Calculate the required minimum distribution you must withdraw from retirement accounts.
RMDs are the IRS's mechanism for recovering deferred taxes on pre-tax retirement accounts. Each year you divide your December 31 prior-year balance by the distribution period from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table for your age. The divisor decreases with age, forcing an ever-larger percentage of the account out as taxable income. Missing an RMD triggers a 25% excise tax on the shortfall (reduced to 10% if corrected promptly). Roth IRAs are exempt from RMDs during the owner's lifetime.
Required Minimum Distribution
RMD = Prior year-end balance ÷ Distribution period from IRS Uniform Lifetime Table
Uses the 2022 IRS Uniform Lifetime Table, effective for distributions beginning in 2022. Consult IRS Publication 590-B and a tax advisor for your specific situation.
Under SECURE 2.0 (effective 2023), you must take your first RMD by April 1 of the year following the year you turn 73. In all subsequent years, the deadline is December 31. Taking two distributions in one year (first RMD delay + second year's RMD) can create a tax spike, so many advisors recommend not delaying.
No — Roth IRA owners are not subject to required minimum distributions during their lifetime. This is one of the planning advantages of the Roth. However, Roth 401(k) accounts are subject to RMDs unless rolled over to a Roth IRA.
The IRS imposes a 25% excise tax on any shortfall. This is reduced to 10% if you correct the error within two years. SECURE 2.0 reduced this from the previous 50% penalty.
For traditional IRAs, you calculate RMDs separately for each account but can aggregate and take the total from any one IRA. For 401(k)s and 403(b)s, you must take each plan's RMD from that specific plan — you cannot aggregate across different employer plans.