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RMD Calculator
Estimate the required minimum distribution from your retirement account. Enter your age, prior year-end balance and an assumed return, then press Calculate to see this year's RMD and the years ahead.
Written by TopicDrill Editorial Team·Updated June 2026
Projected RMD by age
Required withdrawal
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How the RMD calculator works
Each year the tool divides your prior year-end balance by the life expectancy factor that the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table assigns to your age. That quotient is your required minimum distribution. It then grows the remaining balance at the return you choose and repeats the calculation for the next age, so you can see the pattern over many years at once.
The bar chart plots the required withdrawal for each projected age. Early on the bars may rise as the balance grows, then they typically peak and fall as the shrinking factor and a draining balance pull against each other.
A worked example
Say you are 73 with 500,000 dollars at last year-end. The Uniform Lifetime Table factor for age 73 is 26.5, so your RMD is 500,000 divided by 26.5, about 18,900 dollars, or roughly 3.8 percent of the balance. At 80 the factor falls to 20.2, pushing the required percentage higher even if the balance is similar.
Things to keep in mind
This estimate uses the Uniform Lifetime Table that applies to most account owners; a much younger sole spouse beneficiary uses a different table, and inherited accounts follow separate rules. Confirm the current ages and tables at the IRS RMD page. To plan how long savings might last as you withdraw, try our future value calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is a required minimum distribution?
A required minimum distribution, or RMD, is the smallest amount the IRS makes you withdraw each year from most tax deferred retirement accounts once you reach the required age. The rule exists so that savings which grew untaxed are eventually taxed.
How is the RMD amount calculated?
Take your account balance from the end of the prior year and divide it by a life expectancy factor from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table for your age. As you grow older the factor shrinks, so the required withdrawal becomes a larger share of the balance.
At what age do RMDs start?
Under current rules most account owners must begin taking RMDs at age 73, with the first withdrawal allowed as late as April 1 of the following year. The starting age has shifted over time, so confirm the rule that applies to your birth year.
What happens if I skip my RMD?
Missing an RMD can trigger a steep IRS penalty on the amount you failed to take, though the penalty can be reduced if corrected promptly. Because the rules carry real consequences, treat this estimate as a guide and confirm figures with a tax professional.
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