Article

Required Minimum Distribution

August 22, 2026 · Aditya Gupta

Retirement

Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) are mandatory annual withdrawals from Traditional IRAs, Traditional 401(k)s, and similar pre-tax retirement accounts starting at age 73 (rising to 75 by 2033 per SECURE Act 2.0). Calculated by dividing account balance by an IRS life expectancy factor. Penalty for missing RMD: 25% of the shortfall (reduced from 50% in 2023). Roth IRAs have no RMDs during the owner's lifetime — a major advantage. Strategies: Roth conversions in lower-income years before age 73 to reduce future RMDs, Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) up to $108,000 to satisfy RMD while excluding from income.

Personal Finance

Related terms

Back to the finance glossary