Exact age today for someone born in 1940
Your age in 2026 depends on whether your birthday has passed: 2026 − 1940 = 86, minus one until your birthday. Here is the exact age on September 29, 2026 for birthdays spread through 1940:
| Born on | Age | Total days |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 1940 | 86 years, 8 months, 28 days | 31,683 |
| April 1, 1940 | 86 years, 5 months, 28 days | 31,592 |
| July 1, 1940 | 86 years, 2 months, 28 days | 31,501 |
| October 1, 1940 | 85 years, 11 months, 28 days | 31,409 |
| December 31, 1940 | 85 years, 8 months, 29 days | 31,318 |
Key facts for the 1940 birth year
| Fact | Born in 1940 |
|---|---|
| Age turned in 2026 | 86 |
| Generation (Pew Research Center) | Silent Generation (1928–1945) |
| Social Security full retirement age | 65 and 6 months (65 and 4 months if born January 1) |
| Year full retirement age is reached | 2005 (Jan–Jun births) / 2006 |
| Earliest Social Security benefits (age 62) | 2002 |
| Medicare eligibility (age 65) | 2005 |
| RMD starting age | 70½ |
| Chinese zodiac | Dragon (Rabbit if born before Lunar New Year) |
| Leap year | Yes (366 days) |
| January 1, 1940 was a | Monday |
| Turns 100 in | 2040 |
How old you'll be in the next few years
| Year | Age you turn | Age before your birthday |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 86 | 85 |
| 2027 | 87 | 86 |
| 2028 | 88 | 87 |
| 2029 | 89 | 88 |
| 2030 | 90 | 89 |
| 2031 | 91 | 90 |
| Age | Milestone | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Eligible to vote (26th Amendment) | 1958 |
| 62 | Earliest reduced Social Security retirement benefits | 2002 |
| 65 | Medicare eligibility | 2005 |
| 65 and 6 months | Social Security full retirement age | 2005–2006 |
| 70½ | Required minimum distributions begin | 2010 (born January–June) or 2011 (born July–December) |
| 100 | Centenarian | 2040 |
Social Security full retirement age for 1940
Federal law ties full retirement age to the year you reach 62. For people born in 1940 it is 65 and 6 months, which you reached in 2005 if you were born January–June, or 2006 if you were born July–December. Claiming at 62, in 2002, permanently reduces the monthly benefit; waiting past full retirement age increases it. Social Security considers you to reach an age on the day before your birthday, so if you were born on January 1, 1940, you are treated as born in 1939 and your full retirement age is 65 and 4 months.
To see how claiming age fits with your savings, try the retirement calculator.
Medicare and required minimum distributions
Medicare eligibility for most people starts at 65, so people born in 1940 reached Medicare age in 2005. The Initial Enrollment Period generally opens 3 months before your 65th-birthday month and closes 3 months after it.
Under IRS regulations implementing the SECURE and SECURE 2.0 Acts, the required minimum distribution age for people born in 1940 is 70½, reached in 2010 (born January–June) or 2011 (born July–December). The first distribution can be postponed to April 1 of the next year, but then two are due that year.
What generation is 1940?
Pew Research Center places people born in 1940 in the Silent Generation (1928–1945). In 2026, the generation spans ages 81 to 98.
Chinese zodiac and leap year
The lunar year that started in 1940 was the Year of the Dragon. Lunar New Year falls in late January or February, so if you were born in January or early February 1940, check that year's Lunar New Year date: you may be a Rabbit instead. 1940 was a leap year (366 days), so some people born that year have a February 29 birthday. It began on a Monday.
Other birth years
Born in 1941 · Born in 1942 · All birth years (1940–2010)
Frequently asked questions
How old is someone born in 1940?
Someone born in 1940 turns 86 in 2026, so they are 85 until their birthday and 86 after it. On September 29, 2026, a person born January 1, 1940 is 86 years, 8 months, 28 days old, while someone born December 31, 1940 is 85 years, 8 months, 29 days old. Enter an exact birth date in the calculator above for your own age.
What generation is someone born in 1940?
People born in 1940 belong to the Silent Generation (Silent Generation), which Pew Research Center defines as born 1928–1945. In 2026, members of this generation turn 81 to 98.
When can someone born in 1940 get full Social Security retirement benefits?
The full retirement age for people born in 1940 is 65 and 6 months, reached in 2005 if you were born January–June, or 2006 if you were born July–December. Reduced benefits can start as early as 62, in 2002. If your birthday is January 1, 1940, Social Security uses the 1939 rule, so your full retirement age is 65 and 4 months.
When is someone born in 1940 eligible for Medicare?
Most people born in 1940 became eligible for Medicare when they turned 65 in 2005. The initial window to sign up for Part A and Part B generally runs from 3 months before the month you turn 65 to 3 months after it, according to Medicare.gov. You may qualify earlier if you have a disability, End-Stage Renal Disease or ALS.
When do required minimum distributions start for someone born in 1940?
Under IRS regulations, the RMD starting age for people born in 1940 is 70½, reached in 2010 (born January–June) or 2011 (born July–December). The first RMD can be delayed until April 1 of the following year. Roth IRAs have no RMDs during the owner's lifetime.
What Chinese zodiac animal is 1940?
The lunar year that began in 1940 is the Year of the Dragon. The Chinese zodiac follows the lunar calendar, whose new year falls in late January or February, so people born in January or early February 1940, before Lunar New Year, belong to the previous year's animal, the Rabbit. Check the Lunar New Year date for 1940 if your birthday is early in the year.
Was 1940 a leap year?
Yes. 1940 was a leap year with 366 days, because it is divisible by 4 and not a century year. People born on February 29, 1940 have a real birthday only in leap years; this calculator counts their birthday on February 28 in other years. 1940 began on a Monday.