Pay Periods in a Year
| Paid | Pay periods in a normal year | Most in one financial year | Divide annual salary by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly | 52 | 53 | 52 |
| Fortnightly | 26 | 27 | 26 |
| Monthly | 12 | 12 | 12 |
The ATO's tax tables assume 52 weekly and 26 fortnightly pays; monthly pay is always 12.
To turn a salary into pay per period, divide by the number in the last column, or use the weekly, fortnightly or monthly pay calculator, which also take out tax.
How Many Weeks in a Year?
A year has 52 weeks and 1 day, or 52 weeks and 2 days in a leap year. The spare day means the weekday the year starts on happens 53 times.
| Calendar year | Days | Weeks | Weekday that occurs 53 times |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 365 | 52 weeks + 1 day | Thursday |
| 2027 | 365 | 52 weeks + 1 day | Friday |
| 2028 | 366 | 52 weeks + 2 days | Saturday and Sunday |
Fortnights and Weeks in the 2026-27 Financial Year
The 2026-27 financial year runs from Wednesday 1 July 2026 to Wednesday 30 June 2027: 365 days, which is 26 fortnights (or 52 weeks) and 1 day. What matters for pay is how many pay days fall inside those dates:
- Fortnightly: 27 pay days if one falls on Wednesday 1 July 2026 (the 27th is then Wednesday 30 June 2027). Every other fortnightly cycle gets 26.
- Weekly: 53 pay days if you’re paid on a Wednesday; 52 on any other day.
- Monthly: 12, always.
The table shows when the extra pay can happen over the next ten financial years. A year containing 29 February has two spare days, so two fortnightly start dates and two weekdays qualify.
| Financial year | Days | 53 weekly pays if paid on | 27 fortnightly pays if a pay day is on |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | 365 | Wednesday | Wednesday 1 July 2026 |
| 2027-28 | 366 | Thursday or Friday | Thursday 1 July 2027 or Friday 2 July 2027 |
| 2028-29 | 365 | Saturday | Saturday 1 July 2028 |
| 2029-30 | 365 | Sunday | Sunday 1 July 2029 |
| 2030-31 | 365 | Monday | Monday 1 July 2030 |
| 2031-32 | 366 | Tuesday or Wednesday | Tuesday 1 July 2031 or Wednesday 2 July 2031 |
| 2032-33 | 365 | Thursday | Thursday 1 July 2032 |
| 2033-34 | 365 | Friday | Friday 1 July 2033 |
| 2034-35 | 365 | Saturday | Saturday 1 July 2034 |
| 2035-36 | 366 | Sunday or Monday | Sunday 1 July 2035 or Monday 2 July 2035 |
Worked out from the calendar. A fortnightly cycle whose pay day falls on the listed date also has a pay day 26 fortnights later, on 30 June (or 29 June).
Tax When There Are 27 or 53 Pays
PAYG withholding tables are built for 26 fortnightly or 52 weekly pays. In an extra-pay year you can end up with slightly too little tax withheld, and a small bill when you lodge. The ATO says employers should tell staff when a year has an extra pay, and publishes an optional extra amount you can ask your employer to withhold from every pay:
Fortnightly (27 pays)
| Fortnightly earnings ($) | Additional withholding per fortnight ($) |
|---|---|
| $1,700 to $5,199 | $12 |
| $5,200 to $7,249 | $27 |
| $7,250 and over | $48 |
Weekly (53 pays)
| Weekly earnings ($) | Additional withholding per week ($) |
|---|---|
| $875 to $2,574 | $3 |
| $2,575 to $3,649 | $7 |
| $3,650 and over | $12 |
Source: ATO fortnightly and weekly tax tables, read 24 September 2026. Full tables: fortnightly tax table, weekly tax table.
Does a 27th Pay Mean More Money?
That depends on how your employer sets your pay, and your contract, award or agreement decides it. If your fortnightly amount stays the same, you get 27 pays in that financial year instead of 26: more cash in that year and a higher taxable income for it, which is why withholding can fall short. Some employers instead recalculate the fortnightly amount so an annual salary is spread over 27 pays, and the year’s total stays the same. If you’re not sure which applies, ask your payroll team before the year starts.
Budgeting tip: most years, two months have three fortnightly pays (five weekly pays for four months). The calculator above lists them for your pay day.
Related Calculators and Guides
- Fortnightly Pay Calculator: pay after tax each fortnight
- Weekly Pay Calculator
- Monthly Pay Calculator
- Fortnightly Tax Table 2026-27
- Tax Calendar 2026-27: key dates in the financial year
- Centrelink Payment Dates: the fortnightly payment cycle and Christmas changes
Frequently Asked Questions
Pay periods questions and answers
How many fortnights are in a year?
26. A fortnight is 14 days, so 26 fortnights cover 364 days, one day short of a 365-day year (two short in a leap year). That is why most people paid fortnightly get 26 pays a year, and occasionally 27.
How many weeks are in a year?
52 weeks and 1 day (365 days), or 52 weeks and 2 days in a leap year. The extra day means one weekday occurs 53 times: in 2026 that is Thursday, because the year starts on a Thursday.
How many fortnights are in the 2026-27 financial year?
26 fortnights and 1 day (1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 is 365 days). If your fortnightly pay day falls on Wednesday 1 July 2026, you get 27 pay days in 2026-27, because the 27th falls on Wednesday 30 June 2027. Any other fortnightly cycle has 26.
Is 2026-27 a 53-week year for payroll?
For anyone paid weekly on a Wednesday. 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027 are both Wednesdays, so a Wednesday pay day occurs 53 times in the 2026-27 financial year. Weekly pays on any other day give 52.
What happens to tax when there are 27 pays?
The ATO's tax tables assume 26 fortnightly pays, so a 27th pay can leave you under-withheld. The ATO lets you ask your employer to withhold a little more from each pay: $12 a fortnight on earnings of $1,700 to $5,199, $27 on $5,200 to $7,249, and $48 from $7,250. It's optional.
Do I get paid more in a 27-pay year?
It depends on how your employer sets your pay. If you keep getting the same amount each fortnight, you receive 27 pays in that financial year instead of 26, so more lands in that year (and your taxable income for it is higher). Some employers instead adjust the fortnightly amount so the annual salary is spread over 27 pays. Your contract, award or agreement decides which.
How many pay periods are there with monthly pay?
Always 12. Monthly pay never has an extra pay period, which is why the extra-pay problem only affects weekly (53) and fortnightly (27) pay.
Which months have three fortnightly pays?
Two months in most years, because 26 pays spread over 12 months leaves two over. Which two depends on your pay cycle. Use the pay date calculator on this page to see them for your pay day.
How we worked this out▼
Pay days are generated from the date you enter by stepping 7 or 14 days (or one calendar month, clamped to the last day of short months) and counted if they fall between 1 July and 30 June. A year has an extra pay when the count is above 52 (weekly) or 26 (fortnightly), which is the test the ATO uses. The extra-withholding amounts are the ATO’s published look-up values, not a formula.
We don’t move pay days for weekends or public holidays, because employers handle that differently. General information, not advice.
Sources & References
- 1Fortnightly tax table: When there are 27 pays in a financial year— Australian Taxation Office
- 2Weekly tax table: When there are 53 pays in a financial year— Australian Taxation Office
Last verified: 24 September 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Anita Bell
AuthorFounder & Senior Bookkeeper
Accountancy degree (2015); certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One
Anita Bell earned her accountancy degree in 2015 and has worked as a senior bookkeeper with Prime Bookkeeping for over 5 years. This built her skills in Australian and New Zealand tax legislation and industry regulations. She is certified in Xero, QuickBooks Online, MYOB, Saasu, Zoho and Reckon One, and works with payroll and rostering software including Gusto, Deputy, Tsheets and KeyPay. She has strong experience in hospitality, building and construction, financial services, real estate, ecommerce, and medical and health services.
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