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RMD Impact Calculator

Estimate how Required Minimum Distributions interact with your portfolio, taxes, and retirement income over time

Understanding RMDs

Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) begin at the age set for your birth cohort. Many retirees also take planned withdrawals from their IRA or 401(k) before RMDs begin — this calculator models those withdrawals and their effect on future RMDs and tax brackets.

How each projection year is calculated
  1. Start-of-year balance — Traditional IRA balance at the beginning of the age year.
  2. Planned withdrawal — Your annual amount (optionally inflation-adjusted), split by source.
  3. Required RMD — At the applicable cohort age, the IRS minimum on the prior December 31 traditional balance.
  4. Traditional IRA withdrawal — The greater of your planned traditional amount and the RMD (capped at the account balance). Planned traditional withdrawals count toward the RMD; only a shortfall is added on top.
  5. Subtract withdrawals — Withdrawals reduce each account before growth is applied.
  6. Apply growth — Remaining balances grow at your entered rate for the rest of the year. Withdrawals come first, then growth on what is left.
  7. Tax estimate — Progressive 2026 federal brackets on income after the standard deduction. Marginal bracket is the rate on your last dollar of taxable income; effective rate is total estimated federal tax ÷ total income (a better measure of your overall tax burden).

Federal estimates use fixed 2026 ordinary-income brackets and base standard deductions. Future calendar years reuse these values as a projection assumption, not future statutory law. Credits, itemized deductions and additional age-based deductions are not included.

Your Current Situation

Enter your age today
Determines the statutory RMD commencement age
Required for exact RMD cohort boundaries
Traditional IRA, 401(k), etc. - exclude Roth accounts
Typical range: 5-8% for diversified portfolios
Used to determine which IRS life expectancy table applies
Only needed if spouse is more than 10 years younger

Planned Portfolio Withdrawals (optional)

If you are already withdrawing from retirement accounts to cover living expenses, enter those withdrawals here. Once RMDs begin for your cohort, traditional withdrawals count toward the requirement — only a shortfall is added.

Other Retirement Income

Expected annual amount (0 if not yet claiming)
Include any pension or annuity income
Rental income, part-time work, etc.

Tax Information

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RonBelisle.com — educational planning illustration. Review the displayed inputs, timing, assumptions and supported statutory scope. Results are estimates, not guaranteed outcomes or personalized advice. Retain scenario inputs with this printout.