Exact age today for someone born in 1948
Your age in 2026 depends on whether your birthday has passed: 2026 − 1948 = 78, minus one until your birthday. Here is the exact age on September 29, 2026 for birthdays spread through 1948:
| Born on | Age | Total days |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 1948 | 78 years, 8 months, 28 days | 28,761 |
| April 1, 1948 | 78 years, 5 months, 28 days | 28,670 |
| July 1, 1948 | 78 years, 2 months, 28 days | 28,579 |
| October 1, 1948 | 77 years, 11 months, 28 days | 28,487 |
| December 31, 1948 | 77 years, 8 months, 29 days | 28,396 |
Key facts for the 1948 birth year
| Fact | Born in 1948 |
|---|---|
| Age turned in 2026 | 78 |
| Generation (Pew Research Center) | Baby Boomers (1946–1964) |
| Social Security full retirement age | 66 |
| Year full retirement age is reached | 2014 |
| Earliest Social Security benefits (age 62) | 2010 |
| Medicare eligibility (age 65) | 2013 |
| RMD starting age | 70½ |
| Chinese zodiac | Rat (Pig if born before Lunar New Year) |
| Leap year | Yes (366 days) |
| January 1, 1948 was a | Thursday |
| Turns 100 in | 2048 |
How old you'll be in the next few years
| Year | Age you turn | Age before your birthday |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 78 | 77 |
| 2027 | 79 | 78 |
| 2028 | 80 | 79 |
| 2029 | 81 | 80 |
| 2030 | 82 | 81 |
| 2031 | 83 | 82 |
| Age | Milestone | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Eligible to vote (26th Amendment) | 1966 |
| 62 | Earliest reduced Social Security retirement benefits | 2010 |
| 65 | Medicare eligibility | 2013 |
| 66 | Social Security full retirement age | 2014 |
| 70½ | Required minimum distributions begin | 2018 (born January–June) or 2019 (born July–December) |
| 100 | Centenarian | 2048 |
Social Security full retirement age for 1948
Federal law ties full retirement age to the year you reach 62. For people born in 1948 it is 66, which you reached in 2014. Claiming at 62, in 2010, 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 1947 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 1948 reached Medicare age in 2013. 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 1948 is 70½, reached in 2018 (born January–June) or 2019 (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 1948?
Pew Research Center places people born in 1948 in the Baby Boom generation (1946–1964). In 2026, the generation spans ages 62 to 80.
Chinese zodiac and leap year
The lunar year that started in 1948 was the Year of the Rat. Lunar New Year falls in late January or February, so if you were born in January or early February 1948, check that year's Lunar New Year date: you may be a Pig instead. 1948 was a leap year (366 days), so some people born that year have a February 29 birthday. It began on a Thursday.
Other birth years
Born in 1946 · Born in 1947 · Born in 1949 · Born in 1950 · All birth years (1940–2010)
Frequently asked questions
How old is someone born in 1948?
Someone born in 1948 turns 78 in 2026, so they are 77 until their birthday and 78 after it. On September 29, 2026, a person born January 1, 1948 is 78 years, 8 months, 28 days old, while someone born December 31, 1948 is 77 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 1948?
People born in 1948 belong to the Baby Boom generation (Baby Boomers), which Pew Research Center defines as born 1946–1964. In 2026, members of this generation turn 62 to 80.
When can someone born in 1948 get full Social Security retirement benefits?
The full retirement age for people born in 1948 is 66, reached in 2014. Reduced benefits can start as early as 62, in 2010. A January 1 birthday counts as the previous birth year, which has the same full retirement age of 66.
When is someone born in 1948 eligible for Medicare?
Most people born in 1948 became eligible for Medicare when they turned 65 in 2013. 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 1948?
Under IRS regulations, the RMD starting age for people born in 1948 is 70½, reached in 2018 (born January–June) or 2019 (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 1948?
The lunar year that began in 1948 is the Year of the Rat. The Chinese zodiac follows the lunar calendar, whose new year falls in late January or February, so people born in January or early February 1948, before Lunar New Year, belong to the previous year's animal, the Pig. Check the Lunar New Year date for 1948 if your birthday is early in the year.
Was 1948 a leap year?
Yes. 1948 was a leap year with 366 days, because it is divisible by 4 and not a century year. People born on February 29, 1948 have a real birthday only in leap years; this calculator counts their birthday on February 28 in other years. 1948 began on a Thursday.