RMD calculator
Required minimum distribution from a US traditional IRA or 401(k), using the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table.
About the rmd calculator
Required minimum distribution from a US traditional IRA or 401(k), using the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table.
Part of SmartCalcy’s retirement tools. It runs in your browser with no account, uses your own currency and units (change them at the top of the page), and gives estimates for information only, so check official guidance before you rely on a result.
How to use the rmd calculator
What it calculates and when to use it
Calculates the required minimum distribution, the amount you must withdraw each year from a US traditional IRA or workplace plan once you reach the required age.
How to use it, step by step
- Enter your balance on 31 December of last year.
- Enter your birth year and the year of the withdrawal.
- Read the RMD and the projected schedule.
What each input means
- Balance – The account value at the end of the previous year.
- Birth year – Decides when RMDs start (73 for births 1951–1959, 75 from 1960).
How to read the results
- RMD – Balance ÷ the Uniform Lifetime Table divisor for your age.
- Projected schedule – Required withdrawals for later years with an assumed growth rate.
The formula
RMD = account balance on 31 December ÷ distribution period. The distribution period comes from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table, for example 26.5 at age 73.
A worked example
An account of 500,000 for someone aged 73 has a divisor of 26.5, so the RMD is 18,868, or 3.77% of the account.
Assumptions and limits
- Uses the Uniform Lifetime Table for owners. Beneficiaries and spouses more than 10 years younger use other tables.
- The table values were entered from the IRS table; check them against IRS Publication 590-B.
Common mistakes
- Missing an RMD, which carries a penalty.
- Using the wrong year-end balance.
Frequently asked questions
Do Roth IRAs have RMDs?
Not for the original owner. Roth 401(k)s no longer have lifetime RMDs from 2024.
When is the first RMD due?
By 1 April of the year after you reach the required age; later ones by 31 December.
Dated rules: US federal figures for tax year 2026 (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 and IRS notices). These calculators are estimates for planning, not tax advice.
Related tools
Details
- Distribution period
- 26.5IRS Uniform Lifetime Table
- Share of the account
- 3.77%
- First RMD age for your birth year
- 73
Projected required withdrawals
| Age | Start balance | Divisor | RMD |
|---|---|---|---|
| 73 | £500,000 | 26.5 | £18,868 |
| 74 | £505,189 | 25.5 | £19,811 |
| 75 | £509,646 | 24.6 | £20,717 |
| 76 | £513,375 | 23.7 | £21,661 |
| 77 | £516,300 | 22.9 | £22,546 |
| 78 | £518,441 | 22 | £23,566 |
| 79 | £519,620 | 21.1 | £24,627 |
| 80 | £519,743 | 20.2 | £25,730 |
| 81 | £518,714 | 19.4 | £26,738 |
| 82 | £516,575 | 18.5 | £27,923 |
| 83 | £513,084 | 17.7 | £28,988 |
| 84 | £508,301 | 16.8 | £30,256 |