26 paychecks per year
Because there are 52 weeks in a typical year and employees are paid every two weeks, annual income is normally divided across 26 pay periods.
2026 BIWEEKLY PAYCHECK CALCULATOR
Calculate your biweekly paycheck.
Estimate your take-home pay every two weeks after federal taxes, Social Security, Medicare, state taxes, and deductions.
Biweekly paycheck calculator
Enter your annual income and payroll details.
Income
Your gross annual salary before taxes and deductions.
Biweekly
26 paychecks
Pre-tax deductions
Annual amount
Annual amount
Annual amount
Annual amount
Post-tax deductions
Annual amount
Annual amount
Annual amount
Annual amount
Estimated biweekly take-home pay
$0.00
Estimated after taxes and deductions.
$0
Take-home
Take-home
$0.00
Federal tax
$0.00
FICA
$0.00
State tax
$0.00
Deductions
$0.00
Gross biweekly pay
$0.00
Federal tax
$0.00
Social Security
$0.00
Medicare
$0.00
State tax
$0.00
Total taxes
$0.00
Take-home pay by period
Weekly
$0.00
Biweekly
$0.00
Semimonthly
$0.00
Monthly
$0.00
BIWEEKLY PAY
What is a biweekly paycheck?
A biweekly paycheck is paid every two weeks. Most employees on a biweekly schedule receive 26 paychecks during a calendar year.
Two three-paycheck months
Employees paid biweekly usually receive three paychecks in two months of the year. The exact months depend on the employer's payroll calendar.
Gross vs. take-home pay
Gross biweekly pay is your earnings before taxes and deductions. Take-home pay is what remains after estimated payroll taxes and deductions.
Taxes are estimated
Your actual paycheck can differ because withholding depends on your Form W-4, benefits, state rules, local taxes, and other payroll details.
HOW IT WORKS
How to calculate biweekly take-home pay
A simple starting point is to divide annual gross pay by 26. Taxes and deductions are then applied to estimate your actual biweekly paycheck.
1. Start with annual income
Enter your annual gross salary before taxes, retirement contributions, insurance, or other payroll deductions.
2. Divide by 26
For a standard biweekly schedule, annual gross pay is divided by 26 to estimate gross pay for each paycheck.
3. Estimate payroll taxes
Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, and applicable state taxes are estimated using the calculator's 2026 tax rules.
4. Subtract deductions
Pre-tax and post-tax deductions can change your final take-home amount.
EXAMPLES
Biweekly paycheck examples
These examples show gross biweekly pay before taxes and deductions.
| Annual salary | Biweekly gross pay |
|---|---|
| $50,000 | $1,923.08 |
| $60,000 | $2,307.69 |
| $75,000 | $2,884.62 |
| $80,000 | $3,076.92 |
| $100,000 | $3,846.15 |
PAY SCHEDULES
Biweekly vs. semimonthly pay
The two schedules are different even though both commonly result in two paychecks during most months.
Biweekly
Paid every two weeks. A standard schedule has 26 paychecks per year and two months with three paychecks.
Semimonthly
Paid twice each month. This results in 24 paychecks per year, usually on fixed calendar dates such as the 15th and last day of the month.
FAQ
Biweekly paycheck calculator FAQ
How many biweekly paychecks are there in a year?
A standard biweekly schedule has 26 paychecks per year because employees are paid every two weeks.
How is a biweekly paycheck calculated?
Annual gross income is divided by 26 to estimate gross biweekly pay. Estimated federal tax, Social Security, Medicare, state tax, and deductions are then subtracted.
How much is $75,000 a year paid biweekly?
A $75,000 annual salary equals approximately $2,884.62 in gross pay per biweekly paycheck before taxes and deductions.
Are biweekly and semimonthly pay the same?
No. Biweekly employees generally receive 26 paychecks per year, while semimonthly employees receive 24.
Why do some months have three biweekly paychecks?
There are 26 biweekly pay periods in a year. Since most months contain two paychecks, two months will normally contain a third paycheck depending on the employer's payroll calendar.
METHODOLOGY
About this calculator
PaycheckMint uses centralized 2026 tax rules and payroll calculation logic to estimate biweekly take-home pay.
The calculator estimates federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, applicable state tax, and user-entered payroll deductions. The estimate is intended for planning and educational purposes. Actual payroll withholding can differ based on Form W-4 elections, employer payroll systems, state and local taxes, year-to-date wages, benefits, credits, and other circumstances.
Important:
This calculator provides an estimate and is not tax, payroll, legal, or financial advice.
For official federal withholding information, refer to current IRS publications and your
employer's payroll documentation.