Fortnightly Pay Period Calculator — 26 or 27 Pay Dates

Give this fortnightly pay calculator one date you are paid on and it generates every pay date for that calendar year, flags the months that contain three paydays, and tells you whether the year is a 26 or a rarer 27 pay-period year.

Why 26 and occasionally 27

26 pay periods of 14 days is 364 days, one short of a common year and two short of a leap year. Those leftover days accumulate until an extra pay date is pushed into a single calendar year, producing 27. It is arithmetic rather than generosity: for salaried staff the annual total is usually unchanged and each cheque is proportionally smaller. Full detail in 26 vs 27 pay periods.

Fortnightly is not semimonthly

Semimonthly means twice a month — 24 payments a year on fixed dates such as the 15th and the last day. Fortnightly means every fourteen days — 26 payments on a fixed weekday. They are different cycles with different cash-flow shapes, and "biweekly" is used loosely for both, which is why contracts should avoid the word. See fortnightly vs biweekly vs semimonthly.

Guides about Pay Period Dates

Questions answered 26 Pay Periods vs 27: Why Some Years Get an Extra Pay Date A fortnightly payroll covers only 364 days a year, so the leftover days accumulate until a 27th pay date appears. Here is the arithmetic and what it means. 5 min read Notes Budgeting on a Fortnightly Pay Cycle: A Practical Method Income arrives 26 times a year but bills arrive 12 times. Here is how to convert between the two rhythms, use sinking funds, and stop chasing due dates. 5 min read Questions answered Fortnightly vs Biweekly vs Semimonthly: What Each One Means Biweekly can mean twice a week or every two weeks. Semimonthly means neither. Here is how the three pay frequencies differ in dates, amounts and contract wording. 5 min read

More fortnight.now pages

This Fortnight The current fortnight of the year, the day within it, and when the next one starts. Fortnight Calculator Add or subtract fortnights from any date, with the conversions to weeks, days and hours. Fortnight Countdown How many fortnights until a date — a friendlier unit than a long day count.

Frequently asked questions

How many pay periods are in a year?

26 for a fortnightly cycle in most years, and 27 in years where the leftover days push an extra pay date into the calendar year.

Which months have three paydays?

It varies by year and by where your cycle falls. The calculator flags them once you enter one known pay date.

Is fortnightly the same as semimonthly?

No. Fortnightly is every 14 days, giving 26 payments a year on a fixed weekday. Semimonthly is twice a month, giving 24 payments on fixed dates.

Do I get paid more in a 27-period year?

Usually not. For salaried staff the annual amount is typically unchanged and each payment is slightly smaller, though employers handle it differently.