Exact age today for someone born in 1943
Your age in 2026 depends on whether your birthday has passed: 2026 − 1943 = 83, minus one until your birthday. Here is the exact age on September 29, 2026 for birthdays spread through 1943:
| Born on | Age | Total days |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 1943 | 83 years, 8 months, 28 days | 30,587 |
| April 1, 1943 | 83 years, 5 months, 28 days | 30,497 |
| July 1, 1943 | 83 years, 2 months, 28 days | 30,406 |
| October 1, 1943 | 82 years, 11 months, 28 days | 30,314 |
| December 31, 1943 | 82 years, 8 months, 29 days | 30,223 |
Key facts for the 1943 birth year
| Fact | Born in 1943 |
|---|---|
| Age turned in 2026 | 83 |
| Generation (Pew Research Center) | Silent Generation (1928–1945) |
| Social Security full retirement age | 66 (65 and 10 months if born January 1) |
| Year full retirement age is reached | 2009 |
| Earliest Social Security benefits (age 62) | 2005 |
| Medicare eligibility (age 65) | 2008 |
| RMD starting age | 70½ |
| Chinese zodiac | Goat (Horse if born before Lunar New Year) |
| Leap year | No (365 days) |
| January 1, 1943 was a | Friday |
| Turns 100 in | 2043 |
How old you'll be in the next few years
| Year | Age you turn | Age before your birthday |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 83 | 82 |
| 2027 | 84 | 83 |
| 2028 | 85 | 84 |
| 2029 | 86 | 85 |
| 2030 | 87 | 86 |
| 2031 | 88 | 87 |
| Age | Milestone | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Eligible to vote (26th Amendment) | 1961 |
| 62 | Earliest reduced Social Security retirement benefits | 2005 |
| 65 | Medicare eligibility | 2008 |
| 66 | Social Security full retirement age | 2009 |
| 70½ | Required minimum distributions begin | 2013 (born January–June) or 2014 (born July–December) |
| 100 | Centenarian | 2043 |
Social Security full retirement age for 1943
Federal law ties full retirement age to the year you reach 62. For people born in 1943 it is 66, which you reached in 2009. Claiming at 62, in 2005, 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, 1943, you are treated as born in 1942 and your full retirement age is 65 and 10 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 1943 reached Medicare age in 2008. 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 1943 is 70½, reached in 2013 (born January–June) or 2014 (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 1943?
Pew Research Center places people born in 1943 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 1943 was the Year of the Goat. Lunar New Year falls in late January or February, so if you were born in January or early February 1943, check that year's Lunar New Year date: you may be a Horse instead. 1943 was not a leap year; it had 365 days. It began on a Friday.
Other birth years
Born in 1941 · Born in 1942 · Born in 1944 · Born in 1945 · All birth years (1940–2010)
Frequently asked questions
How old is someone born in 1943?
Someone born in 1943 turns 83 in 2026, so they are 82 until their birthday and 83 after it. On September 29, 2026, a person born January 1, 1943 is 83 years, 8 months, 28 days old, while someone born December 31, 1943 is 82 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 1943?
People born in 1943 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 1943 get full Social Security retirement benefits?
The full retirement age for people born in 1943 is 66, reached in 2009. Reduced benefits can start as early as 62, in 2005. If your birthday is January 1, 1943, Social Security uses the 1942 rule, so your full retirement age is 65 and 10 months.
When is someone born in 1943 eligible for Medicare?
Most people born in 1943 became eligible for Medicare when they turned 65 in 2008. 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 1943?
Under IRS regulations, the RMD starting age for people born in 1943 is 70½, reached in 2013 (born January–June) or 2014 (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 1943?
The lunar year that began in 1943 is the Year of the Goat. The Chinese zodiac follows the lunar calendar, whose new year falls in late January or February, so people born in January or early February 1943, before Lunar New Year, belong to the previous year's animal, the Horse. Check the Lunar New Year date for 1943 if your birthday is early in the year.
Was 1943 a leap year?
No. 1943 had 365 days because it is not divisible by 4; the nearest leap years were 1940 and 1944. 1943 began on a Friday and ended on a Friday too, as every 365-day year does.