Rules to Know

RMD Deadlines: Most RMDs must be taken by December 31. Your first RMD can generally be delayed until April 1 of the following year, although this may result in two taxable withdrawals in one year.

Missed RMD Penalties: Missing a required withdrawal can result in a 25% excise tax on the shortfall, potentially reduced to 10% if corrected within the applicable period. The IRS may waive the penalty for reasonable errors.

Roth Accounts: Roth IRAs and designated Roth accounts, such as Roth 401(k)s, are not subject to lifetime RMDs for the original owner.

Correcting a Missed RMD: You can generally use IRS Form 5329 to report a missed distribution and request applicable penalty relief.

Calculate Your RMD

Estimate your required minimum distributions and see how your account balance may change.

Distribution yearCalendar year for the first RMD in this projection Your age on December 31 of that year Account balance on December 31 of the prior yearFor a 2026 RMD, use your December 31, 2025 balance. Estimated annual investment returnFor future-year projections only; the current RMD uses last year's balance. My spouse is the sole beneficiary and is more than 10 years younger than me.Eligible to use the IRS Joint and Last Survivor Life Expectancy Table.

Spouse's age on December 31 of the distribution yearSpouse must be at least 11 years younger.

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Your required minimum distribution

Estimated RMD for 2026

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Based on your account balance and applicable IRS distribution period.

RMD starting age—

IRS distribution period—

RMD as % of balance—

IRS table used—

Projected annual RMDs

Projected year-end account balance

View Year-by-Year Report

See how RMDs affect your retirement

RMDs can affect income taxes, Medicare premiums, Roth conversion decisions, and the money you leave to heirs. Model them together with the rest of your retirement plan in WealthTrace.

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For traditional IRAs and similar owner-held retirement accounts. This calculator does not determine inherited-account RMDs, plan-specific exceptions, first-year distribution deadlines, or tax liability. Roth IRAs and designated Roth accounts generally have no lifetime RMDs for original owners. Check your account and tax situation before acting. IRS Publication 590-B.

RMD Calculator Definitions

Account Balance as of December 31

Enter the total value of your retirement account as of December 31 of the year before the RMD is required.

For example, to calculate your 2026 RMD, use your account balance as of December 31, 2025.

If you had an outstanding rollover or transfer at year-end, an adjustment to your December 31 balance may be necessary.

Your Age as of December 31

Enter the age you will turn during the year for which you're calculating your RMD.

For example, if you turn 75 at any point during 2026, your age for the 2026 RMD calculation is 75.

RMDs generally begin at age 73 for individuals born from 1951 through 1959 and age 75 for those born in 1960 or later. Earlier birth years follow different rules.

Spouse Is Sole Beneficiary

Select this option if your spouse is the sole beneficiary of your retirement account.

If your spouse is more than 10 years younger than you, a special IRS life expectancy table may apply, resulting in a smaller annual RMD.

Beneficiary Age

Enter the age your spouse will turn during the distribution year.

The calculator uses this information to determine whether the special younger-spouse RMD calculation applies.

Estimated Rate of Return

The average annual investment return you expect your retirement account to earn.

This assumption is used to project future account balances and RMDs. It does not affect the RMD calculated from the previous December 31 account balance.

Actual investment returns will vary, so future RMD amounts may differ from the projections.

Important Calculator Assumptions

RMDs are generally calculated by dividing your prior year-end retirement account balance by an applicable IRS life expectancy factor.

This calculator provides estimates and assumes future investment returns remain constant. It does not calculate your actual income tax liability or account-specific exceptions.

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