Exact age today for someone born in 1945
Your age in 2026 depends on whether your birthday has passed: 2026 − 1945 = 81, minus one until your birthday. Here is the exact age on September 29, 2026 for birthdays spread through 1945:
| Born on | Age | Total days |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 1945 | 81 years, 8 months, 28 days | 29,856 |
| April 1, 1945 | 81 years, 5 months, 28 days | 29,766 |
| July 1, 1945 | 81 years, 2 months, 28 days | 29,675 |
| October 1, 1945 | 80 years, 11 months, 28 days | 29,583 |
| December 31, 1945 | 80 years, 8 months, 29 days | 29,492 |
Key facts for the 1945 birth year
| Fact | Born in 1945 |
|---|---|
| Age turned in 2026 | 81 |
| Generation (Pew Research Center) | Silent Generation (1928–1945) |
| Social Security full retirement age | 66 |
| Year full retirement age is reached | 2011 |
| Earliest Social Security benefits (age 62) | 2007 |
| Medicare eligibility (age 65) | 2010 |
| RMD starting age | 70½ |
| Chinese zodiac | Rooster (Monkey if born before Lunar New Year) |
| Leap year | No (365 days) |
| January 1, 1945 was a | Monday |
| Turns 100 in | 2045 |
How old you'll be in the next few years
| Year | Age you turn | Age before your birthday |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 81 | 80 |
| 2027 | 82 | 81 |
| 2028 | 83 | 82 |
| 2029 | 84 | 83 |
| 2030 | 85 | 84 |
| 2031 | 86 | 85 |
| Age | Milestone | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Eligible to vote (26th Amendment) | 1963 |
| 62 | Earliest reduced Social Security retirement benefits | 2007 |
| 65 | Medicare eligibility | 2010 |
| 66 | Social Security full retirement age | 2011 |
| 70½ | Required minimum distributions begin | 2015 (born January–June) or 2016 (born July–December) |
| 100 | Centenarian | 2045 |
Social Security full retirement age for 1945
Federal law ties full retirement age to the year you reach 62. For people born in 1945 it is 66, which you reached in 2011. Claiming at 62, in 2007, permanently reduces the monthly benefit; waiting past full retirement age increases it. Social Security considers you to reach an age the day before your birthday, so January 1 birthdays follow the 1944 rule, which is also 66.
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 1945 reached Medicare age in 2010. 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 1945 is 70½, reached in 2015 (born January–June) or 2016 (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 1945?
Pew Research Center places people born in 1945 in the Silent Generation (1928–1945). In 2026, the generation spans ages 81 to 98. 1945 is a boundary year, so some people born then feel closer to the Baby Boomers.
Chinese zodiac and leap year
The lunar year that started in 1945 was the Year of the Rooster. Lunar New Year falls in late January or February, so if you were born in January or early February 1945, check that year's Lunar New Year date: you may be a Monkey instead. 1945 was not a leap year; it had 365 days. It began on a Monday.
Other birth years
Born in 1943 · Born in 1944 · Born in 1946 · Born in 1947 · All birth years (1940–2010)
Frequently asked questions
How old is someone born in 1945?
Someone born in 1945 turns 81 in 2026, so they are 80 until their birthday and 81 after it. On September 29, 2026, a person born January 1, 1945 is 81 years, 8 months, 28 days old, while someone born December 31, 1945 is 80 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 1945?
People born in 1945 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. Because 1945 is at the edge of the range, some people born that year also identify with the Baby Boomers; generation boundaries are conventions, not hard lines.
When can someone born in 1945 get full Social Security retirement benefits?
The full retirement age for people born in 1945 is 66, reached in 2011. Reduced benefits can start as early as 62, in 2007. A January 1 birthday counts as the previous birth year, which has the same full retirement age of 66.
When is someone born in 1945 eligible for Medicare?
Most people born in 1945 became eligible for Medicare when they turned 65 in 2010. 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 1945?
Under IRS regulations, the RMD starting age for people born in 1945 is 70½, reached in 2015 (born January–June) or 2016 (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 1945?
The lunar year that began in 1945 is the Year of the Rooster. The Chinese zodiac follows the lunar calendar, whose new year falls in late January or February, so people born in January or early February 1945, before Lunar New Year, belong to the previous year's animal, the Monkey. Check the Lunar New Year date for 1945 if your birthday is early in the year.
Was 1945 a leap year?
No. 1945 had 365 days because it is not divisible by 4; the nearest leap years were 1944 and 1948. 1945 began on a Monday and ended on a Monday too, as every 365-day year does.