At What Age Do RMDs Stop?

Required minimum distributions (RMDs) are a fact of life for retirement account holders. However, many wonder if there’s ever a point when these mandatory withdrawals come to an end. The simple answer is that RMDs from traditional IRAs and most retirement plans never stop during your lifetime. Once you reach the age trigger (currently 73, increasing to 75 by 2033), you must continue taking these distributions annually for as long as you live.

Work with a professional financial a dvisor to help you make the right retirement withdrawal strategy for your future.

What Are Required Minimum Distributions?

A required minimum distribution (RMD) is the minimum amount that you must withdraw each year from certain tax-advantaged retirement accounts.

This law mostly applies to pre-tax accounts, such as 401(k)s and IRAs. You do not have to make minimum withdrawals from Roth IRAs. However, you do have to take minimum distributions from Roth 401(k)s.

RMDs are a way for the IRS to ensure that you pay taxes on applicable funds. Pre-tax accounts represent a basket of money on which you have never paid either income or capital gains taxes.

Some retirees without an RMD can sit on this money indefinitely and eventually pass it to their heirs tax-free. This is an especially popular strategy for high-net-worth individuals, given the step-up loophole.

Since a Roth IRA is a post-tax retirement account, you have already paid income taxes on the money. Therefore, the IRS doesn’t need to ensure that you make withdrawals. This is why the IRS does not require minimum distributions from Roth IRAs.

How Much Are Required Minimum Distributions?

The specific amount you must withdraw depends on both your age and the value of your retirement account.

The IRS lists this in the Uniform Lifetime Table. With this, you can find your life expectancy factor based on your age. Then, divide your retirement account value by that life expectancy factor to determine how much you must withdraw.

RMDs are annual, so you can structure these withdrawals as you see fit over the year. However, you must meet the minimum amount by December 31. If you do not, the IRS will charge you a tax penalty. This penalty is typically 50% of the difference between what you should withdraw and what you actually withdraw.

For example, say that you have a life expectancy factor of 10 and $60,000 in your retirement account. You must withdraw at least $6,000 by the end of the year. If you instead take out only $5,000, the IRS will charge you a $2,500 fee.

Quickly calculate your RMD and understand what it means for your retirement income.

Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Calculator

Estimate your next RMD using your age, balance and expected returns.

Quickly estimate your RMDs and when to take them

RMD Amount for IRA(s)

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RMD Amount for 401(k) #1

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RMD Amount for 401(k) #2

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About This Calculator

This calculator estimates RMDs by dividing the user's prior year's Dec. 31 account balance by the IRS Distribution Period based on their age. Users can enter their birth year, prior-year balances and an expected annual return to estimate the timing and amount of future RMDs.

For IRAs (excluding Roth IRAs), users may combine balances and take the total RMD from one or more accounts. For 401(k)s and similar workplace plans*, RMDs must be calculated and taken separately from each account, so balances should be entered individually.

^*The IRS allows those with multiple 403(b) accounts to aggregate their balances and split their RMDs across these accounts.

Assumptions

This calculator assumes users have an RMD age of either 73 or 75. Users born between 1951 and 1959 are required to take their first RMD by April 1 of the year following their 73rd birthday. Users born in 1960 and later must take their first RMD by April 1 of the year following their 75th birthday.

This calculator uses the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table to estimate RMDs. This table generally applies to account owners age 73 or older whose spouse is either less than 10 years younger or not their sole primary beneficiary.

However, if a user's spouse is more than 10 years younger and is their sole primary beneficiary, the IRS Joint and Last Survivor Expectancy Table must be used instead. Likewise, if the user is the beneficiary of an inherited IRA or retirement account, RMDs must be calculated using the IRS Single Life Expectancy Table. In these cases, users will need to calculate their RMD manually or consult a finance professional.

For users already required to take an RMD for the current year, the calculator uses their account balance as of December 31 of the previous year to compute the RMD. For users who haven't yet reached RMD age, the calculator applies their expected annual rate of return to that same prior-year-end balance to project future balances, which are then used to estimate RMDs.

This RMD calculator uses the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table, but certain users may need to use a different IRS table depending on their beneficiary designation or marital status. It's the user's responsibility to confirm which table applies to their situation, and tables may be subject to change.

Actual results may vary based on individual circumstances, future account performance and changes in tax laws or IRS regulations. Estimates provided by this calculator do not guarantee future distribution amounts or account balances. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

SmartAsset.com does not provide legal, tax, accounting or financial advice (except for referring users to third-party advisers registered or chartered as fiduciaries ("Adviser(s)") with a regulatory body in the United States). Articles, opinions and tools are for general informational purposes only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. Users should consult their accountant, tax advisor or legal professional to address their particular situation.

It’s important for investors to note that they do not have to keep this money in cash. You can reinvest this money into a private investment portfolio if you don’t need to spend it.

When Do Required Minimum Distributions Begin?

A couple researching at what age RMDs stop.

The start date for RMDs has been rolled back a few times, most recently with the SECURE 2.0 Act. If you turned 72 during or before 2022, you must begin RMDs from qualifying retirement accounts on whichever is later:

April 1, the year after you turn 72
April 1 of the year after you retire (for workplace plans)

As of the time of writing, the RMD age sits at 73. This means that if you turn 72, you must begin taking RMDs from qualifying retirement accounts on whichever is later:

On April 1, the year after you turn 73
Or, for workplace plans, April 1 of the year after you retire

This cutoff age will step up over the next 10 years, reaching age 75 in 2033.

For example, say that Elizabeth is currently retired and turns 73 in October 2025. She must begin taking minimum distributions from her qualified retirement accounts beginning on April 1, 2026.

On the other hand, say that she is still working. In that case, the same rule will apply to her IRA. However, she can defer making 401(k) withdrawals until the year after she retires.

When Do Required Minimum Distributions Stop?

Required minimum distributions do not stop.

There is no maximum age for this rule, and payments do not phase out on any basis other than finances. Your required minimum distributions are based on an account’s underlying assets. This means that if a retirement account runs out of money, you will no longer have any associated withdrawal requirements.

Also, note that each type of retirement account has separate RMD requirements. For example, if you have a 401(k) and an IRA, you must calculate and make minimum withdrawals from each account. The amount of money you withdraw from your 401(k) will not apply to the RMD for your IRA. However, if you have multiple IRA accounts, you can withdraw the total amount owed from a single portfolio.

Finally, if you fail to make minimum withdrawals, you may face a penalty. However, the IRS will sometimes waive these penalty fees if you can show that this was due to reasonable error and you are correcting it. However, you cannot use excess withdrawals from a past year to satisfy your RMD requirements for a future year.

Strategies to Reduce the Impact of RMDs

Since RMDs never stop, the goal isn’t to avoid them entirely but to manage their tax impact over time. There are several ways to do this, and the earlier you start planning, the more flexibility you have.

Roth IRA Conversion

One of the most effective approaches is converting traditional IRA or 401(k) funds to a Roth IRA before RMDs begin. The years between retirement and age 73 are often when your income is lower than when mandatory withdrawals kick in. Converting during this period means paying taxes now at a potentially lower rate. Meanwhile, it eliminates future RMDs on those converted dollars entirely.

Roth IRAs are not subject to RMDs during the owner’s lifetime. This means that every dollar you convert will not be forced out later. The tradeoff is that the conversion itself is a taxable event. Therefore, you must be careful in order to avoid a higher bracket when you convert.

Qualified Charitable Distributions

If you’re charitably inclined and at least 70 ½ years old, qualified charitable distributions can be a powerful tool. As of 2026, a QCD allows you to send up to $111,000 per year directly from your traditional IRA to a qualifying charity. The amount counts toward your RMD for the year but does not show up as taxable income on your return. For retirees already donating to charity, a QCD can satisfy your RMD while lowering your taxable income.

Increasing Voluntary Distributions

Some retirees also benefit from spending down their tax-deferred accounts earlier than required. Rather than waiting until 73 to start withdrawals, you can take larger voluntary distributions in your 60s and early 70s. This reduces the balance in your traditional accounts before RMDs begin.

Smaller account balances mean smaller mandatory withdrawals down the road. This can keep your tax bill more predictable later when you have less control over the timing and amount.

RMD Tax Impacts

It’s also worth paying attention to how RMDs interact with other parts of your tax picture. RMD income counts toward the thresholds that determine whether you pay higher Medicare premiums through IRMAA. One large RMD can push you above an IRMAA bracket. This, in turn, increases your Part B and Part D premiums for the entire year.

RMD income can also make more of your Social Security benefits taxable. Up to 85% of Social Security benefits are subject to tax once your combined income crosses certain IRS thresholds. Managing the size of your RMDs through earlier conversions, QCDs or strategic drawdowns can help you stay below these tipping points.

If your RMDs exceed what you need for living expenses, you don’t have to spend the money. You can deposit the withdrawal into a taxable brokerage account and keep it invested in stocks, bonds or funds.

You’ll still owe income tax on the distribution in the year you take it. However, your funds continue to grow rather than sitting in cash. This is a practical option for retirees whose required withdrawals exceed their actual spending needs.

The common thread across all of these strategies is that they work best when you plan ahead. Waiting until RMDs begin to think about tax liability limits your options.

A financial advisor can help you model different scenarios and build a withdrawal strategy accounting for RMDs, Roth conversions, charitable giving and their combined effect on your taxes, Medicare costs and long-term portfolio health.

Bottom Line

There is no maximum age for required minimum distributions. For any retirement account that qualifies, you must continue to take these withdrawals indefinitely. This is critical to factor into any retirement withdrawal strategy, so you can prepare for the rest of your life. While the distributions themselves don’t cease, how you manage them can evolve. These requirements continue indefinitely, which may come as a surprise to some retirees.

Retirement Planning Tips

A financial advisor can help you manage your wealth or build for retirement. They can also help create a plan for withdrawals once you get there. Finding a financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with vetted financial advisors who serve your area. Schedule a free introductory call with your advisor matches to decide which one feels right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
If the IRS sets your minimum distributions, it’s important to plan for the kind of distributions you want to take from your portfolio.