If you are 73 or older and own a traditional IRA or a 401(k), you generally must take your 2026 required minimum distribution (RMD) by December 31, 2026. You work it out by dividing your account balance on December 31, 2025 by an IRS life-expectancy factor. Miss it and the IRS may charge a 25% tax on what you should have taken, or 10% if you fix it within two years.
Key takeaways
- Most people who have reached age 73 must take an RMD from traditional IRAs and workplace plans such as a 401(k) each year, and the later-year deadline is December 31.
- Your RMD is your prior December 31 balance divided by a factor from IRS Publication 590-B. At age 75 the factor is 24.6, so $400,000 means about $16,260.
- Missing an RMD can bring a 25% excise tax on the shortfall, reduced to 10% if you correct it within two years. Form 5329 is how you report it.
- Roth IRAs and designated Roth accounts in a 401(k) or 403(b) have no RMDs while the original owner is alive.
- A qualified charitable distribution (QCD) sent straight from your IRA to a charity counts toward your RMD. The 2026 QCD limit is $111,000.
If you have a traditional IRA or a 401(k), the government eventually wants its share. That is what a required minimum distribution, or RMD, is: a yearly withdrawal the IRS makes you take once you reach a certain age. The money you take out is generally taxed as income.
For most people who are already taking RMDs, this year’s deadline is December 31, 2026. That is less than two months away. Here is who it applies to, how to figure out the amount, and what to do now.
Who has to take an RMD in 2026?
The IRS says you generally must start withdrawals when you reach age 73. The rule covers:
- Traditional IRAs, SEP IRAs, and SIMPLE IRAs
- 401(k), 403(b), and 457(b) plans
- Profit-sharing and other defined contribution plans
- Roth IRA beneficiaries, meaning people who inherited the account
What is not covered: you do not have to take withdrawals from your own Roth IRA, or from a designated Roth account in a 401(k) or 403(b), while you are alive.
When is the deadline?
There are two deadlines, and mixing them up is how people end up with a surprise tax bill.
| Situation | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Your first RMD (the year you turn 73), IRA | April 1 of the next year |
| Your first RMD, 401(k) or similar plan | April 1 after you retire, if your plan allows it. Otherwise April 1 after you turn 73 |
| Every year after that | December 31 |
The catch with waiting until April 1: you still owe the next year’s RMD by December 31 of that year. The IRS gives this example: if you reach 73 in 2024, the first RMD is due by April 1, 2025 and the second by December 31, 2025. Two withdrawals in one year can push you into a higher tax bracket, so ask whether taking the first one early makes sense for you. You can see how brackets work on our 2026 tax brackets page.
How do you calculate your RMD?
The math is simple. The IRS says to divide your account balance from the prior December 31 by a life-expectancy factor. The factors come from the Uniform Lifetime Table in Publication 590-B. Here are the factors for ages 73 to 80:
| Age in 2026 | Factor | RMD on a $400,000 balance |
|---|---|---|
| 73 | 26.5 | $15,094 |
| 75 | 24.6 | $16,260 |
| 77 | 22.9 | $17,467 |
| 80 | 20.2 | $19,802 |
Those dollar amounts are an illustration, not your number. To check one row: $400,000 ÷ 24.6 = $16,260.16. Your own RMD depends on your actual December 31, 2025 balance, so look at your year-end statement.
One exception: if your only beneficiary is a spouse who is more than 10 years younger than you, the IRS says a different table (the Joint Life and Last Survivor table) applies. That gives a smaller RMD.
Do you need to take it from every account?
It depends on the account type. For IRAs, you figure the RMD for each one separately, but the IRS says you can withdraw the total from one or more of them. For 401(k)s and similar plans, the RMD must be taken separately from each plan account. You cannot pay a 401(k) RMD out of an IRA.
What happens if you miss the deadline?
The IRS says you may owe a 25% excise tax on the amount you did not withdraw. If you fix the shortfall within two years, the tax is reduced to 10%. You report it on Form 5329. The penalty can also be waived if you show the mistake was a reasonable error and you are taking steps to correct it.
Here is what that looks like (an illustration, using the $400,000 age-75 example above):
- RMD owed: $400,000 ÷ 24.6 = $16,260
- Penalty if you skip it entirely: $16,260 × 25% = $4,065
- Penalty if you correct it within two years: $16,260 × 10% = $1,626
And you still owe regular income tax on the withdrawal once you take it.
Can you give your RMD to charity?
Yes, in a way that can lower your tax bill. A qualified charitable distribution, or QCD, is money sent directly from your IRA to an eligible charity. The IRS says you must be at least 70½ on the day of the distribution, the money must go straight from your IRA trustee to the charity, and a QCD counts toward your RMD.
The 2026 limit is $111,000, up from $108,000, according to Notice 2025-67. Because a QCD is not counted in your income, it can lower your taxable income compared with taking the cash and then donating it. The IRS describes QCDs as made by an IRA trustee, so ask your plan before assuming one works for a 401(k).
Illustration: you owe an RMD of $16,260 and send $5,000 to charity as a QCD. You would still need to take the other $11,260 yourself ($16,260 − $5,000), and only that part is taxable income.
What to do now
- Find your December 31, 2025 balance on each IRA and 401(k) statement.
- Look up your age factor in the Uniform Lifetime Table in Publication 590-B and divide.
- Check what you already took out this year and ask your custodian (the company holding your account) how much of your RMD is left.
- Decide if a QCD fits your giving plans. It has to be a direct transfer, and it takes time, so start early.
- Estimate the tax. Use our income tax calculator to see how the extra income affects your bill, and our retirement calculator to see how withdrawals change your savings over time.
- Ask your custodian to process it before the last week of December. Year-end is busy, and you want the money out well before the deadline.
- If you already missed one, take the shortfall out as soon as you can and ask a tax professional about Form 5329.
This article gives general information, not tax advice for your situation. If your accounts are complicated, such as inherited accounts, a younger spouse, or several plans, talk to a tax professional or your plan administrator. Saving for a 401(k) instead? Try our 401(k) calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the RMD deadline for 2026?
For most people who have already taken their first RMD, the 2026 deadline is December 31, 2026. If 2026 is the year you turn 73, you may wait until April 1, 2027 for that first one, but then you must also take your 2027 RMD by December 31, 2027. That means two taxable withdrawals land in one tax year, so many people take the first one in the year they turn 73.
At what age do I have to start taking RMDs?
The IRS says you generally must start taking withdrawals when you reach age 73. For an IRA, the first deadline is April 1 of the year after you reach 73. For a 401(k) or similar plan, that date can be pushed to April 1 after you retire, but only if your plan allows it. Check your plan's rules, because some plans require withdrawals even while you still work.
How do I calculate my required minimum distribution?
Take your account balance on December 31 of the prior year and divide it by the life-expectancy factor for your age from IRS Publication 590-B. For example, the Uniform Lifetime Table factor is 26.5 at age 73 and 24.6 at age 75. If your only beneficiary is a spouse more than 10 years younger, a different table applies and the RMD is smaller.
What happens if I miss my RMD?
You may owe an excise tax of 25% of the amount you should have withdrawn but did not. If you take the missed amount out and fix the shortfall within two years, the tax drops to 10%. You report it on Form 5329. The IRS can also waive the penalty if you show the mistake was reasonable and you are taking steps to correct it.
Do Roth IRAs have required minimum distributions?
Not while the original owner is alive. The IRS says you are not required to take withdrawals from a Roth IRA, or from a designated Roth account in a 401(k) or 403(b), during your lifetime. People who inherit these accounts, called beneficiaries, may have to take withdrawals under separate rules.
Can I take my RMD from just one IRA?
Partly. You must calculate the RMD separately for each IRA, but the IRS says you can withdraw the total from one or more of your IRAs. 401(k) and similar plan RMDs are different: they must be taken separately from each of those plan accounts, so you cannot cover a 401(k) RMD by taking money from an IRA.