Figure the required minimum distribution (RMD) from a traditional IRA or retirement plan for any year from 2022 to 2026, see whether an RMD was missed, estimate the excise tax (25%, 10% if corrected, or $0 with a waiver), and get line-by-line help with Form 5329, Part IX.
Tax Years 2022–2026| RMD starting age for this owner | |
| First RMD year / required beginning date | |
| Age reached in the RMD year | |
| Balance on December 31 of prior year | |
| Distribution period (Uniform Lifetime Table) | |
| Required minimum distribution | |
| Withdrawn during the year | |
| Shortfall |
| Scenario | Tax |
|---|---|
| Not corrected (25%) | |
| Corrected within the correction window (10%) | |
| Waiver granted for reasonable error | $0 |
The starting age depends on the owner's date of birth: 70½ if born before July 1, 1949; 72 if born July 1, 1949 – December 31, 1950; 73 if born 1951–1959; 75 if born 1960 or later (SECURE Act and SECURE 2.0). The first RMD is for the year the owner reaches that age, but it can be taken as late as April 1 of the following year (the required beginning date). Every later RMD is due by December 31.
RMD = account balance on December 31 of the prior year ÷ the distribution period for the age the owner reaches during the RMD year, from the Uniform Lifetime Table (Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(9)-9(c), in effect from 2022). If the sole beneficiary for the whole year is a spouse more than 10 years younger, the Joint and Last Survivor Table gives a longer period and a smaller RMD; this calculator does not compute that table. IRAs may be totaled and taken from any IRA; 401(k) and 457(b) plans must be figured and taken separately. Roth IRAs have no RMDs for the owner, and Roth 401(k)/403(b) accounts have none from 2024.
The excise tax is 25% of the shortfall for 2023 and later years (50% for 2022 and earlier). It drops to 10% if, during the correction window, the shortfall is distributed and a return reflecting the tax is filed. The window ends at the earliest of: the mailing of a notice of deficiency, the assessment of the tax, or the last day of the second tax year after the year of the shortfall. The IRS can waive the tax entirely if the shortfall was due to reasonable error and reasonable steps are being taken to fix it: enter "RC" and the amount to be waived next to line 54a/54b of Form 5329 and attach an explanation.
Inherited accounts (10-year rule and beneficiary life expectancy), the Joint and Last Survivor Table, the still-working exception for a current employer's plan, 5% owners, annuitized accounts, and years before 2022.
Want the full background? Read our complete retirement guide or, for tax professionals, Retirement Income on Form 1040: A Tax Preparer's Guide.
This calculator gives an estimate for planning purposes only, not a final calculation. It uses the Uniform Lifetime Table and the rules described above and does not cover every situation (inherited accounts, the joint life table, plan-specific rules). Whether the IRS grants a waiver is the IRS's decision. Confirm the RMD with your account custodian and consult a tax professional before filing Form 5329. Calculator created October 8, 2026 — figures reflect IRS guidance current as of that date.
Need help with a missed RMD or your retirement taxes? Become a client and we'll handle Form 5329 and the waiver request for you.
