Active-duty service members are paid twice a month, on the 1st and the 15th. When one of those dates falls on a weekend or a federal holiday, pay arrives on the last working day before it. Here is every 2027 payday.
The 2027 payday calendar
| Pay for | Arrives |
|---|---|
| January 1 | Thursday, December 31, 2026 |
| January 15 | Friday, January 15 |
| February 1 | Monday, February 1 |
| February 15 | Friday, February 12 |
| March 1 | Monday, March 1 |
| March 15 | Monday, March 15 |
| April 1 | Thursday, April 1 |
| April 15 | Thursday, April 15 |
| May 1 | Friday, April 30 |
| May 15 | Friday, May 14 |
| June 1 | Tuesday, June 1 |
| June 15 | Tuesday, June 15 |
| July 1 | Thursday, July 1 |
| July 15 | Thursday, July 15 |
| August 1 | Friday, July 30 |
| August 15 | Friday, August 13 |
| September 1 | Wednesday, September 1 |
| September 15 | Wednesday, September 15 |
| October 1 | Friday, October 1 |
| October 15 | Friday, October 15 |
| November 1 | Monday, November 1 |
| November 15 | Monday, November 15 |
| December 1 | Wednesday, December 1 |
| December 15 | Wednesday, December 15 |
Six paydays move earlier in 2027: January 1 because of New Year’s Day, and February 15, May 1, May 15 and August 1 and 15 because they fall on weekends. The first payday of 2028 will arrive on Thursday, December 30, 2027, because New Year’s Day 2028 falls on a Saturday and the holiday is observed on Friday.
When the 2027 raise shows up
The 2027 basic pay raise takes effect January 1, 2027. But the paycheck that arrives on December 31, 2026 is pay for the second half of December. It is earned in 2026, so it is paid at 2026 rates. The first paycheck at the new rate is the one on January 15, 2027.
New BAH rates also start January 1, so they too first appear in the mid-January paycheck.
Why some months feel short
Early paydays shift money between months. The pay that arrives on April 30 covers the first half of May, so if you budget by calendar month, April shows three paychecks and May only one. Likewise July 30 belongs to August. Plan bills around the pay date itself, not the month it lands in.
Mid-month and end-of-month split
Most members receive roughly half their monthly pay on each payday. Some choose to receive all of it on the 1st, with nothing on the 15th, through their finance office. Allotments, such as savings or loan payments, come out before your pay is deposited.
Guard and Reserve
Drill pay does not follow the 1st and 15th schedule. It is usually paid within a few days to two weeks after each drill weekend, once your unit processes attendance. Reservists on active duty orders for more than 30 days follow the normal active-duty schedule.
Veterans and retirees
VA disability compensation is paid on the first business day of each month, for the month before. Military retired pay is also paid on the first business day of the month. Neither is paid on the 15th.
Common questions
Is pay ever delayed by a government shutdown? It can be, if no funding is in place on a payday. In past shutdowns, pay was eventually restored in full, and some banks offered interest-free advances in the meantime.
Does early pay mean I lose money? No. You receive exactly the same amount, just a day or a few days sooner.
Some banks pay a day early. Why? Many military-focused banks and credit unions release direct deposits a day or two early, as soon as they receive the payment file. That is the bank’s choice, not a change in the official date.
Use the total pay calculator to see how much each payday should be, before deductions.