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How to Calculate Required Minimum Distributions From Your Retirement Accounts

Calculate an RMD using the prior December 31 balance and the correct IRS table factor. Account type, beneficiary status, spouse details, and deadlines all matter.
From TheFinanceBase Team15 min to read
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For a typical lifetime required minimum distribution (RMD), divide the account’s adjusted balance on December 31 of the previous year by the applicable IRS life-expectancy-table distribution period for the owner’s age in the year the RMD is due. For a 2026 RMD, use the account’s December 31, 2025 balance and the denominator for the owner’s 2026 age. The correct table and withdrawal rules depend on the account, whether the calculation is for an owner or beneficiary, and—in some cases—the spouse’s age and beneficiary status.

The formula is straightforward; choosing the right inputs is where account owners can go wrong. Before requesting a withdrawal, identify the account type, confirm whose RMD it is, use the appropriate IRS table, and check both the deadline and any rules about taking distributions from other accounts.

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The RMD calculation, step by step

The basic formula for a typical owner’s lifetime RMD is:

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RMD = adjusted account balance on the preceding December 31 ÷ applicable IRS distribution period

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The distribution period is the denominator from the IRS life-expectancy table that applies to the person and account. It is not necessarily the same from one year to the next: an owner’s age in the distribution year determines the applicable factor. The balance is generally taken from the end of the prior calendar year, not the account’s current value or the balance on the day the withdrawal is made.

  1. Identify the account and whose RMD it is. Determine whether you are calculating an RMD for your own account or an inherited account. Beneficiary rules are different from the ordinary owner-lifetime formula.
  2. Find the relevant prior-year-end balance. For a 2026 RMD, start with the account’s value on December 31, 2025. Check whether an IRS adjustment applies, such as for certain outstanding rollovers.
  3. Select the correct IRS table. Most owners use the Uniform Lifetime Table. An owner generally uses the Joint and Last Survivor Expectancy Table if their spouse is the sole beneficiary and is more than 10 years younger. Beneficiaries use different tables and inherited-account rules.
  4. Find the distribution period for the relevant age and year. For an owner’s 2026 RMD, use the factor for the owner’s age in 2026—not the age at the end of 2025.
  5. Divide the applicable balance by the factor. Calculate the RMD for each account separately before considering whether the resulting amounts may be aggregated.
  6. Check the deadline and withdrawal process. Confirm whether the distribution is a first-year or recurring RMD, whether a plan-specific rule applies, and how the account provider processes withdrawals.

The IRS IRA worksheet follows the same basic calculation: prior December 31 balance, distribution period from the appropriate table, then balance divided by period. For a year-specific calculation, consult IRS Publication 590-B for the applicable year rather than relying on an older worksheet that may not reflect updated rules or tables.

A useful way to keep the inputs straight is to write them down before doing the division: account name and type, owner or beneficiary status, applicable prior December 31 balance, distribution year and age, table name, and table factor. If you have more than one account, repeat the calculation for each one. The resulting figures may later be eligible for aggregation, but that does not change how each account’s amount is first determined.

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For instance, when working on a 2026 calculation, do not accidentally pair the December 31, 2025 balance with the owner’s age in 2025. The balance date and age reference are intentionally from different points in time: the balance comes from the preceding year-end, while the table factor corresponds to the age in the distribution year.

Choose the right table before dividing

Using the wrong denominator can make the result incorrect even when the account balance and arithmetic are right. For owners, the main distinction is whether the spouse qualifies for the Joint and Last Survivor Expectancy Table. Beneficiaries should not use an owner’s ordinary lifetime calculation without first identifying the inherited-account rules that apply.

The tables are not interchangeable shortcuts. First decide which situation applies, then use the table and instructions for that situation and distribution year. A table factor only makes sense alongside the account and beneficiary facts that determine its use.

Most account owners: Uniform Lifetime Table

Most owners calculate their lifetime RMD using the Uniform Lifetime Table. Look up the owner’s age in the year the RMD is due and use the corresponding distribution period as the denominator. For a 2026 RMD, that means the owner’s 2026 age and the table applicable to that year.

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Once you have the factor, divide the applicable adjusted balance by it. Do not select a factor based on the account holder’s age when the account statement was issued, the date they make the withdrawal, or the prior year’s age. The relevant age is tied to the year for which the RMD is being calculated.

Owner with a qualifying younger spouse: Joint and Last Survivor Expectancy Table

An owner generally uses the Joint and Last Survivor Expectancy Table when their spouse is the sole beneficiary and is more than 10 years younger than the owner. Both conditions matter: having a younger spouse is not enough if the spouse is not the sole beneficiary, and the age difference must exceed 10 years. Check the IRS instructions for the applicable year and the account’s beneficiary designation before using this table.

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This is a table-selection rule, not a general permission to use a different factor whenever a spouse is younger. Confirm the sole-beneficiary condition as well as the age difference. If either fact is uncertain, resolve it before relying on the alternate table. A beneficiary designation can be important to the calculation, so do not assume the spouse’s relationship to the owner alone settles the question.

Inherited account: beneficiary rules

There is no single inherited-account denominator or payout schedule that applies to every beneficiary. The rules depend on whether the beneficiary is a spouse, an eligible designated beneficiary, another designated beneficiary, or a non-designated beneficiary. The owner’s date of death, whether the owner died before or after the required beginning date, account type, and applicable plan terms can also affect the result. Identify those facts first, then use the IRS beneficiary guidance and Publication 590-B rather than applying the owner-lifetime formula by default.

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Before calculating an inherited account’s distribution, establish the original owner’s date of death and whether the owner had reached the required beginning date. Determine the beneficiary category rather than assuming all named beneficiaries follow one schedule. Also identify whether the inherited asset is an IRA or an employer-plan account and review any relevant plan terms. These facts can change the payout approach and timing, so an owner’s age-and-balance calculation is not a safe substitute.

If you are unsure which category applies, get the classification clear before choosing a table or deadline. A custodian or plan administrator may provide information, but the account owner or beneficiary should confirm that the calculation is based on the correct circumstances and IRS guidance.

Which balance to use

For the usual lifetime calculation, use the value of the account at the end of the calendar year before the distribution year. Thus, a 2026 calculation starts with the December 31, 2025 balance. Do not substitute the balance on the withdrawal date: later market gains or losses do not change which date supplies the ordinary prior-year balance input.

Before dividing, check whether the balance needs an IRS adjustment. Certain outstanding rollovers can affect the amount used in the calculation. If a rollover, transfer, or other balance adjustment may apply, consult the applicable IRS instructions or a qualified tax professional rather than assuming the custodian’s displayed year-end balance is automatically the final calculation balance.

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Keep the calculation tied to the account’s relevant year-end value and any applicable adjustment. A current online balance can be useful for managing investments or planning a withdrawal, but it is not a replacement for the prescribed prior-year balance. Similarly, a provider’s worksheet may display a figure that should be checked against the correct year-end statement and the applicable IRS instructions.

When an adjustment might apply, do not guess whether it raises or lowers the amount to use. Identify the specific transaction and compare it with the instructions for the relevant distribution year. The calculation depends on the adjusted value, so resolving that question before dividing is more useful than correcting a result after a distribution has been requested.

Calculate each account, then check aggregation rules

Aggregation is about where you may take the money after calculating each RMD; it does not mean combining every retirement balance into one calculation. First determine the RMD for each account using that account’s balance and applicable rules. Then apply only the aggregation rule permitted for that account type.

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Account type How to calculate May RMDs be aggregated?
Traditional IRAs and other IRAs subject to RMDs Calculate each IRA’s RMD separately using its applicable balance and table. An owner may generally withdraw the combined IRA RMD total from one or more of their IRAs.
403(b) contracts Calculate the RMD for each contract separately. Similar aggregation treatment applies, subject to the applicable rules.
401(k) plans Calculate each plan account’s RMD separately. Generally, each plan account’s RMD must be taken from that account; do not apply IRA aggregation.
457(b) plans Calculate each plan account’s RMD separately. Generally, each plan account’s RMD must be taken from that account; do not apply IRA aggregation.
Roth IRA owned by the original account owner No lifetime RMD calculation is required for the original owner. Not applicable during the original owner’s lifetime.
Designated Roth account in an employer plan Under current guidance, the original owner has no lifetime RMD. Not applicable during the original owner’s lifetime.

The aggregation rules do not permit an IRA withdrawal to satisfy a 401(k) RMD, or the reverse. Keep track of the amount due from each account and the account from which the distribution is allowed to come. Beneficiary accounts require their own rule check; do not assume the owner’s aggregation options carry over to an inherited account.

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A practical account-by-account record can include the name of the institution, account type, year-end balance used, selected table, factor, resulting RMD, amount distributed, and distribution date. This helps distinguish a calculation from a completed withdrawal and makes it easier to check whether an aggregation rule was applied only to eligible accounts.

Do not combine all balances into one total and divide it by one factor just because the accounts belong to the same person. The account types can have different distribution and aggregation treatment. The sequence matters: calculate each eligible account’s RMD first, then determine whether the total can be satisfied from one or more permitted accounts.

Know when the distribution is due

IRA owner’s first RMD

An IRA owner’s first RMD is generally due by April 1 of the year after the year they reach age 73. The first-year deadline is different from the recurring deadline, so confirm which year’s RMD you are arranging before requesting a distribution.

That April 1 date applies to the first RMD; it is not a recurring extension for every annual withdrawal. When reviewing an account, label the distribution by the year it satisfies so that a first-year RMD is not confused with the RMD due for the calendar year in which the payment is made.

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Later annual RMDs

After the first RMD, subsequent annual RMDs are generally due by December 31 each year. The annual calculation uses the applicable prior December 31 balance and the distribution period for the owner’s age in that distribution year.

For a recurring RMD, work through the same sequence each year: establish the account’s preceding December 31 value, check for applicable adjustments, select the table and age factor, calculate the amount, and plan for completion by December 31. A previous year’s dollar amount should not automatically be reused, because the balance input and applicable age factor are tied to the new distribution year.

What a first-year delay means

If you delay the first RMD until the following April 1, that does not move the deadline for the next year’s RMD. Both distributions will be due in the following calendar year: the delayed first RMD by April 1 and that calendar year’s RMD by December 31. Consider the timing with a tax professional if receiving both distributions in one year could affect your tax planning.

In other words, postponing the first withdrawal changes when that first amount is paid, but it does not erase or postpone the next annual requirement. Keep the two amounts and their separate deadlines clear when coordinating withdrawals with a provider.

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Employer retirement plans

For many employer plans, the start of RMDs can be delayed until retirement if the plan permits, but plan-specific conditions and exceptions apply. Check the plan administrator’s rules rather than assuming an employer-plan deadline matches the IRA deadline. Your employment status, plan terms, account type, and any applicable exception can change when distributions must begin.

This is one reason to compare account types before scheduling a withdrawal. An IRA owner’s general first-RMD timing should not simply be copied to a 401(k), 403(b), or 457(b) plan. Ask the administrator whether the plan permits a delay, what conditions apply, and which account the distribution must come from. If the plan does not permit the expected timing, relying on an assumed delay could leave the distribution unfinished by the relevant deadline.

Roth accounts and beneficiary exceptions

The original owner of a Roth IRA does not have lifetime RMDs. Under current guidance, the original owner of a designated Roth account in an employer plan also has no lifetime RMD. These lifetime rules do not mean that a beneficiary can ignore distribution requirements after the owner’s death: beneficiary rules may apply, and the correct treatment depends on the beneficiary and account circumstances.

Separate the question “Does the original owner have a lifetime RMD?” from “What does a beneficiary need to do after the owner dies?” The answer to the first does not resolve the second. If an account has passed to a beneficiary, identify the beneficiary category, account type, and relevant death-date circumstances before deciding whether a distribution is due.

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Verify a provider’s calculation and complete the withdrawal

An IRA custodian or plan administrator may calculate an RMD, but the IRS says the account owner remains ultimately responsible for taking the correct amount. Treat a provider’s calculation as something to verify, not as a transfer of responsibility.

The IRS FAQ states: “Although the IRA custodian or retirement plan administrator may calculate the RMD, the account owner is ultimately responsible for taking the correct RMD amount.” This is a practical reminder to review the inputs and confirm the money is actually distributed, even if the provider supplies a number or offers a withdrawal service.

  • Check that the provider used the correct December 31 balance and accounted for any relevant adjustment.
  • Confirm the owner’s age for the distribution year and the table used.
  • If using the Joint and Last Survivor Expectancy Table, confirm that the spouse is the sole beneficiary and more than 10 years younger.
  • For multiple accounts, verify that each RMD was calculated separately and that any aggregation is permitted for those specific accounts.
  • Confirm the amount actually distributed and that it will be completed by the applicable deadline.
  • For an inherited account or an employer plan with a possible delay, confirm the beneficiary classification or plan terms rather than relying on an ordinary IRA-owner calculation.

Do not assume that a calculation shown in an online account means the distribution has been completed. Follow the provider’s withdrawal process, allow time for processing, and retain the confirmation for your records.

When reviewing a provider’s figure, compare like with like: confirm the distribution year, prior-year balance, age used, table name, factor, and account classification. If the provider calculated several accounts together, ask how the individual amounts were determined and which account is intended to fund the withdrawal. A service can assist with the mechanics, but it does not remove the need to ensure the permitted amount is taken from the appropriate account or accounts.

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Taxes and mistakes to avoid

An RMD is a required withdrawal and can have tax consequences, but the taxable amount depends on the account and the individual’s tax circumstances. Do not assume that every dollar distributed is taxable in every case. Use Publication 590-B and appropriate tax assistance to determine how a particular distribution should be reported.

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  • Using the current balance instead of the prior December 31 balance: Start with the correct year-end date for the distribution year.
  • Using the wrong age: Match the table factor to the owner’s age in the year the RMD is due.
  • Using the wrong table: Check spouse and sole-beneficiary conditions or, for an inherited account, establish which beneficiary rules apply.
  • Combining balances too soon: Calculate each account’s amount separately before deciding whether a permitted aggregation rule applies.
  • Confusing the first deadline with later deadlines: The first IRA RMD may be delayed until April 1 of the following year, while later annual RMDs are generally due by December 31.
  • Assuming the provider is responsible: Verify the calculation and the completed distribution yourself.
  • Assuming Roth means no beneficiary distributions: The original owner’s lifetime rule does not settle what a beneficiary must do after death.

Other common process errors follow from mixing up related but separate questions. An owner may know the correct formula but use an incorrect table; may calculate the right amount but miss the deadline; or may take enough in total while withdrawing from an account that cannot satisfy another account’s RMD. Check the inputs, withdrawal source, and completion date independently rather than treating a single total as proof that every requirement has been met.

For a year-specific calculation, the IRS’s Publication 590-B provides the relevant tables and instructions. For inherited accounts, use the IRS beneficiary guidance and review applicable plan terms. If facts such as a rollover, beneficiary status, spouse’s age, employment status, or account classification are unclear, confirm them before acting.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I determine the amount I must withdraw each year to avoid a penalty?

For a typical lifetime RMD, divide the applicable adjusted account balance from the preceding December 31 by the IRS distribution period for the owner’s age in the year the RMD is due. First confirm the account type and whether you are the owner or a beneficiary, because those facts can change the table, calculation, or payout rules. Use IRS Publication 590-B for the relevant year.

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Which balance do I use for a 2026 RMD?

For a typical 2026 calculation, use the account balance on December 31, 2025, subject to applicable IRS adjustments such as certain outstanding rollovers. Use the distribution period for the owner’s age in 2026, not the age in 2025.

Which IRS table should I use?

Most owners use the Uniform Lifetime Table. An owner generally uses the Joint and Last Survivor Expectancy Table if their spouse is the sole beneficiary and more than 10 years younger. Beneficiaries use different rules, so identify the beneficiary category and circumstances before calculating an inherited account’s distribution.

Can I take RMDs from multiple retirement accounts as one withdrawal?

Calculate each account’s RMD separately first. An IRA owner may generally take the combined IRA RMD total from one or more of their IRAs; similar aggregation treatment applies to 403(b) contracts, subject to the rules. RMDs from 401(k) and 457(b) plan accounts generally must be taken separately from each account. Do not use IRA aggregation rules across all retirement accounts.

When is my first IRA RMD due, and what if I wait until April 1?

An IRA owner’s first RMD is generally due by April 1 of the year after the year they reach age 73. If you delay it until then, the RMD for that following calendar year is still generally due by December 31, so two distributions may be due in the same year.

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Do Roth accounts have required minimum distributions?

The original owner of a Roth IRA has no lifetime RMD. Under current guidance, the original owner of a designated Roth employer-plan account also has no lifetime RMD. Beneficiaries may face distribution requirements after the owner’s death.

If my custodian calculates my RMD, am I still responsible for it?

Yes. A custodian or plan administrator may calculate the amount, but the account owner remains ultimately responsible for taking the correct RMD. Check the calculation’s inputs and confirm the distribution is completed by the applicable deadline.

Can I delay an employer-plan RMD while I am still working?

For many employer plans, the start of RMDs can be delayed until retirement if the plan permits, but conditions and exceptions are plan-specific. Confirm the plan’s terms and your circumstances with the administrator rather than assuming the IRA deadline or a delay applies.

The Bottom Line

To calculate a typical owner’s RMD, use the adjusted balance from the preceding December 31 and divide it by the correct IRS table factor for the owner’s age in the distribution year. Confirm the account and beneficiary rules, calculate each account separately before applying any permitted aggregation, and verify both the deadline and completed withdrawal. Even when a provider does the math, the account owner remains responsible for taking the correct amount.

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