When do I have to take RMDs?
Once you reach your Required Minimum Distribution age, the IRS forces annual withdrawals from traditional IRAs and 401(k)s — whether you need the cash or not. Enter your birth year and balance to see your start age, first RMD amount, and a year-by-year projection. Everything runs in your browser.
A simplified approximation using the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table, not tax advice. It assumes a single traditional balance, a constant rate of return, and no additional contributions or withdrawals. Most retirees should use the Uniform Lifetime Table, but a sole beneficiary spouse more than 10 years younger uses a different (Joint Life) table not modeled here — talk to a tax professional about your specific situation.
What is a Required Minimum Distribution?
A Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) is the minimum amount the IRS requires you to withdraw each year from tax-deferred retirement accounts — traditional IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and similar plans — once you reach a certain age. The government deferred tax on this money for decades; RMDs force it back into taxable income on a schedule, whether or not you need the cash.
Your RMD each year is calculated as:
- RMD = prior December 31 account balance ÷ IRS life expectancy divisor for your age
The divisor comes from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table (the table used by nearly everyone; a longer Joint Life table applies only if your sole beneficiary is a spouse more than 10 years younger). The divisor shrinks every year you age, so the required percentage of your balance grows over time — starting around 3.8% at age 73 and climbing past 10% by your late 90s.
When do RMDs start?
SECURE 2.0 raised the RMD start age in stages:
- Age 73 — for those born 1951 through 1959.
- Age 75 — for those born 1960 or later.
Your very first RMD can be delayed until April 1 of the year after you reach your start age, but every RMD after that is due by December 31 of the same year — so if you delay the first one, you'll take two RMDs in that second year, which can push you into a higher tax bracket.
What happens if you miss one?
Missing an RMD — or taking less than required — triggers a 25% excise tax penalty on the shortfall. That penalty drops to 10% if you correct the mistake (take the missed amount and file the required form) within two years. Roth IRAs are not subject to RMDs during the original owner's lifetime, which is one reason Roth conversions before your RMD start age are a common strategy to shrink future required withdrawals.
Keep the plan honest
Planomy applies the same Uniform Lifetime Table and SECURE 2.0 start ages inside your full retirement projection — RMDs interact with Roth conversions, Social Security taxation, and your withdrawal order, not just a single year in isolation.
Frequently asked questions
When do RMDs start?
Under current SECURE 2.0 rules, RMDs generally start at age 73 for people born from 1951 through 1959 and age 75 for people born in 1960 or later. Older birth years may already be under earlier RMD rules.
How is an RMD calculated?
An RMD is generally the prior year-end retirement account balance divided by an IRS life expectancy factor. As you age, the divisor falls, so the required percentage usually rises over time.
Which accounts have RMDs?
Traditional IRAs, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, and most employer retirement plans have RMDs. Roth IRAs do not have lifetime RMDs for the original owner, though inherited accounts have separate rules.
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