Your RMD starting age depends entirely on the year you were born. This guide gives you the precise age and the deadline for your first distribution.
Your RMD starting age by birth year
The SECURE 2.0 Act ties your RMD starting age to your birth year. If you were born between 1951 and 1959, you start at age 73. If you were born in 1960 or later, you start at age 75. Anyone born in 1950 or earlier was already subject to the old age-72 or age-70 1/2 rules and should already be taking RMDs. Roth IRAs are exempt from lifetime RMDs at any age. Knowing your exact starting age helps you avoid both an early scramble and a late, penalty-triggering miss.
When your first distribution is due
Once you reach your starting age, you can take your first RMD any time during that year, or delay it until April 1 of the following year. All subsequent RMDs are due by December 31 each year. Delaying your first distribution means taking two in one calendar year, which can raise your taxable income and Medicare premiums. For that reason, many retirees take the first RMD in the year they reach starting age rather than pushing it to April 1.
Understand the Medicare connection
Because RMDs are taxable, your starting age marks the point when your income, and possibly your Medicare premiums, may rise. Call 1-800-MEDIGAP (dial 1-800-633-4427) to speak with a licensed agent about how reaching your RMD starting age could affect your Medicare Part B and Part D costs, and how to plan ahead.