Don’t Miss This: What Happens if You Skip Your RMD

When Do RMDs Begin?

Recent laws have moved the starting age for RMDs. Here are the key points:

• As of 2023, the age at which most retirees must begin taking RMDs is 73, if they turn that age after 2022.

• The SECURE 2.0 Act, passed in late 2022, raised the age from 72 to 73.

• The law also provides that the age will increase again to 75 starting in 2033.

For the first RMD, the deadline is April 1 of the year after you reach the required age (or after you retire in some employer plans, depending on the plan’s rules). Subsequent RMDs must be taken by December 31 of each year.

But beware: if you delay your first RMD to April 1, you’ll have to take two RMDs in that year—one for the year you turned the required age, and one for the current year. That can bump your taxable income up for both years.