Exact age today for someone born in 1942
Your age in 2026 depends on whether your birthday has passed: 2026 − 1942 = 84, minus one until your birthday. Here is the exact age on September 29, 2026 for birthdays spread through 1942:
| Born on | Age | Total days |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 1942 | 84 years, 8 months, 28 days | 30,952 |
| April 1, 1942 | 84 years, 5 months, 28 days | 30,862 |
| July 1, 1942 | 84 years, 2 months, 28 days | 30,771 |
| October 1, 1942 | 83 years, 11 months, 28 days | 30,679 |
| December 31, 1942 | 83 years, 8 months, 29 days | 30,588 |
Key facts for the 1942 birth year
| Fact | Born in 1942 |
|---|---|
| Age turned in 2026 | 84 |
| Generation (Pew Research Center) | Silent Generation (1928–1945) |
| Social Security full retirement age | 65 and 10 months (65 and 8 months if born January 1) |
| Year full retirement age is reached | 2007 (Jan–Feb births) / 2008 |
| Earliest Social Security benefits (age 62) | 2004 |
| Medicare eligibility (age 65) | 2007 |
| RMD starting age | 70½ |
| Chinese zodiac | Horse (Snake if born before Lunar New Year) |
| Leap year | No (365 days) |
| January 1, 1942 was a | Thursday |
| Turns 100 in | 2042 |
How old you'll be in the next few years
| Year | Age you turn | Age before your birthday |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 84 | 83 |
| 2027 | 85 | 84 |
| 2028 | 86 | 85 |
| 2029 | 87 | 86 |
| 2030 | 88 | 87 |
| 2031 | 89 | 88 |
| Age | Milestone | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Eligible to vote (26th Amendment) | 1960 |
| 62 | Earliest reduced Social Security retirement benefits | 2004 |
| 65 | Medicare eligibility | 2007 |
| 65 and 10 months | Social Security full retirement age | 2007–2008 |
| 70½ | Required minimum distributions begin | 2012 (born January–June) or 2013 (born July–December) |
| 100 | Centenarian | 2042 |
Social Security full retirement age for 1942
Federal law ties full retirement age to the year you reach 62. For people born in 1942 it is 65 and 10 months, which you reached in 2007 if you were born January–February, or 2008 if you were born March–December. Claiming at 62, in 2004, 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, 1942, you are treated as born in 1941 and your full retirement age is 65 and 8 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 1942 reached Medicare age in 2007. 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 1942 is 70½, reached in 2012 (born January–June) or 2013 (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 1942?
Pew Research Center places people born in 1942 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 1942 was the Year of the Horse. Lunar New Year falls in late January or February, so if you were born in January or early February 1942, check that year's Lunar New Year date: you may be a Snake instead. 1942 was not a leap year; it had 365 days. It began on a Thursday.
Other birth years
Born in 1940 · Born in 1941 · Born in 1943 · Born in 1944 · All birth years (1940–2010)
Frequently asked questions
How old is someone born in 1942?
Someone born in 1942 turns 84 in 2026, so they are 83 until their birthday and 84 after it. On September 29, 2026, a person born January 1, 1942 is 84 years, 8 months, 28 days old, while someone born December 31, 1942 is 83 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 1942?
People born in 1942 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 1942 get full Social Security retirement benefits?
The full retirement age for people born in 1942 is 65 and 10 months, reached in 2007 if you were born January–February, or 2008 if you were born March–December. Reduced benefits can start as early as 62, in 2004. If your birthday is January 1, 1942, Social Security uses the 1941 rule, so your full retirement age is 65 and 8 months.
When is someone born in 1942 eligible for Medicare?
Most people born in 1942 became eligible for Medicare when they turned 65 in 2007. 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 1942?
Under IRS regulations, the RMD starting age for people born in 1942 is 70½, reached in 2012 (born January–June) or 2013 (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 1942?
The lunar year that began in 1942 is the Year of the Horse. The Chinese zodiac follows the lunar calendar, whose new year falls in late January or February, so people born in January or early February 1942, before Lunar New Year, belong to the previous year's animal, the Snake. Check the Lunar New Year date for 1942 if your birthday is early in the year.
Was 1942 a leap year?
No. 1942 had 365 days because it is not divisible by 4; the nearest leap years were 1940 and 1944. 1942 began on a Thursday and ended on a Thursday too, as every 365-day year does.