Uniform Lifetime Table: Distribution Periods by Age
The IRS publishes the Uniform Lifetime Table to determine how much you must withdraw each year from tax-deferred retirement accounts. Your distribution period shrinks as you age, which means a larger percentage of your balance goes out each year. Most retirees use this table unless their spouse is the sole beneficiary and more than 10 years younger.
| Age | Distribution Period | % of Balance | RMD on $500K |
|---|---|---|---|
| 73 | 26.5 | 3.77% | $18,868 |
| 74 | 25.5 | 3.92% | $19,608 |
| 75 | 24.6 | 4.07% | $20,325 |
| 76 | 23.7 | 4.22% | $21,097 |
| 77 | 22.9 | 4.37% | $21,834 |
| 78 | 22.0 | 4.55% | $22,727 |
| 79 | 21.1 | 4.74% | $23,697 |
| 80 | 20.2 | 4.95% | $24,752 |
| 81 | 19.4 | 5.15% | $25,773 |
| 82 | 18.5 | 5.41% | $27,027 |
| 83 | 17.7 | 5.65% | $28,249 |
| 84 | 16.8 | 5.95% | $29,762 |
| 85 | 16.0 | 6.25% | $31,250 |
| 86 | 15.2 | 6.58% | $32,895 |
| 87 | 14.4 | 6.94% | $34,722 |
| 88 | 13.7 | 7.30% | $36,496 |
| 89 | 12.9 | 7.75% | $38,760 |
| 90 | 12.2 | 8.20% | $40,984 |
Source: IRS Publication 590-B, Uniform Lifetime Table (2025). Distribution periods apply to account owners whose spouse is not the sole beneficiary or whose spouse is not more than 10 years younger.
How to Calculate Your RMD Step by Step
The formula is straightforward: divide your December 31 account balance by the distribution period for your current age. If you turned 73 and your Traditional IRA held $500,000 on December 31 of the prior year, your RMD is $500,000 ÷ 26.5 = $18,868. You must withdraw at least this amount by December 31 of the current year (April 1 if it's your first RMD year).
If you own multiple IRAs, calculate each RMD separately but you can withdraw the total from any one or combination of IRAs. For 401(k) and 403(b) accounts, each plan's RMD must come from that specific account—you cannot aggregate across employer plans.
When your spouse is the sole beneficiary and more than 10 years younger, use the Joint Life and Last Survivor Expectancy Table instead. This gives a longer distribution period, which lowers your annual RMD. For example, a 75-year-old with a 60-year-old spouse beneficiary would have a distribution period around 27.4 instead of 24.6—reducing the required withdrawal by roughly 10%.
Penalties for Missing RMDs
The IRS penalty for failing to take a required minimum distribution is 25% of the shortfall amount. If your RMD was $20,000 and you only withdrew $5,000, you owe a 25% excise tax on the $15,000 difference—that's $3,750 in penalties on top of the income tax you'll still owe when you do withdraw.
The penalty drops to 10% if you correct the mistake within two years by taking the missed distribution and filing Form 5329. Before 2023, the penalty was a brutal 50%, so the current 25% rate is already a significant reduction under the SECURE 2.0 Act. Still, there's no reason to pay any penalty when the math is this simple.
Common mistakes that trigger penalties: forgetting your first RMD has an April 1 deadline (not December 31), inheriting an IRA and not realizing the 10-year rule applies, or holding multiple accounts and missing the RMD on one. Set a calendar reminder for October to give yourself time to process the withdrawal before year-end.
Strategies to Minimize RMD Tax Impact
Roth conversions before age 73 are the most effective strategy. Every dollar you convert from a Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA reduces your future RMD base. You pay income tax on the conversion now, but qualified Roth withdrawals are tax-free and Roth IRAs have no RMDs during the owner's lifetime. The ideal window is between retirement and age 73 when your income (and tax bracket) may be lower.
Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) let you send up to $105,000 per year directly from your IRA to a qualified charity. The QCD counts toward your RMD but is excluded from taxable income. If you already give to charity, this is free tax savings—you satisfy your RMD without increasing your adjusted gross income, which keeps Medicare premiums and Social Security taxation lower.
Timing matters too. If you're in a low-income year—maybe you retired mid-year or had large deductions—consider taking extra withdrawals beyond the minimum to fill up your current tax bracket. Pulling $10,000 extra at a 12% rate now could save you from withdrawing it later at 22% or higher as your RMD percentage grows with age.
To plan your full retirement timeline, use the retirement calculator. To model Roth conversion strategies before RMDs begin, try the Roth IRA conversion calculator.