Free Retirement Tool

RMD Cheat Sheet

Once you turn 73, the IRS requires you to withdraw a minimum amount from your IRAs and 401(k)s every year — and tax it. Here's the table, the rules, and a calculator.

Educational only. This content is general retirement education — not personalized financial, tax, or legal advice. Every situation is different; if you'd like Ebby to look at yours, use Talk With Ebby.

What is an RMD?

A Required Minimum Distribution is the smallest amount the IRS makes you pull out of your qualified retirement accounts each year — Traditional IRAs, SEP and SIMPLE IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, and most other pre-tax accounts. Roth IRAs are exempt during the original owner's lifetime.

RMDs begin the year you turn 73 (SECURE Act 2.0).
The amount is your December 31 balance ÷ an IRS life-expectancy factor for your age.
Miss it and the penalty is 25% of the shortfall (10% if corrected quickly).
If your spouse is your sole beneficiary and is more than 10 years younger, you use the IRS Joint Life table — which lowers the required amount.

Project your balance and future RMDs

Enter a starting balance, your current age, and an assumed annual growth rate. We'll grow the account each year and, starting at age 73, subtract the RMD from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table so you can see how the balance changes over time.

Starting balanceCurrent ageAnnual growth (%)Project through age

Ending balance

$88,207

Age 97

Total RMDs withdrawn

$284,948

Ages 73–97

First RMD

$7,974

Age 73 · 2031

Year	Age	Start bal.	Growth	After int.	Life exp.	Withdrawal	After withdrawal
2026	68	$167,000	$6,680	$173,680	—	—	$173,680
2027	69	$173,680	$6,947	$180,627	—	—	$180,627
2028	70	$180,627	$7,225	$187,852	—	—	$187,852
2029	71	$187,852	$7,514	$195,366	—	—	$195,366
2030	72	$195,366	$7,815	$203,181	—	—	$203,181
2031	73	$203,181	$8,127	$211,308	26.5	$7,974	$203,334
2032	74	$203,334	$8,133	$211,468	25.5	$8,293	$203,175
2033	75	$203,175	$8,127	$211,302	24.6	$8,590	$202,712
2034	76	$202,712	$8,108	$210,821	23.7	$8,895	$201,925
2035	77	$201,925	$8,077	$210,003	22.9	$9,170	$200,832
2036	78	$200,832	$8,033	$208,865	22.0	$9,494	$199,371
2037	79	$199,371	$7,975	$207,346	21.1	$9,827	$197,520
2038	80	$197,520	$7,901	$205,420	20.2	$10,169	$195,251
2039	81	$195,251	$7,810	$203,061	19.4	$10,467	$192,594
2040	82	$192,594	$7,704	$200,298	18.5	$10,827	$189,471
2041	83	$189,471	$7,579	$197,050	17.7	$11,133	$185,917
2042	84	$185,917	$7,437	$193,354	16.8	$11,509	$181,844
2043	85	$181,844	$7,274	$189,118	16.0	$11,820	$177,298
2044	86	$177,298	$7,092	$184,390	15.2	$12,131	$172,259
2045	87	$172,259	$6,890	$179,150	14.4	$12,441	$166,709
2046	88	$166,709	$6,668	$173,377	13.7	$12,655	$160,722
2047	89	$160,722	$6,429	$167,151	12.9	$12,957	$154,193
2048	90	$154,193	$6,168	$160,361	12.2	$13,144	$147,217
2049	91	$147,217	$5,889	$153,105	11.5	$13,314	$139,792
2050	92	$139,792	$5,592	$145,383	10.8	$13,461	$131,922
2051	93	$131,922	$5,277	$137,199	10.1	$13,584	$123,615
2052	94	$123,615	$4,945	$128,559	9.5	$13,533	$115,027
2053	95	$115,027	$4,601	$119,628	8.9	$13,441	$106,187
2054	96	$106,187	$4,247	$110,434	8.4	$13,147	$97,287
2055	97	$97,287	$3,891	$101,179	7.8	$12,972	$88,207

2026 · Age 68

After withdrawal

$173,680

Start balance: $167,000
Growth: $6,680
After interest: $173,680
Life exp.: —
Withdrawal: —

2027 · Age 69

After withdrawal

$180,627

Start balance: $173,680
Growth: $6,947
After interest: $180,627
Life exp.: —
Withdrawal: —

2028 · Age 70

After withdrawal

$187,852

Start balance: $180,627
Growth: $7,225
After interest: $187,852
Life exp.: —
Withdrawal: —

2029 · Age 71

After withdrawal

$195,366

Start balance: $187,852
Growth: $7,514
After interest: $195,366
Life exp.: —
Withdrawal: —

2030 · Age 72

After withdrawal

$203,181

Start balance: $195,366
Growth: $7,815
After interest: $203,181
Life exp.: —
Withdrawal: —

2031 · Age 73

After withdrawal

$203,334

Start balance: $203,181
Growth: $8,127
After interest: $211,308
Life exp.: 26.5
Withdrawal: $7,974

2032 · Age 74

After withdrawal

$203,175

Start balance: $203,334
Growth: $8,133
After interest: $211,468
Life exp.: 25.5
Withdrawal: $8,293

2033 · Age 75

After withdrawal

$202,712

Start balance: $203,175
Growth: $8,127
After interest: $211,302
Life exp.: 24.6
Withdrawal: $8,590

2034 · Age 76

After withdrawal

$201,925

Start balance: $202,712
Growth: $8,108
After interest: $210,821
Life exp.: 23.7
Withdrawal: $8,895

2035 · Age 77

After withdrawal

$200,832

Start balance: $201,925
Growth: $8,077
After interest: $210,003
Life exp.: 22.9
Withdrawal: $9,170

2036 · Age 78

After withdrawal

$199,371

Start balance: $200,832
Growth: $8,033
After interest: $208,865
Life exp.: 22.0
Withdrawal: $9,494

2037 · Age 79

After withdrawal

$197,520

Start balance: $199,371
Growth: $7,975
After interest: $207,346
Life exp.: 21.1
Withdrawal: $9,827

2038 · Age 80

After withdrawal

$195,251

Start balance: $197,520
Growth: $7,901
After interest: $205,420
Life exp.: 20.2
Withdrawal: $10,169

2039 · Age 81

After withdrawal

$192,594

Start balance: $195,251
Growth: $7,810
After interest: $203,061
Life exp.: 19.4
Withdrawal: $10,467

2040 · Age 82

After withdrawal

$189,471

Start balance: $192,594
Growth: $7,704
After interest: $200,298
Life exp.: 18.5
Withdrawal: $10,827

2041 · Age 83

After withdrawal

$185,917

Start balance: $189,471
Growth: $7,579
After interest: $197,050
Life exp.: 17.7
Withdrawal: $11,133

2042 · Age 84

After withdrawal

$181,844

Start balance: $185,917
Growth: $7,437
After interest: $193,354
Life exp.: 16.8
Withdrawal: $11,509

2043 · Age 85

After withdrawal

$177,298

Start balance: $181,844
Growth: $7,274
After interest: $189,118
Life exp.: 16.0
Withdrawal: $11,820

2044 · Age 86

After withdrawal

$172,259

Start balance: $177,298
Growth: $7,092
After interest: $184,390
Life exp.: 15.2
Withdrawal: $12,131

2045 · Age 87

After withdrawal

$166,709

Start balance: $172,259
Growth: $6,890
After interest: $179,150
Life exp.: 14.4
Withdrawal: $12,441

2046 · Age 88

After withdrawal

$160,722

Start balance: $166,709
Growth: $6,668
After interest: $173,377
Life exp.: 13.7
Withdrawal: $12,655

2047 · Age 89

After withdrawal

$154,193

Start balance: $160,722
Growth: $6,429
After interest: $167,151
Life exp.: 12.9
Withdrawal: $12,957

2048 · Age 90

After withdrawal

$147,217

Start balance: $154,193
Growth: $6,168
After interest: $160,361
Life exp.: 12.2
Withdrawal: $13,144

2049 · Age 91

After withdrawal

$139,792

Start balance: $147,217
Growth: $5,889
After interest: $153,105
Life exp.: 11.5
Withdrawal: $13,314

2050 · Age 92

After withdrawal

$131,922

Start balance: $139,792
Growth: $5,592
After interest: $145,383
Life exp.: 10.8
Withdrawal: $13,461

2051 · Age 93

After withdrawal

$123,615

Start balance: $131,922
Growth: $5,277
After interest: $137,199
Life exp.: 10.1
Withdrawal: $13,584

2052 · Age 94

After withdrawal

$115,027

Start balance: $123,615
Growth: $4,945
After interest: $128,559
Life exp.: 9.5
Withdrawal: $13,533

2053 · Age 95

After withdrawal

$106,187

Start balance: $115,027
Growth: $4,601
After interest: $119,628
Life exp.: 8.9
Withdrawal: $13,441

2054 · Age 96

After withdrawal

$97,287

Start balance: $106,187
Growth: $4,247
After interest: $110,434
Life exp.: 8.4
Withdrawal: $13,147

2055 · Age 97

After withdrawal

$88,207

Start balance: $97,287
Growth: $3,891
After interest: $101,179
Life exp.: 7.8
Withdrawal: $12,972

Special notice

This illustration does not consider additional contributions to your account. Ask Ebby for a full illustration if you are still contributing.

Source: IRS Publication 590-B, Uniform Lifetime Table (effective 2022+). A separate Joint Life & Last Survivor table applies when your sole-beneficiary spouse is more than 10 years younger.

Illustrative only. Actual returns vary year to year. RMDs currently begin at age 73; the calculator applies that start age. Ask Ebby to run this for your real numbers.

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