How age is calculated
Age in years, months and days counts whole calendar units: first the full years since your birthday, then full months since your last monthly anniversary, then the remaining days. That is why two people born 30 days apart can be "1 month" apart in one season and "30 days" in another: months have 28 to 31 days.
Totals in days, hours and seconds are simpler: they count the exact time elapsed. Every fourth year adds a leap day (except century years not divisible by 400, so 2000 was a leap year and 2100 will not be), which is why a year averages 365.2425 days.
Days and seconds in a lifetime
| Age | About this many days | Hours | Seconds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 365 | 8,766 | 31,556,952 |
| 10 years | 3,652 | 87,658 | 315,569,520 |
| 18 years | 6,574 | 157,785 | 568,025,136 |
| 21 years | 7,670 | 184,082 | 662,695,992 |
| 25 years | 9,131 | 219,146 | 788,923,800 |
| 30 years | 10,957 | 262,975 | 946,708,560 |
| 40 years | 14,610 | 350,633 | 1,262,278,080 |
| 50 years | 18,262 | 438,291 | 1,577,847,600 |
| 65 years | 23,741 | 569,778 | 2,051,201,880 |
| 80 years | 29,219 | 701,266 | 2,524,556,160 |
| 100 years | 36,524 | 876,582 | 3,155,695,200 |
Milestones worth celebrating
10,000 days arrives at about 27 years and 5 months. One billion seconds comes at 31 years, 8 months and a little over two weeks. 20,000 days is at about 54 years and 9 months. The table above lists yours with exact dates once you enter a date of birth.
Age and money
A few ages matter for your finances in the US: 26, when you leave a parent's health plan; 50, when 401(k) and IRA catch-up contributions start; 59½, when retirement accounts can be tapped without penalty; 62 to 70, the window for claiming Social Security; and 65, Medicare. The retirement calculator and 401(k) calculator start from your age.