We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms.

By

Angelica Leicht

Senior Editor, Managing Your Money

Angelica Leicht is the senior editor for the Managing Your Money section for CBSNews.com, where she writes and edits articles on a range of personal finance topics. Angelica previously held editing roles at The Simple Dollar, Interest, HousingWire and other financial publications.

Read Full Bio

Updated on: May 6, 2026 / 10:58 AM EDT / CBS News

Add CBS News on Google

Required minimum distributions apply to most retirement accounts, so it's important to know the rules beforehand. Nora Carol Photography/Getty Images

Most people spend decades focused on one retirement goal: saving as much as possible . But at a certain point, the federal government steps in with a different agenda — and it has nothing to do with how much you've earned during your working years or how carefully you've planned for your retirement.…