At what earliest age does the speaker say you can start taking withdrawals without penalties?

Craig Wear, CFP®Craig Wear, CFP® | Expert in Roth Conversions & Tax-Efficient Retirement Strategies for IRA Millionaires

Why Waiting Until 72 for RMDs Is a Tax Trap | Avoid IRS Penalties

28 Sept 2025 · 1 min

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A short YouTube video by Craig Wear, CFP® arguing that waiting until age 72 to take required minimum distributions (RMDs) benefits the tax authority and can increase future taxes. The presenter says individuals can begin taking penalty-free withdrawals at 59½ and suggests sometimes taking money earlier to control taxes and avoid larger future tax bills.

Questions this video answers

59½ years old.

Here's how to avoid RMD penalties so everyone says to wait until 72 years old for required minimum distributions or RMDs. But guess what? That's exactly what Uncle Sam of the tax code wants you to do. Because the longer you wait, the bigger the tax bill. So it's not about helping you, it's about collecting more tax. You can actually start taking withdrawals at 59 and a half years old without any penalties. And sometimes taking money out early is a smart move, especially if you want to stay in control and reduce future taxes.