Calculate your take-home pay every 2 weeks with 26 pay periods
401(k), insurance, HSA, etc.
Biweekly Net Pay (Take-Home)
$0.00
$0.00 per year
Gross Pay
$0.00
Total Deductions
$0.00
Federal Tax
$0.00
State Tax
$0.00
FICA
$0.00
Effective Rate
0%
Biweekly pay is a payroll schedule where employees receive their paychecks every two weeks, resulting in 26 pay periods per year. This is one of the most common pay frequencies in the United States, used by approximately 43% of employers. Under this system, most months include two paychecks, but twice each year—typically in months with 5 weeks—employees receive three paychecks.
The biweekly pay schedule is popular because it provides a consistent, predictable income stream while keeping payroll processing manageable for employers. For employees, it means a steady rhythm of income every other Friday (or whatever day the company designates). Understanding your biweekly pay is essential for budgeting, bill payment planning, and financial goal setting.
Calculating your biweekly pay depends on whether you're converting from an annual salary or calculating from an hourly rate:
Simply divide your annual salary by 26. For example, if you earn $60,000 per year, your biweekly gross pay is $60,000 ÷ 26 = $2,307.69.
Multiply your hourly rate by hours worked per week, then multiply by 2 weeks. For example, $25/hour × 40 hours × 2 weeks = $2,000 biweekly gross pay.
Subtract federal tax, state tax, Social Security (6.2%), Medicare (1.45%), and other deductions from gross pay to get net pay.
Biweekly Gross Pay = Annual Salary ÷ 26
Biweekly Gross Pay = Hourly Rate × Hours/Week × 2
Net Pay = Gross Pay − Federal Tax − State Tax − FICA − Other Deductions
FICA = (Gross Pay × 6.2%) + (Gross Pay × 1.45%)
| Annual Salary | $60,000.00 |
| Biweekly Gross Pay | $2,307.69 |
| Federal Tax (12%) | −$276.92 |
| State Tax (5%) | −$115.38 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$143.08 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | −$33.46 |
| Other Deductions | −$200.00 |
| Biweekly Net Pay | $1,538.85 |
The biweekly pay schedule results in 26 paychecks per year. However, since there are only 12 months, this means 10 months have 2 paychecks and 2 months have 3 paychecks. These "3-paycheck months" feel like getting a bonus check because your normal monthly budget is based on 2 checks.
Smart financial planning means budgeting based on 2 paychecks per month and treating the extra 2 paychecks as windfalls. Use these bonus checks to build your emergency fund, pay down debt, increase retirement contributions, or save for large purchases.
Understanding the difference between gross and net pay is crucial for accurate budgeting:
Budgeting with biweekly income requires a slightly different approach than monthly salary budgeting. Here are effective strategies: