RMD Calculator
This RMD calculator estimates the required minimum distribution the IRS forces you to withdraw each year from a traditional 401(k) or IRA once you reach the mandatory age. It divides your prior-year-end account balance by the life-expectancy factor for your age taken from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table, the same table the IRS publishes for account owners whose spouse is not their sole, much-younger beneficiary. Withdrawing less than the result can trigger a steep excise tax, so this tool helps you hit the floor.
Formula
RMD = Account balance ÷ Life-expectancy factor (IRS Uniform Lifetime Table)
- Account balance
- Prior year-end fair market value of the retirement account
- Life-expectancy factor
- Uniform Lifetime Table divisor for your age (27.4 at 72 … 12.2 at 90)
- RMD
- Minimum dollar amount you must withdraw this year
How it works
- Enter your Account Balance, which should be the fair market value of the account as of December 31 of the prior year.
- Set the Your Age slider (72-100); the tool looks up the matching Uniform Lifetime Table factor, such as 27.4 at 72, 26.5 at 73, 24.6 at 75, down to 12.2 at 90.
- The Required Minimum Distribution is the balance divided by that factor, and the Distribution Factor card shows the divisor used. For ages beyond 90 the factor is extrapolated downward by about 0.7 per year, floored at 1.0.
Worked examples
A 73-year-old with a $500,000 IRA balance as of last December 31.
- The Uniform Lifetime Table factor at age 73 is 26.5.
- RMD = 500,000 ÷ 26.5 = $18,867.92.
The required minimum distribution is about $18,867.92, using a distribution factor of 26.5.
A 75-year-old with a $300,000 balance.
- The factor at age 75 is 24.6.
- RMD = 300,000 ÷ 24.6 = $12,195.12.
The required minimum distribution is about $12,195.12 at a factor of 24.6.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Uniform Lifetime Table?
- It is the IRS table of life-expectancy divisors most account owners use to compute RMDs. A larger factor at younger ages means a smaller required withdrawal; as the factor shrinks each year, the percentage you must take out rises.
- At what age do RMDs begin?
- This calculator starts at age 72, and its slider runs from 72 upward. Current law has shifted the RMD start age higher for some birth years, so confirm your exact first-distribution year with the IRS or a tax advisor before relying on a single figure.
- Which balance should I enter?
- Use the account's fair market value as of December 31 of the year before the distribution year. RMDs are always based on the prior year-end balance, not the current value, so a mid-year number will give the wrong answer.
- Do Roth accounts require RMDs?
- Roth IRAs do not require distributions during the original owner's lifetime, so this tool applies to traditional 401(k)s and traditional IRAs. Inherited accounts follow separate rules and a different table.