What's a three-pay month, and is 2026-27 a 27-pay year for me?
If you're paid fortnightly, you get 26 pays in most years, so two months a year get three pays instead of two. In 2026-27, a fortnightly payday that started on Wednesday 1 July 2026 gets 27 pays, because 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027 are both Wednesdays. The ATO tax tables assume 26 pays, so the ATO lets you ask your employer to withhold a little extra in a 27-pay year.
The short version
- Because Ben's month runs on two pays, his July and December third pays, $4,000 in all, are free to put towards a goal.
- Mai's three third pays, on 29 July 2026, 30 December 2026 and 30 June 2027, add up to $6,000 she can plan for now.
- If a payday lands on a public holiday, your employer may pay a day early or late, and that can move a pay into a different month. Your payslip dates are the ones that count.
You open your banking app and there's a third pay this month. It feels like a windfall, and then by the end of the month it's gone and you're not sure where.
Three-pay months are completely predictable once you know your cycle. So is the rarer 27-pay year. Here's how both work, which paydays get them in 2026-27, and what to do with the extra.
Why some months get three pays
A year has 26 fortnights. Twelve months of two pays only uses 24 of them, so the other two pays have to land somewhere. They land in months where your first payday falls very early.
- In a 31 day month, you get three pays if your first payday is on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd.
- In a 30 day month, it's the 1st or 2nd.
- February never gets three pays, except in a leap year when payday falls on 1 February.
Most fortnightly cycles get two three-pay months a year. Which two depends on which week you're paid.
Find your three-pay months in 2026-27
Find your first weekday payday in July 2026, then read across to see your three-pay months.
- Wednesday 1 July: July 2026, December 2026 and June 2027 (27 pays)
- Thursday 2 July: July 2026 and December 2026
- Friday 3 July: July 2026 and January 2027
- Monday 6 July: August 2026 and March 2027
- Tuesday 7 July: September 2026 and March 2027
- Wednesday 8 July: September 2026 and March 2027
- Thursday 9 July: October 2026 and April 2027
- Friday 10 July: October 2026 and April 2027
- Monday 13 July: November 2026 and May 2027
- Tuesday 14 July: December 2026 and June 2027
Is the third pay extra money?
Over a year, no. It's part of your normal yearly pay. What it does depends on how you budget.
- If you set aside bills with the x 12 ÷ 26 rule, the third pay is already spoken for. It tops up the bills account after the months where two pays came up a little short. Spend it and the account falls behind.
- If you plan every month around two pays, the third pay really is free to point at a goal, because your monthly costs were already covered by the other two.
Both ways work. The trap is mixing them: using x 12 ÷ 26 for bills and then treating the third pay as spare.
Worked example
Ben's two spare pays
Example only. Ben, a warehouse supervisor in Penrith, takes home $2,000 every second Thursday, starting 2 July 2026. He plans every month around two pays.
| Step | Sum | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Pays in 2026-27 | 26 x $2,000 | $52,000 |
| What his two-pays-a-month plan uses | 12 months x 2 pays x $2,000 | $48,000 |
| Third pays on 30 July and 31 December 2026 | 2 x $2,000 | $4,000 |
| Check | $52,000 minus $48,000 | $4,000 |
Because Ben's month runs on two pays, his July and December third pays, $4,000 in all, are free to put towards a goal.
Example only, assuming each pay stays at $2,000.
Good homes for a third pay: a sinking fund for rego or insurance, the bills buffer, an emergency fund, extra off a debt, or Christmas. Pick one before it lands, or it tends to disappear into the month.
What's a 27-pay year?
A year is 52 weeks and one day (two days in a leap year). That spare day slowly pushes paydays earlier in the year, and every so often a fortnightly cycle fits a 27th pay inside one financial year.
In 2026-27 the spare day is a Wednesday. 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027 are both Wednesdays, so:
- A fortnightly payday that started on Wednesday 1 July 2026 gets 27 pays, the last on Wednesday 30 June 2027.
- A weekly Wednesday payday gets 53 pays instead of 52.
- Every other fortnightly cycle gets the usual 26.
Worked example
Mai's 27-pay year
Example only. Mai, an office manager in Hobart, takes home $2,000 every second Wednesday, starting 1 July 2026. She also plans every month around two pays.
| Step | Sum | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Pays in 2026-27 | 27 x $2,000 | $54,000 |
| What her two-pays-a-month plan uses | 12 months x 2 pays x $2,000 | $48,000 |
| Third pays in July, December and June | 3 x $2,000 | $6,000 |
Mai's three third pays, on 29 July 2026, 30 December 2026 and 30 June 2027, add up to $6,000 she can plan for now.
Example only, assuming each pay stays at $2,000. On a salary, check with payroll how a 27th pay is handled.
It moves around. In 2027-28, which includes 29 February 2028, the fortnightly cycles starting Thursday 1 July 2027 and Friday 2 July 2027 are the ones that get 27 pays.
The tax side of a 27-pay year
Employers use ATO tax tables to work out how much tax to take out of each pay. The fortnightly table that applies from 1 July 2026 says a financial year sometimes has 27 pays instead of 26, and because the table is built for 26 pays, the extra pay may mean not enough tax is withheld over the year. The ATO also tells employers to let their staff know when there are 27 pays.
If you're worried about a shortfall, you can ask your employer to withhold an extra amount from each fortnightly pay. The ATO table lists these amounts:
- Fortnightly earnings of $1,700 to $5,199: an extra $12 a fortnight
- Fortnightly earnings of $5,200 to $7,249: an extra $27 a fortnight
- Fortnightly earnings of $7,250 and over: an extra $48 a fortnight
For weekly pay, the weekly table says a year sometimes has 53 pays instead of 52, with extra amounts of $3 a week (weekly earnings of $875 to $2,574), $7 ($2,575 to $3,649) or $12 ($3,650 or more).
Whether you ask for it is up to you. Your tax return works out the actual tax on your actual income for the year, so this is only about how much is held back along the way. If you're unsure, check with the ATO or a registered tax agent.
Couples on different cycles
If you and your partner are paid on different weeks, your three-pay months land in different months. Ben and Kayla are both paid on Thursdays, a week apart. Ben's three-pay months in 2026-27 are July and December. Kayla's are October and April.
That's four months of the year where one of you has a third pay. Agree now where each one goes, and who tops up the joint bills account in the months it's running low. Our article on two different paydays goes through the maths.
Key numbers
| What | Figure and source |
|---|---|
| Fortnightly tax table applies from 1 July 2026 | Payments made from 1 July 2026 ATO |
| Some financial years have 27 fortnightly pays | 27 instead of 26 ATO |
| The extra pay may lead to under-withholding | Insufficient amounts withheld ATO |
| Employers should tell payees about 27-pay years | Let payees know ATO |
| Extra fortnightly withholding amounts on request | $12 ($1,700 to $5,199), $27 ($5,200 to $7,249), $48 ($7,250 and over) ATO |
| Some financial years have 53 weekly pays, with extra weekly withholding on request | $3 ($875 to $2,574), $7 ($2,575 to $3,649), $12 ($3,650 or more) ATO |
Free official help
- ATO fortnightly tax table
The 2026-27 table, including the note and extra amounts for 27-pay years. - ATO weekly tax table
The 2026-27 weekly table, including the note on 53-pay years. - Moneysmart savings goals calculator
Work out how long a goal takes, handy for planning where a third pay goes. - Moneysmart budget planner
Free planner that lets you set each item weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly or yearly.
Questions people ask
Does a 27-pay year mean I earn more?
Not on its own. If you're paid by the hour, you're paid for the hours you work. On a salary, how the 27th pay fits is set by your employer and agreement, so ask payroll.
Will I get a tax bill in a 27-pay year?
Not necessarily. The ATO notes the extra pay may mean not enough tax is withheld, because the tables assume 26 pays. Your tax return works out what you actually owe on your actual income.
Should I ask for extra tax to be withheld?
It's your choice. The ATO fortnightly table lists extra amounts of $12, $27 or $48 a fortnight depending on your earnings. If you're unsure, check with the ATO or a registered tax agent.
Why does my partner get a third pay in a different month?
Because you're paid in different weeks. Two cycles a week apart get their three-pay months at different times of the year.
Is next year a 27-pay year for me?
In 2027-28, the fortnightly cycles starting Thursday 1 July 2027 and Friday 2 July 2027 get 27 pays. Check your first July payday.
Get the free pay check sheet
Type in one fortnight's pay and bills and see where it all goes. Works in Excel and Google Sheets.
Keep reading
- How do I pay monthly bills when I'm paid fortnightly?
6 min read
- We get paid on different days. How do we run one budget?
6 min read
- How do I save for rego, car insurance and other big yearly bills?
7 min read
- How much should I budget for Christmas, and how do I get through the January pay gap?
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- All budgeting and pay day guides
Sources
- ATO: Tax table for fortnightly payments. https://www.ato.gov.au/tax-rates-and-codes/tax-table-fortnightly, accessed 2026-10-16.
- ATO: Tax table for weekly payments. https://www.ato.gov.au/tax-rates-and-codes/tax-table-weekly, accessed 2026-10-16.
- Moneysmart: Savings goals calculator. https://moneysmart.gov.au/saving/savings-goals-calculator, accessed 2026-10-16.
- Moneysmart: Budget planner. https://moneysmart.gov.au/budgeting/budget-planner, accessed 2026-10-16.