Last updated: March 2, 2026 by Sarah Chen

What Is a Required Minimum Distribution?

Formula

RMD = Account Balance / IRS Life Expectancy Factor.

RMDs are mandatory annual withdrawals from tax-deferred retirement accounts starting at age 73 (per SECURE Act 2.0).

The amount is calculated by dividing your account balance by the IRS life expectancy factor for your age.

Common use cases:

  • Retirement withdrawal planning
  • Tax planning for retirees
  • Avoiding IRS penalties

Frequently Asked Questions

SC

Sarah Chen

Financial Analyst, CFA

Sarah is a Chartered Financial Analyst with over 8 years of experience in investment management and financial modeling. She specializes in retirement planning and compound interest calculations.

Share & Embed

Was this calculator helpful?

Related Calculators