October brings us leaf peeping, pumpkin spice, and a Halloween that includes something extra—and we’re not talking about candy.
Let’s just say this spooky month comes with more treat than trick as far as your bank account is concerned. But it all depends on how frequently you are paid.
Each calendar year, there are roughly four months that include five Fridays. If you get paid every other Friday, or biweekly—which is most Americans—you could get an “extra” paycheck during one of those months, meaning you’d enjoy three paydays instead of two.
The good news: October is one of these three-paycheck months.
The bad news: This marks the last month in 2026 when workers can expect to receive an “extra” paycheck. Depending on your employer’s pay schedule, those months could have included either January and July or May and October.
It all depends on when you received your first paycheck of the year (see below).
How to determine if you’ll receive three paychecks this month
Here’s how to calculate whether you’ve got three paychecks coming in October, according to Alliant Credit Union:
- If you received your first paycheck of 2026 on Friday, January 2, your three-paycheck months were January and July.
- If you received your first paycheck of the year on Friday, January 9, you would have had a three-paycheck month in May and will have another one this October.
And finally, the best news of all: Those of us who are paid weekly will have received an extra check in January, May, and July, and can still look forward to an additional payday this month, too.
What are the three-paycheck months in 2027?
Looking ahead, 2027 brings even more good news, as there will be five months with five Fridays: January, April, July, October, and December, per The Hill.
So if you’re among those who cash a paycheck every other week but happen to miss out on that extra check this month, it won’t be long until your next “bonus check,” in January 2027, followed by two more three-paycheck months in July and December.
If you’re set to cash in this month, your next three-paycheck opportunities will arrive in April and October 2027.
