topic I am 79 years old and fully employed. Do I need to take a Minimum Required Distribution from my Retirement Plans? in Retirement tax questions

I am 79 years old and fully employed. Do I need to take a Minimum Required Distribution from my Retirement Plans?

johnrachelvoss — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 21:56:34 GMT

Re: I am 79 years old and fully employed.Do I need to take a Minimum Required Distribution from my Retirement Plans?

xmasbaby0 — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 22:07:30 GMT

Yes, you certainly do. What have you been doing for the past several years?

Re: I am 79 years old and fully employed.Do I need to take a Minimum Required Distribution from my Retirement Plans?

VolvoGirl — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 22:13:10 GMT

If you get a pension whatever you get is considered the RMD so say yes all of it. You get a 1099R for retirement distributions and pensions.

If you have a 401K plan or IRA then yes you should have been taking the RMD on each plan for many years now. All my plans mail me a letter at the beginning of the year for how much I have to take out. What retirement plans do you have?

Re: I am 79 years old and fully employed.Do I need to take a Minimum Required Distribution from my Retirement Plans?

xmasbaby0 — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 22:15:20 GMT

https://ttlc.intuit.com/turbotax-support/en-us/help-article/retirement-benefits/rmd/L5Nqogylp_US_en_US

https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/retirement-plan-and-ira-required-minimum-distributions-faqs#:~:text=You must take your first,by Dec. 31, 2025.

Re: I am 79 years old and fully employed. Do I need to take a Minimum Required Distribution from ...

Vanessa A — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 22:20:17 GMT

Yes. Since you are 79, I am assuming you turned 70.5 before January 1, 2020. This means, you would have needed to start taking your RMD then and continue to take it every year after. The exception to this would be if your retirement plan is through your current employer and you do not own more than 5% of the company. Then you may delay the RMD. It does not apply to any other plans that you may have, only the one through your current employer.

If you have never taken the RMD, you will need to file form 5329 for each of the years you were required to take it. The IRS can impose a 25% excise tax penalty on the amount that should have been withdrawn. If you make a correction within 2 years, the penalty may be reduced to 10%.

It would be recommended to see a tax professional to help you get this situated if you did not take any RMD over the last several years.

If you are asking because you just went back to work at 79 and are unsure if that is a reason to not take it...for IRAs and former employer plans, employment status does not matter; RMDs are based on age. To be compliant and avoid the penalty, you need to make the withdrawal before December 31st of the tax year.

Re: I am 79 years old and fully employed.Do I need to take a Minimum Required Distribution from my Retirement Plans?

Opus 17 — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 22:23:36 GMT

Let's be clear, there are lots of plans with different rules. IRAs and qualified workplace plans (401k, etc.) are different and have different rules.

Assuming you were born in 1946, your RMDs began at age 70-1/2, in 2016 or 2017.

If you have an IRA, SEP or SIMPLE plan, you must withdraw at least the RMD amount each year, starting at age 70-1/2, even if you are still employed.
If you have a qualified workplace plan with a former employer who you no longer work for, your RMDs began when you turned 70-1/2.
If you have a qualified workplace plan and are still employed with the plan sponsor, and you own less than 5% of the company, you can delay your first RMD until the year after you retire.

I hope you don't have 9 years of missed RMDs. If you do, you need to see a qualified tax accountant ASAP.