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RMD Calculator

Work out this year’s required minimum distribution from a traditional IRA with the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table, and project future years.

By Nitin Raturi · Last reviewed

Your worksheet

How to use the RMD Calculator

Work out this year’s required minimum distribution from a traditional IRA.

  1. Enter the IRA balance on 31 December of last year.
  2. Enter the age you reach this year.
  3. Read the RMD, then set a growth rate to see future years.

Good to know

  • Each IRA’s RMD is figured separately, though you may take the total from any of them.
  • The address stores your figures for sharing; anyone with the link can read them.

This year’s required minimum distribution from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table, and a 20-year projection.

IRA balance on 31 December last year

The fair market value of the traditional IRA at the end of the previous calendar year.

How to fill it in

  • Enter US dollars, digits only, from your year-end statement.

Example

A $100,000 balance at age 75 gives an RMD of $4,065.04.

Age this year

The age you reach during the year the distribution is for.

How to fill it in

  • Enter 72 to 120. RMDs generally start at 73.

Example

$38,400 at age 73 gives $1,449.06 (÷ 26.5).

Assumed growth

The yearly return you assume on what stays in the IRA, used only for the projection.

How to fill it in

  • Enter 0% to 15%. It does not change this year’s RMD.

Example

At 5%, the default projection totals $119,864.22 over 20 years.

Keep in mind: Investment returns are not guaranteed.

Required minimum distribution this year

$4,065.04

$100,000.00 ÷ 24.6 (the Uniform Lifetime Table figure for age 75) = $4,065.04. Over the 20 years shown to age 94, RMDs total $119,864.22 at 5% growth.

Applicable denominator
24.6
RMD this year
$4,065.04
RMDs over the projection
$119,864.22

RMDs generally start at age 73; the first is due by 1 April of the next year and later ones by 31 December.

If your spouse is the sole beneficiary and more than 10 years younger, the IRS Joint Life table gives a smaller RMD; it is not used here. Roth IRAs have no RMDs for the owner.

Uses the Uniform Lifetime Table, for owners who are unmarried, whose spouse is not more than 10 years younger, or whose spouse is not the sole beneficiary. The projection withdraws exactly the RMD each year and grows the rest at the assumed rate.

Full schedule and CSV

Display rounds only for reading. CSV preserves full precision.

Projected RMDs by age
AgeBalance on 31 Dec before (USD)DenominatorRMD (USD)
75$100,000.0024.6$4,065.04
76$100,731.7123.7$4,250.28
77$101,305.5022.9$4,423.82
78$101,725.7622$4,623.90
79$101,956.9521.1$4,832.08
80$101,981.1120.2$5,048.57
81$101,779.1719.4$5,246.35
82$101,359.4618.5$5,478.89
83$100,674.6017.7$5,687.83
84$99,736.1116.8$5,936.67
85$98,489.4116$6,155.59
86$96,950.5115.2$6,378.32
87$95,100.8014.4$6,604.22
88$92,921.4013.7$6,782.58
89$90,445.7612.9$7,011.30
90$87,606.1812.2$7,180.83
91$84,446.6211.5$7,343.18
92$80,958.6110.8$7,496.17
93$77,135.5610.1$7,637.18
94$72,973.299.5$7,681.40

ChangelogHow we test this calculatorEmbed this calculator

How this calculator works

  1. Step 1Last year-end balance$100,000IRA value on 31 December.
  2. Step 2Your age this year75Look up the denominator.
  3. Step 3Divide÷ 24.6Uniform Lifetime Table.
  4. Step 4RMD$4,065.04The least you must withdraw this year.

A required minimum distribution, or RMD, is the least you must withdraw each year from a traditional IRA once you reach the starting age, generally 73.

The IRS sets it by dividing last year-end balance by a figure from its Uniform Lifetime Table. The figure shrinks with age, so the share you must take rises.

Worked example: the IRS example at age 75

RMD for 2026 on a $100,000 balance
RMD
balance on 31 Dec last year ÷ applicable denominator
  1. Balance on 31 December 2025$100,000.00
  2. Denominator for age 7524.6
  3. RMD for 2026$4,065.04

IRS Publication 590-B gives this exact example and shows $4,065. At 73, a $38,400 balance needs $1,449.06.

The share rises with age

  • Age 72 (27.4)$3,649.64
  • Age 75 (24.6)$4,065.04
  • Age 90 (12.2)$8,196.72
RMD on $100,000 at different ages

Projecting future years

  • At 5% growth$119,864.22The rest of the IRA keeps earning.
  • At 0% growth$74,161.78Last year’s RMD: $3,039.79.

Growth changes future RMDs, not this year’s: this year’s figure depends only on last year-end balance and your age.

Other US retirement tools

Required withdrawals are the last stage of a retirement account. Earlier stages have their own tools.

To project a workplace plan before retirement, use the 401(k) calculator, or the Roth IRA calculator for an after-tax account.

To see how long a balance lasts under a fixed withdrawal, the SWP calculator runs the numbers month by month.

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Using this year’s balance.

    Instead: Use the balance on 31 December of the previous year.

  • Mistake: Using the Uniform table when a much younger spouse is the sole beneficiary.

    Instead: Use the IRS Joint Life and Last Survivor table instead.

  • Mistake: Counting extra withdrawals towards next year.

    Instead: Excess this year does not reduce next year’s RMD.

Methodology and sources

A separate script retypes the IRS table as printed and recomputes every figure, including the publication’s own example.

The table and rules come from IRS Publication 590-B (for 2025 returns) and the IRS RMD page, reviewed 8 April 2026. This is not tax advice. Sources, the review date and the financial disclaimer follow.

Read how we test our calculators, or browse more money calculators.

Frequently asked questions

How is an RMD calculated?

Divide the IRA balance on 31 December of last year by the Uniform Lifetime Table figure for your age this year. $100,000 at age 75 ÷ 24.6 = $4,065.04.

At what age do RMDs start?

Generally at 73. The first RMD is due by 1 April of the year after you turn 73; later ones are due by 31 December each year.

What is the RMD at 73?

The denominator is 26.5, so a $38,400 balance needs $1,449.06. At 90 the denominator is 12.2: $100,000 needs $8,196.72.

Which table should I use?

The Uniform Lifetime Table, unless your spouse is the sole beneficiary and more than 10 years younger; then the Joint Life table applies.

Do Roth IRAs have RMDs?

Not for the original owner. Beneficiaries who inherit an IRA follow separate rules not covered here.

Sources and methodology

The formulas are standard time-value-of-money results. We check every figure against golden values worked out independently, by closed form and by month-by-month simulation; see the methodology.

Written and maintained by Nitin Raturi, a software engineer (about the author). Last reviewed 4 Nov 2026; next review due by . Found an error? Tell us.

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