Required minimum distributions force retirement account owners to begin taking taxable withdrawals at a specified age. SECURE 2.0 raised the RMD age from 72 to 73 for those born after 1950. Missing an RMD triggers a 25% excise tax on the shortfall - reduced to 10% if corrected within two years. For inherited IRAs, the rules changed dramatically: most non-spouse beneficiaries now face a mandatory 10-year distribution window, and IRS final regulations clarified that annual distributions are required in years 1-9 when the original owner died after their required beginning date.
RMD start age: 73 (born 1951-1959). Age 75 beginning in 2033 for those born 1960 or later.
First RMD deadline: April 1 of the year following the year you turn 73. All subsequent RMDs by December 31 each year.
Missed RMD penalty: 25% excise tax on the shortfall; drops to 10% if corrected within the 2-year window.
QCD limit (2026): $111,000 per taxpayer - counts toward your RMD and is excluded from gross income.
Roth IRA: No RMDs during owner's lifetime. Roth 401(k): RMDs eliminated by SECURE 2.0 starting 2024.
Divide the prior December 31 account balance by the distribution period from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table (updated 2022). Each IRA is calculated separately. The results are added together but can be taken from any combination of IRAs you own.
Formula: RMD = Prior year-end balance ÷ Uniform Lifetime Table factor for your age
Example: Balance on December 31, 2025 = $850,000. Age in 2026 = 76. Factor = 23.7. RMD = $850,000 ÷ 23.7 = $35,865.
| Age | Factor | Age | Factor | Age | Factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 73 | 26.5 | 80 | 20.2 | 87 | 14.4 |
| 74 | 25.5 | 81 | 19.4 | 88 | 13.7 |
| 75 | 24.6 | 82 | 18.5 | 89 | 12.9 |
| 76 | 23.7 | 83 | 17.7 | 90 | 12.2 |
| 77 | 22.9 | 84 | 16.8 | 91 | 11.5 |
| 78 | 22.0 | 85 | 16.0 | 92 | 10.8 |
| 79 | 21.1 | 86 | 15.2 | 95+ | See IRS Pub. 590-B |
Spouse sole beneficiary exception: If your sole beneficiary is your spouse and they are more than 10 years younger, use the Joint and Last Survivor Table - it produces smaller required distributions.
For IRA owners who died after December 31, 2019, most non-spouse beneficiaries must fully distribute the inherited IRA within 10 years of death. The critical nuance from IRS final regulations: if the original owner had already reached their required beginning date (RBD) when they died, beneficiaries must also take annual RMDs in years 1 through 9 - the account cannot simply sit untouched for 9 years and be distributed in full in year 10.
| Beneficiary | Rule |
|---|---|
| Spouse | Can roll into own IRA - no 10-year rule. Strongest option in most cases. |
| Minor child of deceased owner | Life expectancy until reaching majority (age 21), then 10-year rule for remaining balance. |
| Disabled / chronically ill | Eligible designated beneficiary - life expectancy stretch available. |
| Individual within 10 years of owner's age | Life expectancy stretch available. |
| All other individuals (adult children, etc.) | 10-year rule. Annual RMDs required in years 1-9 if owner died after RBD. |
| Trust / estate / charity | 5-year rule if owner died before RBD; look-through rules may allow life expectancy. |
IRA owners age 70.5 or older can direct up to $111,000 (2026) directly from a traditional IRA to a qualified public charity. The QCD is excluded from gross income and counts toward satisfying the RMD. It does not require itemizing. It reduces AGI - which matters for Social Security taxation thresholds, Medicare IRMAA surcharges, and the phase-in of various deduction limits.