The COVID-19 pandemic presented a major public health challenge, impacting different age groups in distinct ways. Cross sectional studies consistently found that despite older adults facing increased risks of physical health complications and death, younger adults reported greater emotional distress. Less studied, however, is the trajectory of emotional experiences over time and how these changes may have varied by age. This study examined when distress levels peaked and whether they declined over the two years of the pandemic. A U.S. nationally representative sample of adults (N=6,514) ranging from 18 to 97 years-old and who identified as White, Black, Hispanic, and other race/ethnic groups reported their psychological distress at four waves: Wave 1 (March-April 2020), Wave 2 (September-October 2020), Wave 3 (November 2021), and Wave 4 (May-June 2022). Multi-level models revealed that younger adults, especially younger Hispanic adults, reported the highest levels of post-traumatic stress (PTS), depression, anxiety, and anger across all waves. All age groups demonstrated linear declines in PTS and anger from peak levels. Depressive symptoms peaked at Wave 2 and remained high for older White adults and younger Hispanics. Anxiety symptoms peaked at Wave 1 for most respondents, though non-Hispanic Black individuals reported increased anxiety through Wave 4. These findings highlight age-related similarities in some distress patterns but reveal important differences in symptom patterns by race/ethnicity.