Why you may get 3 paychecks in October, and how it could impact your 2027

(NEXSTAR) – The start of October may feel pretty unremarkable for you, but depending on when you get paid, it may be an extra special month.

Generally speaking, four months out of the year have five Fridays. If you are paid every other week, that means two months in which you get an “extra” paycheck (if you’re paid weekly, you get an extra paycheck in all four months).

We have already seen three three-payday months in 2026: April, May, and July .

That means October will be the final triple paycheck month until 2027, which will prove to be an interesting year for some.

Will you get 3 (or 5) paychecks in October?

If you got an “extra” paycheck in July, no. If you did in May, yes.

Can’t remember? Take a look at when you were last paid. If you were just paid on Friday, Sept. 25, you will not see an additional paycheck in October. If you haven’t been paid since Sept. 18, you will get that third or fifth payday.

Those who are paid biweekly and receiving only two checks in October have to wait until January for their next triple-payday month, but it may be worth it.

The typical year has four months with an extra Friday because 52 weeks can’t be evenly spread across the 12 months of a year.

Because January 1 falls on a Friday, there will be five months with five Fridays: January, April, July, October, and December.

If you are paid every other week and receive only two paychecks in October 2026, you can expect three paychecks in January, July, and December. If you get three paychecks next month, April and October will be your triple-payday months in 2027.

Regardless of when your paychecks arrive, it’s important to note that it isn’t like you won the lottery . You’re still earning the wage that you should expect to earn.

Financial experts even encourage treating the additional paycheck as a normal paycheck. If your budget is balanced for the month, they recommend putting the additional funds toward paying down a debt, setting aside for another month, or tucking it away in your savings.