Gold IRA RMD Calculator - Estimate Your Minimum Distribution in Dollars and Ounces (2026)
Estimate how much you must withdraw from a traditional gold IRA this year, and roughly how much metal that means.
A required minimum distribution (RMD) is the amount the IRS requires you to withdraw each year from a traditional IRA once you reach RMD age: 73, or 75 if you were born in 1960 or later. For most IRA owners, the RMD equals your account balance on December 31 of the prior year divided by a life-expectancy factor from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table.
With a gold IRA, your RMD is a dollar amount, but you'll meet it by selling metal or taking coins in kind. This calculator estimates the dollar amount and, if you enter a gold price, roughly how many ounces that represents.
Estimate Your Gold IRA RMD
- IRS life-expectancy factor
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- Estimated RMD for this year
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- RMD as a share of the account
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- Approximate ounces to sell for cash
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Uses the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table in effect since 2022. Not for inherited IRAs, or if your sole beneficiary is a spouse more than 10 years younger, who would use the Joint Life table instead. Confirm your RMD with your custodian or tax professional.
How RMDs Are Calculated
- Find last year-end's value. Your custodian reports your IRA's fair market value as of December 31.
- Find your factor. Use the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table for your age at the end of this year.
- Divide. The balance divided by the factor is your RMD.
- Withdraw by the deadline. Usually December 31; your first RMD can wait until April 1 of the following year, but then you'd take two that year.
Selected Uniform Lifetime Table Factors
Table: IRS Uniform Lifetime Table, selected ages (in effect since 2022) | Age | Factor | RMD on $100,000 | |---|---|---| | 73 | 26.5 | About $3,774 | | 75 | 24.6 | About $4,065 | | 80 | 20.2 | About $4,950 | | 85 | 16.0 | $6,250 | | 90 | 12.2 | About $8,197 | | 95 | 8.9 | About $11,236 |
The factor shrinks each year, so the share you must withdraw rises with age.
When Do RMDs Start?
Table: RMD starting age by birth year | Born | RMD age | |---|---| | 1950 or earlier | Already started under earlier rules | | 1951–1959 | 73 | | 1960 or later | 75 |
Roth gold IRAs have no RMDs for the original owner. Inherited IRAs follow different rules. See inherited gold IRA.
Meeting an RMD With Gold
Sell for Cash
Your dealer buys back metal inside the IRA and the custodian sends you cash. Simple, and you have money for taxes.
Take Coins In Kind
The depository ships metal worth at least your RMD to you. The value counts as taxable income for a traditional IRA.
Use Another IRA
If you have several IRAs, you can take the combined RMD from any of them and leave your gold untouched.
See gold IRA distributions and RMDs.
Why Gold Prices Matter for RMDs
Your RMD is fixed in dollars based on last year-end's value, but the number of ounces you'll need to sell depends on today's price. If gold has fallen since December 31, you'll need to sell more ounces; if it has risen, fewer. Holding one-ounce coins or smaller bars makes it easier to sell close to the exact amount.
Missing an RMD
If you don't withdraw the full RMD in time, the shortfall is subject to a 25% excise tax, reduced to 10% if you correct it promptly, generally within two years. Set a reminder each autumn and ask your custodian to start the process early, especially if you're shipping metal. See how to sell a gold IRA.
Ways to Reduce the Tax Bite
- Qualified charitable distributions from age 70½ can satisfy RMDs without adding to taxable income.
- Roth conversions before RMD age can shrink future RMDs. See Roth gold IRA.
- Spread sales during the year rather than selling all at once in December.
Planning gold IRA withdrawals? Augusta's free kit explains how distributions and buybacks work.
Get Free Gold IRA KitHow is a gold IRA RMD calculated?
Divide last December 31's account value by your factor from the IRS Uniform Lifetime Table.
When do RMDs start?
At 73 for most people born 1951–1959, and at 75 for those born in 1960 or later.
Can I take my RMD in gold coins?
Yes. An in-kind distribution can satisfy it, valued at fair market value.
Do Roth gold IRAs have RMDs?
Not for the original owner.
Is this calculator right for inherited IRAs?
No. Inherited IRAs use different tables and rules.
Plan Your Gold IRA Withdrawals Ahead
Augusta's free kit explains how RMDs, buybacks and in-kind distributions work with a gold IRA.