Free RMD Calculator
Published: 9 November 2026 · Updated: 9 November 2026
A 75-year-old with $500,000 in a traditional IRA must withdraw $20,325.20 in 2026 — about $1,693.77 a month. The IRS sets the amount with one division: last December's balance divided by the divisor for your age. Enter your balance and age below.
RMD = your December 31 balance ÷ the IRS divisor for your age. RMDs start at 73 if you were born 1951–1959 and at 75 if you were born in 1960 or later. At 75 the divisor is 24.6, so the withdrawal is 4.07% of the balance — and the share grows every year as the divisor shrinks.
Researched by MixKhazana Team · Last updated 9 November 2026 · Data: IRS Publication 590-B, Uniform Lifetime Table (Table III) + SECURE 2.0 Act (2026)
How to use
- Enter your account balance on December 31 of last year — for a 2026 RMD, that is 31 December 2025.
- Enter the age you reach on your birthday in the distribution year.
- Choose the distribution year (2026 or 2027).
- Click Calculate My RMD for your required withdrawal, the monthly figure and the next five years.
How it works
A required minimum distribution is the smallest amount the IRS forces you to take out of a tax-deferred retirement account each year once you reach a certain age — the government's way of finally collecting tax on money that went in untaxed decades ago. The formula is one division: RMD = December 31 balance ÷ divisor. The divisor comes from the Uniform Lifetime Table, printed as Table III in IRS Publication 590-B: 26.5 at 73, 24.6 at 75, 20.2 at 80, 16.0 at 85, 12.2 at 90, down to 2.0 at 120 and over. Because the divisor shrinks as you age, the RMD takes a bigger slice every year — 3.77% of the balance at 73, 4.07% at 75, 4.95% at 80 and 8.20% at 90. If you also use our Social Security benefit estimator, you can see the other half of the retirement picture: RMDs are taxable income, so a large RMD can push more of your Social Security benefit into tax as well.
When RMDs start depends on your birth year under the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022: age 73 if you were born between 1951 and 1959, and age 75 if you were born in 1960 or later. The deadline is December 31 of the distribution year, except for the very first RMD, which is due by April 1 of the following year. That first-year grace period is a trap as often as a gift: taking the first RMD in April means two RMDs land in the same tax year, which can lift you into a higher bracket. Many retirees take the first one in the start year instead. Missing an RMD entirely is expensive: the IRS charges an excise tax of 25% of the amount not withdrawn — the SECURE 2.0 Act cut it from the old 50% — falling to 10% if you correct it within two years, and the IRS can waive it for a reasonable error fixed promptly.
One statistic worth knowing: at 75 the divisor is 24.6, so a $500,000 IRA requires a $20,325 withdrawal — and the IRS is explicit that the table applies to unmarried owners, married owners whose spouse is not more than 10 years younger, and married owners whose spouse is not the sole beneficiary. As Publication 590-B puts it, you use the age you reach on your birthday in the distribution year — not your age on January 1 — which is the detail most first-time RMD takers get wrong.
Worked example
Margaret turned 75 in March 2026. Her traditional IRA held $500,000 on 31 December 2025:
- Divisor at 75 (Uniform Lifetime Table): 24.6
- 2026 RMD: $500,000 ÷ 24.6 = $20,325.20 for the year
- Monthly equivalent: $20,325.20 ÷ 12 = $1,693.77
- Share of the balance: 1 ÷ 24.6 = 4.07%
- At 73 the same balance would have needed $500,000 ÷ 26.5 = $18,867.92
- At 80 it will need $500,000 ÷ 20.2 = $24,752.48 — the same balance, a 32% larger withdrawal
- Deadline: 31 December 2026; the $20,325.20 is taxable income in 2026
If Margaret missed the whole RMD, the excise tax would be 25% × $20,325.20 = $5,081.30. Try your own balance and age in the widget.
Figures used here
| Age | Divisor | RMD as % of balance |
|---|---|---|
| 73 | 26.5 | 3.77% |
| 74 | 25.5 | 3.92% |
| 75 | 24.6 | 4.07% |
| 76 | 23.7 | 4.22% |
| 77 | 22.9 | 4.37% |
| 78 | 22.0 | 4.55% |
| 79 | 21.1 | 4.74% |
| 80 | 20.2 | 4.95% |
| 85 | 16.0 | 6.25% |
| 90 | 12.2 | 8.20% |
| 100 | 6.4 | 15.63% |
| 120 and over | 2.0 | 50.00% |
RMD start age: 73 if born 1951–1959, 75 if born 1960 or later. Missed-RMD excise tax: 25% (10% if corrected within two years). Source: IRS Publication 590-B, Table III; SECURE 2.0 Act.
Frequently asked questions
How much is my RMD if I am 75 with $500,000 in my IRA?
At 75, the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table divisor is 24.6, so a $500,000 balance on December 31 of last year gives a 2026 RMD of $20,325.20 — about $1,693.77 a month. That is 4.07% of the balance. Enter your own balance and age in the calculator above for a personal figure.
At what age do RMDs start in 2026?
RMDs start at 73 if you were born between 1951 and 1959, and at 75 if you were born in 1960 or later, under the SECURE 2.0 Act. Your first RMD is due by April 1 of the year after you reach your start age, and every later RMD is due by December 31 of the year itself.
How is a required minimum distribution calculated?
Divide your retirement account balance on December 31 of last year by the IRS divisor for the age you reach this year. The divisor comes from the Uniform Lifetime Table (Table III in IRS Publication 590-B): 26.5 at 73, 24.6 at 75, 20.2 at 80 and 12.2 at 90, falling to 2.0 at 120 and over. The same table has applied since 2022.
When is my RMD due each year?
Every RMD after the first is due by December 31 of the distribution year. Only the very first RMD gets extra time: it is due by April 1 of the year after you reach your RMD start age. Taking the first RMD in April means two RMDs land in the same tax year, which can push you into a higher bracket — many retirees take the first one in the start year instead.
What happens if I miss an RMD?
The IRS charges an excise tax of 25% of the amount you failed to withdraw. The SECURE 2.0 Act cut that penalty from the old 50% rate, and it drops to 10% if you correct the shortfall within two years and file Form 5329. The IRS can waive the penalty entirely if the miss was due to reasonable error and you fix it promptly.
Do RMDs apply to Roth IRAs?
No. Roth IRA owners never have to take RMDs during their lifetime, because the money was already taxed when it went in. Since 2024 the SECURE 2.0 Act also removed RMDs from Roth 401(k), Roth 403(b) and Roth 457(b) accounts. RMDs still apply to traditional IRAs, traditional 401(k)s and most other tax-deferred accounts, and inherited Roth IRAs follow the 10-year rule for most beneficiaries.
What official sources are the 2026 RMD figures based on?
The divisors come from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table (Table III, Appendix B of IRS Publication 590-B), identical to Treasury Regulation section 1.401(a)(9)-9, in force for distribution years from 2022 onward. The start ages of 73 and 75 and the 25% penalty come from the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022. This page is an estimate, not tax advice.