A Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) is the smallest amount the IRS requires you to withdraw each year from a traditional IRA or 401(k) once you reach age 73. This calculator divides your prior year-end balance by the life-expectancy factor for your age and shows the dollar amount and the share of the account it represents.
How it works
The IRS Uniform Lifetime Table assigns each age a distribution period, also called a life-expectancy factor. Your RMD is simply your balance divided by that factor:
RMD = prior year-end balance / distribution period
The factor shrinks as you age, so the required share of the account grows over time. At 73 the factor is 26.5; at 75 it is 24.6; at 85 it is 16.0; at 95 it is 8.9. RMDs begin in the year you turn 73 under SECURE 2.0, so ages below 73 show no required distribution.
Example
A 75-year-old whose traditional IRA was worth 500,000 dollars on December 31 of the prior year uses the factor 24.6. The RMD is:
500,000 / 24.6 = 20,325 (about 4.07% of the balance)
So this retiree must withdraw at least about 20,325 dollars during the year.
How the percentage climbs with age
Because the distribution period shrinks each year, the RMD as a percentage of the account balance rises as you get older — even if the account value stays flat:
| Age | Distribution period | Share of balance |
|---|---|---|
| 73 | 26.5 | 3.8% |
| 75 | 24.6 | 4.1% |
| 80 | 20.2 | 5.0% |
| 85 | 16.0 | 6.3% |
| 90 | 12.2 | 8.2% |
In practice the account value also changes with market performance, so the actual dollar RMD can go up or down year to year. This is why the rule ties the calculation to the December 31 balance of the prior year — you know the exact number before year-end.
Practical steps for using the calculator
- Find your December 31 balance. Your IRA custodian or 401(k) plan administrator sends a year-end statement. Use that figure, not your current balance.
- Enter your age for this calendar year. If you turn 75 in August, you use the factor for age 75 — the birthday does not need to have passed yet.
- Check the result. The calculator shows the dollar amount and the percentage, which you can compare across years to track how the mandatory withdrawal share is growing.
If you own multiple traditional IRAs, each has its own RMD, but you can satisfy them all by withdrawing the combined total from any one of them. A 401(k) RMD, however, must come from that specific 401(k).
Notes
Estimate only, not tax or financial advice. This tool uses the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table from Publication 590-B, which applies to most account owners. A separate Joint Life table applies if your sole beneficiary is a spouse more than 10 years younger than you. Missed RMDs under SECURE 2.0 trigger a 25% excise tax on the shortfall (reduced to 10% if corrected promptly) — confirm your amount and deadline at irs.gov.