RMD Tax Planner United States

What the RMD tax planner does

The planner estimates how much you must withdraw from a traditional retirement account this year and how much federal income tax that withdrawal adds. Contributions to and growth in traditional IRAs and 401(k)s were never taxed, and the IRS does not let that deferral continue indefinitely. Once you reach the required beginning age, you must take a minimum withdrawal each year, the Required Minimum Distribution, and it is generally taxed as ordinary income.

Enter your account balance as of December 31 of the previous year, your age in the year you take the distribution, your filing status and your other taxable income. An RMD lands on top of your other income, so it can push part of that income into a higher bracket.

How the required distribution is calculated

Your RMD equals your account balance as of December 31 of the previous year divided by a life-expectancy factor from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table, which lists a divisor for each age. At 75 the factor is 24.6, so you must withdraw roughly one twenty-fifth, or about 4.1 percent, of the balance. The factor shrinks as you age, so the required share of your account rises every year.

The table is stored as data and updated when the IRS changes it. The calculator picks the factor for the age you enter and divides your prior year-end balance by it. If you hold several accounts, the rules on combining them vary by account type, so treat the result as the requirement for the balance you enter.

How the tax on your RMD is estimated

An RMD is ordinary income, so its tax depends on the rest of your income and your filing status. Someone with little other income may pay little tax on a distribution, while the same distribution for a higher earner can fall largely in a 22 or 24 percent bracket.

The calculator stacks the RMD on top of your other income and applies the federal brackets for your status. The tax it reports is the federal tax on your income with the RMD minus the federal tax without it, the extra tax the distribution creates. It also shows your marginal rate, the rate on the top of your stacked income, and the effective rate on the distribution after the progressive brackets.

Why RMD planning matters

Two things push RMDs up over time: the balance keeps growing if markets do well, and the life-expectancy divisor keeps shrinking. Together they can produce much larger distributions than expected in later years. Because the money is taxable, a large RMD can raise your tax bill, increase how much of your Social Security is taxed, and affect Medicare premiums.

Some retirees draw down or convert traditional balances in lower-income years before RMDs begin, spreading income across retirement instead of facing a spike later. Others use qualified charitable distributions to meet the requirement without adding to taxable income. The calculator gives you the baseline figures for those decisions.

Reading your result

The output leads with the required distribution. It then shows the estimated federal tax the withdrawal adds, the net amount you keep after that tax, your marginal rate, the effective rate on the distribution, and the life-expectancy factor used.

The distribution depends almost entirely on the balance and your age; the tax depends heavily on your other income and filing status. Your other income may change as pensions start, part-time work ends or investment income varies, so run the calculator with a few different levels to see how the tax on the RMD moves and which years it crosses into a higher bracket.

This is a federal income-tax estimate for a single account. State income tax, the taxation of Social Security and Medicare premium surcharges can all be affected by an RMD but are not included. Missing or underpaying an RMD carries a stiff penalty, so treat the required figure as a minimum to meet, and confirm your full situation with a qualified tax professional.

This is general information only and not tax advice.

About This RMD Tax Planner

Use this RMD tax planner to get an instant, accurate estimate. The figures follow official IRS guidance and every rate and threshold is kept up to date for 2026. Adjust the inputs above to match your situation, or browse all our calculators to plan your next step.