You generally cannot avoid a required minimum distribution (RMD), but you can plan its timing, charitable use, and tax payments. Start by calculating the right amount for each account and meeting the deadline. Then consider whether a first-year delay, a qualifying qualified charitable distribution (QCD), or a separate Roth-conversion plan fits your circumstances.
Start with the right RMD amount and deadline
An RMD is the minimum amount you must withdraw from a retirement account under federal rules. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) says applicable owners generally begin taking RMDs at age 73. The calculation generally uses the account balance on December 31 of the prior year and an applicable IRS life-expectancy table. Account type, beneficiary details, and plan terms can change the rules, so do not assume one calculation or withdrawal rule applies to every account. See the IRS RMD guidance.
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Check each account’s rules
Identify the account type, its prior year-end balance, your age, and any beneficiary or workplace-plan details that affect the calculation. IRA and employer-plan rules are not interchangeable. The IRS generally requires an owner to calculate each traditional IRA’s RMD separately, though eligible traditional IRA RMDs may be aggregated and withdrawn from one or more of those IRAs. Workplace-plan RMDs generally cannot be aggregated with IRA withdrawals, and plan terms may require a separate distribution from each plan. Inherited accounts have their own rules. Confirm the applicable treatment before moving money between accounts or relying on an aggregate calculation; the Instructions for Form 5329 describe account-specific rules and possible shortfalls.
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Take the distribution by the applicable deadline
After the first RMD year, the distribution is generally due by December 31 each year. The first RMD may generally be delayed until April 1 of the year after the year you reach the applicable beginning age. If you miss a required amount, the shortfall may be subject to a 25% excise tax; the tax may be reduced to 10% if you correct the shortfall within two years. These are IRS rules described in the 2025 Instructions for Form 5329. Check current instructions and your facts if a deadline has passed.
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Decide whether to delay your first RMD
Taking the first RMD in the year it is due spreads the first two required distributions across two tax years. Delaying the first one until April 1 of the next year means the second RMD is still due by December 31 of that same year, so both distributions can fall in one tax year. Both withdrawals are generally taxable, which may increase that year’s taxable income.
| Choice | Tax-year timing | What to weigh |
|---|---|---|
| Take the first RMD by December 31 of the year it is due | The first RMD is generally included in that year’s income; the next RMD is generally included in the following year. | Compare each year’s expected income, deductions, cash needs, and distribution deadline. |
| Delay the first RMD until April 1 of the following year | The first RMD and the next RMD, due by December 31, may both be included in that following year’s income. | Consider whether the resulting income concentration fits that year’s tax picture and cash-flow needs. |
Neither timing choice guarantees a lower tax bill or a particular tax bracket. Compare your expected income and deductions in both years, including Social Security and other retirement income, and consider how two withdrawals in one year could affect your overall tax picture. If the timing is close or your income is complex, ask a tax professional to model both years before the first-year deadline.
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Use a QCD if you already give to charity
A qualified charitable distribution can allow an eligible IRA owner to direct a distribution to charity in a way that counts toward an RMD and is generally excluded from income. Under IRS Publication 590-B (2025), QCD eligibility generally begins at age 70½. The transfer must be made directly by the IRA trustee to an eligible charitable organization; taking the distribution personally and then donating it is not the same transaction.
Confirm the account, recipient, and transfer method
- Verify that you meet the age and other QCD requirements.
- Confirm that the distribution comes from an eligible IRA and that the recipient is an eligible charity. Not every organization qualifies, and a QCD is not available from every type of retirement account.
- Ask the IRA trustee to send the payment directly to the charity. Do not receive the funds first and then write a personal check.
- Keep the charity’s acknowledgment and follow the IRS reporting and substantiation rules. Do not claim a charitable deduction for an amount excluded from income as a QCD.
If you take an IRA distribution personally and then donate the money, the distribution is generally included in income, and any charitable deduction is subject to the rules and limits that apply to your situation. A qualifying direct QCD instead can be excluded from income and count toward the RMD. These routes are not automatically tax-equivalent; eligibility, documentation, and your broader tax circumstances matter.
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Keep Roth conversions separate from your RMD
A Roth conversion does not satisfy an RMD. If an RMD is due, take the required distribution separately; it cannot be rolled over or converted to a Roth IRA. A taxable Roth conversion is a distinct transaction and is generally included in gross income to the extent the converted amount is taxable. The IRS explains the rollover restriction in its RMD FAQs and conversion taxation in Publication 17 (2025).
Conversion decisions are usually multiyear planning choices: weigh the tax cost now against your expected future tax circumstances, and account for how the added income could affect your overall tax picture. A conversion is not a universal solution to RMD taxes, and the amount taxable depends on your facts, including any after-tax basis.
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Plan how you will pay the tax
Traditional-account RMDs are generally included in taxable income, except to the extent a distribution represents basis or another qualifying tax-free amount. The IRS says an RMD cannot be rolled into another tax-deferred account. A Roth IRA owner generally has no lifetime RMD, although inherited Roth IRAs may be subject to distribution rules. Review the IRS RMD FAQs for the applicable account type. State income-tax treatment can differ from federal treatment.
Choose withholding or estimated payments deliberately
You can generally elect out of federal income-tax withholding on IRA distributions, but doing so does not necessarily eliminate the need to pay tax during the year. You may need estimated tax payments if withholding and other payments will not cover your expected liability. For tax year 2026, the IRS’s general estimated-tax rules describe a $1,000 expected balance-due condition and payment safe harbors based on 90% of current-year tax or 100% of prior-year tax, with 110% of prior-year tax for specified higher-income cases. These thresholds are tax-year-specific; use the current IRS Publication 575 (2025) and applicable estimated-tax instructions to check the rules for your situation.
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Before choosing withholding or estimated payments, consider your other income, existing withholding, deductions, and payment schedule. If you have several income sources, a large conversion, or an unusually large distribution, a tax professional can help coordinate the timing and amount of payments.
Quick Recap
A practical sequence for making the decision
- List the accounts. Separate IRAs, workplace plans, and inherited accounts, and note the relevant plan terms and beneficiary facts.
- Verify the calculation. Use the applicable IRS table and prior December 31 balance, and confirm whether any permitted aggregation rule applies.
- Mark the deadline. Identify whether this is your first RMD year and whether the April 1 first-year option is available.
- Compare the tax years. Estimate income and deductions with the first RMD taken in its due year versus delayed, including the possibility of two RMDs in one year.
- Check QCD eligibility before taking money personally. If you already give to charity, confirm the IRA, recipient, age, and direct-transfer requirements with the trustee.
- Separate any Roth-conversion plan. Take the RMD first where required; model conversion income as a separate taxable decision.
- Set the tax-payment plan. Decide on withholding or estimated payments using current IRS rules and your full-year income picture.
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