(NEXSTAR) — On paper, August is another long month, offering more opportunities to soak up the summer sun before fall starts making its appearance. Some people might even receive an extra paycheck this month to facilitate some late-summer enjoyment.
For the last time this year, certain employees who are paid either bi-weekly or weekly will find an extra paycheck in their accounts this August. However, receiving bi-weekly pay doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be part of this fortunate group.
Here’s what to know.
Who will get an “extra” paycheck in August?
The simplest way to determine if you will receive three (or five, if paid weekly) paychecks this August is to check the date of your most recent paycheck.
If you’re paid every other week and did not receive a check on Friday, you will receive three paychecks next month. For those paid on Fridays, your paydays will fall on August 1, 15, and 29.
Because August 1 falls on Friday, those paid on Thursdays will not, technically, get an extra paycheck next month. Your next triple-payday month will come in 2026.
Meanwhile, those who were just paid on July 24 or 25 will have to wait a bit longer for a three-payday month (more on that in a moment).
If you are paid every Thursday or Friday, you need not check your last pay stub — you’ll get five paychecks in August.
When is my next three-payday month?
If you get paid three times in August, you’ll have to wait until 2026 for the next bonus paycheck month. More specifically, your next triple-payday month will be January. The same is true for those paid on Thursdays.
Those who receive just two paychecks in August will see another three-check month in October. After that, you’ll need to wait until May for a “bonus” paycheck.
Why are there triple-payday months?
Thank the 52-week calendars we use. Because 52 doesn’t evenly spread out across the 12 months of the year, some months have more than four seven-day weeks — like August and October this year.
This means that, in order for you to receive your 26 bi-weekly paychecks, you will receive three paychecks in two months of the year.
This also means the paychecks aren’t really “extra,” and financial experts warn against viewing them as such. Instead, they should be treated as just another part of your income you receive annually.
If you’re on track with your budget, experts say you can use that third paycheck for other financial goals, like paying down debt or contributing to an emergency fund. If you’re off track, you can use the funds to catch up, they suggest.
