Required Minimum Distribution Calculator

The IRS Doesn't Let Tax-Deferred Growth Last Forever

Traditional 401(k)s, Traditional IRAs, and similar tax-deferred accounts come with a deadline: starting at a set age, the IRS requires you to withdraw a minimum amount each year, whether you need the income or not. Missing an RMD carries a steep excise tax penalty, so getting the figure right matters. This calculator applies the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table directly to compute the required distribution for a given account balance and age.

The Formula

RMD = Account Balance (as of Dec 31 prior year) ÷ Distribution Period Factor

The distribution period factor comes from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table, which decreases every year as life expectancy shortens — meaning the required percentage withdrawn rises each year you age, even if the account balance stays flat.

Where This Calculation Matters

Avoiding the RMD penalty — failing to withdraw the full required amount can trigger an IRS excise tax on the shortfall.
Tax planning — because RMDs count as ordinary taxable income, knowing the amount in advance helps with estimated tax payments and bracket planning.
Multiple-account coordination — RMDs from multiple IRAs can be aggregated and withdrawn from any one of them, but 401(k) RMDs generally must come from each plan separately.
Qualified charitable distributions — some retirees direct all or part of an RMD to charity, which can satisfy the requirement while reducing taxable income.

IRS Uniform Lifetime Table (2022 Update)

Distribution period factor by age, per IRS Notice 2022-6 / Publication 590-B
Age	Factor	Age	Factor
72	27.4	86	15.2
73	26.5	87	14.4
74	25.5	88	13.7
75	24.6	89	12.9
76	23.7	90	12.2
77	22.9	91	11.5
78	22.0	92	10.8
79	21.1	93	10.1
80	20.2	94	9.5
81	19.4	95	8.9
82	18.5	96	8.4
83	17.7	97	7.8
84	16.8	98	7.3
85	16.0	99	6.8

Table continues down to a minimum factor of 2.0 at age 120. Use this table only if you are the account owner — inherited IRAs generally use a different table.

How to Use This Calculator

Enter your account balance as of December 31 of the prior year.
Enter your current age (must be 72 or older for the calculator; RMDs generally begin at age 73 under current rules).
Select Calculate to see your required minimum distribution for the year, along with the distribution period factor used.

Related Calculations

Estimate what withdrawing this amount does to your overall income with the Retirement Income Calculator, or check 401(k) Calculator to see how the balance got there.