RMD Calculator
Enter your birth year, the distribution year and your balance on December 31 of the previous year to estimate your required minimum distribution (RMD). The result shows your age that year, whether an RMD is required, the divisor, the amount and its share of the balance. This is an estimate, not tax advice.
Last updated November 4, 2026
The year you were born, four digits
The calendar year the withdrawal is for (2022 to 2100)
Result
RMD for 2026 = $20,325.20
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Age in 2026 | 75 |
| RMD required? | Yes |
| Uniform Lifetime divisor | 24.6 |
| RMD amount | $20,325.20 |
| Share of balance | 4.065% |
| Year | Age | Start balance | Divisor | RMD | End balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 75 | $500,000.00 | 24.6 | $20,325.20 | $503,658.54 |
| 2027 | 76 | $503,658.54 | 23.7 | $21,251.42 | $506,527.48 |
| 2028 | 77 | $506,527.48 | 22.9 | $22,119.10 | $508,628.79 |
| 2029 | 78 | $508,628.79 | 22 | $23,119.49 | $509,784.77 |
| 2030 | 79 | $509,784.77 | 21.1 | $24,160.42 | $509,905.57 |
An estimate for general information, not tax advice. Uses the IRS Uniform Lifetime table for an owner account such as a traditional IRA. Not covered: inherited accounts, Roth IRAs, the Joint Life table, the still-working exception, and combining several accounts. The projection assumes one constant return; real returns vary.
Show the work
Formula: RMD = balance on Dec 31 of the previous year ÷ divisor for your age in the distribution year.
- Age in 2026: 2026 − 1951 = 75.
- Born 1951, RMDs begin at age 73, in 2024.
- Table III divisor for age 75: 24.6.
- RMD = $500,000.00 ÷ 24.6 = $20,325.20 (4.065% of the balance).
- Projection: each year's end balance = (start balance − RMD) × (1 + 5%); that end balance is the next year's start.
Result: RMD for 2026 = $20,325.20
How the RMD is calculated
RMD = balance on December 31 of the previous year ÷ divisor for your age in the distribution year
The divisor comes from the IRS Uniform Lifetime table (Publication 590-B, Table III). It runs from 27.4 at age 72 to 2.0 at 120 and over. Your age is the age you reach in the distribution year.
RMDs begin at age 72 for owners born in 1950 or earlier, 73 for those born 1951 to 1958, and 75 for those born in 1960 or later. Birth year 1959 is unsettled: the final regulations reserve it and the proposed regulations would apply 73, which this page uses. If you are younger than that in the year you enter, the page shows that no RMD is required and names the first required year and age. The first RMD may be delayed until April 1 of the following year, but then you take two in that year.
See how we calculate for the formulas, sources and review schedule behind every calculator.
What this calculator does not cover
It covers an owner’s own traditional account using the Uniform Lifetime table. It does not cover inherited accounts, Roth IRAs (which have no owner RMDs), the Joint Life table that applies when your only beneficiary is a spouse more than 10 years younger, the still-working exception for an employer plan, or combining several accounts. Missing an RMD can bring an excise tax, so confirm the amount with your plan or a tax professional.
The optional projection subtracts each year’s RMD from the balance and grows the rest at the return you enter.
Sources
Official and primary sources for the statements on this page. Their authors have not reviewed or endorsed this page.
- Treasury and Internal Revenue Service, Required Minimum Distributions, final regulations T.D. 10001, 89 Federal Register 58886 (July 19, 2024); proposed regulations REG-103529-23, 89 Federal Register 58644.. Ages 73 (born 1951 to 1958) and 75 (born 1960 or later), the reserved 1959 case and the proposed rule that would apply 73.
- Internal Revenue Service, Publication 590-B, Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs), Table III (Uniform Lifetime).. The divisors by age from 72 to 120 and over, and the RMD formula of prior December 31 balance divided by the divisor.
- SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 (Division T of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023).. Required beginning ages of 73 and 75.
The Uniform Lifetime divisors were checked against IRS Publication 590-B and the starting ages against the final regulations (T.D. 10001). Those regulations reserve birth year 1959; the proposed regulations would apply 73. No later final rule was found, so 1959 births remain unsettled.
The projection return is your own assumption, not data from a source. Confirm every RMD with your plan administrator.
This page is an estimate for general information, not financial or tax advice.
How to use the RMD Calculator
- Enter your birth year and the distribution year you want the RMD for.
- Enter your account balance on December 31 of the previous year.
- Optionally enter an assumed annual return and a projection length of up to 10 years.
- Read the age, divisor and RMD, then Copy, Print or Share the result.
Worked example
An owner born in 1951 turns 75 in 2026, so the divisor is 24.6. Their RMD is the prior December 31 balance divided by 24.6; the table changes only the balance.
| Balance on Dec 31, 2025 | Divisor | RMD for 2026 | Share of balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100,000.00 | 24.6 | $4,065.04 | 4.065% |
| $250,000.00 | 24.6 | $10,162.60 | 4.065% |
| $500,000.00 | 24.6 | $20,325.20 | 4.065% |
| $1,000,000.00 | 24.6 | $40,650.41 | 4.065% |
Frequently asked questions
At what age do required minimum distributions start?
Age 73 if you were born 1951 to 1958 and age 75 if born in 1960 or later. For 1959 births the IRS has not finalized the rule, and this page uses 73. Owners born in 1950 or earlier already take RMDs from age 72.
Which balance do I use for the RMD?
Use the account balance on December 31 of the year before the distribution year, not the current balance. The calculator divides that balance by your age divisor.
Can I delay my first RMD?
Yes, the first RMD may be taken by April 1 of the following year. You then take two RMDs that year, which can raise your taxable income.
Does this work for a Roth IRA or an inherited IRA?
No. Roth IRAs have no RMDs for the original owner, and inherited accounts follow different rules and tables that this page does not model.