First RMD Deadline Calculator
Use your birth date and account type to find the first RMD year, the optional April 1 deadline, and the December 31 deadline that follows.
First RMD year
2026First deadline
April 1, 2027Next deadline
December 31, 2027Waiting until April 1 can place two RMDs in this calendar year.
Employer-plan delays depend on the plan document. More-than-5% owners cannot use the still-working delay. Roth account beneficiaries can still have RMDs.
What this estimate covers
- Uses the SECURE 2.0 birth-cohort schedule, including the July 1, 1949 transition.
- Separates IRA deadlines from employer-plan still-working rules.
- Warns that an April 1 deferral can create two taxable RMDs in one year.
Frequently asked questions
When is my first RMD due?
For a traditional IRA, the first RMD is generally due by April 1 of the year after the first RMD year. Later RMDs are due December 31, so delaying the first payment can put two taxable distributions in one calendar year.
What age do RMDs start under SECURE 2.0?
The starting age is generally 73 for people born from 1951 through 1959 and 75 for people born in 1960 or later. Earlier birth cohorts remain under the age 70½ or age 72 rules that already applied to them.
Can I delay a 401(k) RMD while I am still working?
Some employer plans allow the first RMD to begin after retirement. The delay does not apply to an IRA, may be limited by the plan document, and generally does not apply to someone who owns more than 5% of the employer.
Do Roth accounts have lifetime RMDs?
Roth IRAs and designated Roth accounts generally have no lifetime RMD for the owner. Beneficiaries remain subject to post-death distribution rules.
Sources
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