5 things to know about required minimum distributions in 2026

Required minimum distributions are unwelcome for many high-income retirees because of the implications for their tax bills. RMDs are taxed as ordinary income and can have knock-on tax effects, leading to more tax on Social Security benefits and higher Medicare costs.The good news is that the RMD starting age has been sliding upward. It was stuck at 70.5 through 2019, but the original Secure Act moved it to 72 in 2020. Secure 2.0 extended the starting RMD age to 73 in 2023, and the RMD age will m...