Active duty members are paid on the 1st and 15th of each month. When either falls on a weekend or federal holiday, pay comes the business day before. In 2027 that happens 7 times, and the January 1, 2027 payday lands on Thu, Dec 31, 2026; the January 1, 2028 payday lands on Thu, Dec 30, 2027. Retired pay and VA compensation follow different rules, listed below.
Active duty pay dates, 2027
Mid-month pay covers the 1st through the 15th; end-of-month pay covers the rest of the month. Members who elected end-of-month-only pay receive one payment, on the end-of-month date. Dates in gold come early.
| Money arrives | Payday | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Thu, Dec 31, 2026 | End of month (January 1) | Early: January 1 is New Year's Day |
| Fri, Jan 15, 2027 | Mid-month (January 15) | |
| Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | End of month (February 1) | |
| Fri, Feb 12, 2027 | Mid-month (February 15) | Early: February 15 is Washington's Birthday |
| Mon, Mar 1, 2027 | End of month (March 1) | |
| Mon, Mar 15, 2027 | Mid-month (March 15) | |
| Thu, Apr 1, 2027 | End of month (April 1) | |
| Thu, Apr 15, 2027 | Mid-month (April 15) | |
| Fri, Apr 30, 2027 | End of month (May 1) | Early: May 1 is a Saturday |
| Fri, May 14, 2027 | Mid-month (May 15) | Early: May 15 is a Saturday |
| Tue, Jun 1, 2027 | End of month (June 1) | |
| Tue, Jun 15, 2027 | Mid-month (June 15) | |
| Thu, Jul 1, 2027 | End of month (July 1) | |
| Thu, Jul 15, 2027 | Mid-month (July 15) | |
| Fri, Jul 30, 2027 | End of month (August 1) | Early: August 1 is a Sunday |
| Fri, Aug 13, 2027 | Mid-month (August 15) | Early: August 15 is a Sunday |
| Wed, Sep 1, 2027 | End of month (September 1) | |
| Wed, Sep 15, 2027 | Mid-month (September 15) | |
| Fri, Oct 1, 2027 | End of month (October 1) | |
| Fri, Oct 15, 2027 | Mid-month (October 15) | |
| Mon, Nov 1, 2027 | End of month (November 1) | |
| Mon, Nov 15, 2027 | Mid-month (November 15) | |
| Wed, Dec 1, 2027 | End of month (December 1) | |
| Wed, Dec 15, 2027 | Mid-month (December 15) | |
| Thu, Dec 30, 2027 | End of month (January 1, 2028) | Early: January 1 is a Saturday |
Guard and Reserve drill pay is not on this schedule. It is paid after the drill is processed, usually within a few weeks, and active-duty orders follow the dates above.
Retired pay and VA disability pay dates, 2027
Military retired pay and SBP annuities are paid on the first business day of the month, for the month before. VA compensation is also paid on the 1st, for the month before, but moves to the previous business day when the 1st is a weekend or holiday. So in some months VA pay arrives before retired pay.
| Month paid | Retired pay (DFAS) | VA compensation |
|---|---|---|
| January | Mon, Jan 4, 2027 | Thu, Dec 31, 2026 |
| February | Mon, Feb 1, 2027 | Mon, Feb 1, 2027 |
| March | Mon, Mar 1, 2027 | Mon, Mar 1, 2027 |
| April | Thu, Apr 1, 2027 | Thu, Apr 1, 2027 |
| May | Mon, May 3, 2027 | Fri, Apr 30, 2027 |
| June | Tue, Jun 1, 2027 | Tue, Jun 1, 2027 |
| July | Thu, Jul 1, 2027 | Thu, Jul 1, 2027 |
| August | Mon, Aug 2, 2027 | Fri, Jul 30, 2027 |
| September | Wed, Sep 1, 2027 | Wed, Sep 1, 2027 |
| October | Fri, Oct 1, 2027 | Fri, Oct 1, 2027 |
| November | Mon, Nov 1, 2027 | Mon, Nov 1, 2027 |
| December | Wed, Dec 1, 2027 | Wed, Dec 1, 2027 |
2027 federal holidays
| Holiday | Observed |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Fri, Jan 1, 2027 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Mon, Jan 18, 2027 |
| Washington's Birthday | Mon, Feb 15, 2027 |
| Memorial Day | Mon, May 31, 2027 |
| Juneteenth | Fri, Jun 18, 2027 |
| Independence Day | Mon, Jul 5, 2027 |
| Labor Day | Mon, Sep 6, 2027 |
| Columbus Day | Mon, Oct 11, 2027 |
| Veterans Day | Thu, Nov 11, 2027 |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thu, Nov 25, 2027 |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 24, 2027 |
When a holiday falls on a Saturday, it is observed the Friday before; on a Sunday, the Monday after (5 U.S.C. 6103).
Plan around your pay
Check each payday's numbers on your Leave and Earnings Statement, and see what a full year of pay and allowances adds up to with the compensation calculator. For the 2027 raise, see the 2027 pay chart.
Frequently asked questions
When is military payday in 2027?
Active duty members are paid on the 1st and 15th of every month. If that date is a weekend or federal holiday, pay arrives the business day before. 7 of the 25 paydays covering 2027 come early.
What happens when payday falls on a weekend?
Active duty pay and VA compensation move to the business day before. Military retired pay moves to the first business day of the month, which can be the Monday after.
When do military retirees get paid?
On the first business day of each month, for the previous month. SBP annuities follow the same schedule.
Why did my pay arrive a day earlier than the date shown?
Some banks and credit unions release direct deposits as soon as they receive the payment file, often one or two days before the official date. The dates here are when DFAS and VA make the payment.
Check it against the official source
- DFAS: Military pay dates
- DFAS: Retiree and annuitant pay dates
- VA: Disability compensation payment dates
- OPM: Federal holidays
This is an estimate for planning. For a binding answer, talk to your finance office or a free Personal Financial Counselor at your installation (find yours).