Biweekly Payday Calculator

Worked example: biweekly pay from Friday, January 2, 2026

• Paydays fall every 14 days: Friday, January 2, 2026, Friday, January 16, 2026, Friday, January 30, 2026, and so on.
• The last payday of 2026 is Friday, December 18, 2026, for a total of 26 paychecks.
• Months with three paychecks: January and July.
• Starting from Monday, October 26, 2026, the next payday is Friday, November 6, 2026.

How this is worked out

• Weekly and biweekly paydays repeat every 7 or 14 days from the payday you enter.
• Semimonthly paydays are the 15th and the last day of each month.
• Monthly paydays are on the same day each month; a day such as the 31st becomes the last day of shorter months.
• For semimonthly and monthly pay, a payday on a weekend or federal holiday moves to the business day before by default. You can choose the business day after, or no change, to match your employer.
• Weekly and biweekly dates are shown exactly as scheduled, because the payday you enter sets the weekday.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between biweekly and semimonthly pay?

Biweekly pay comes every two weeks, which is 26 paychecks in most years. Semimonthly pay comes twice a month on set dates, usually the 15th and the last day, which is 24 paychecks a year.

Why do some years have 27 biweekly paydays?

A year is 52 weeks plus one day (two in a leap year), so a biweekly schedule shifts a little each year. When the first payday falls on January 1, or on January 1 or 2 in a leap year, a 27th payday fits before the year ends.

What happens when payday falls on a holiday?

Employers differ: many pay on the business day before, and some pay on the business day after. This calculator lets you choose for semimonthly and monthly pay, so check your employer's pay policy.

Which months have three paychecks?

With biweekly pay, two months have three paychecks in a 26-payday year, and three months do in a 27-payday year. The calculator lists them for your schedule, and the yearly pay calendar pages show every possible starting date.

Related tools

• Convert an hourly wage to weekly, monthly and annual pay
• Work out gross pay with time-and-a-half overtime
• Add or subtract business days from a date
• Guide: Three-paycheck months explained
• Biweekly pay calendar for 2026
• Biweekly pay calendar for 2027