How this calculator works
Biweekly payroll repeats every 14 days. Enter the first scheduled payday of the calendar year to generate the rest. The month table counts deposits rather than assuming two cheques per month. Conversions use a 52-week year and 26 biweekly periods. The calendar holds that cheque amount constant; the separate fixed-annual-salary figure shows the amount if payroll divides the annual total across all scheduled paydays. Amounts are CAD gross.
Formula
Biweekly cheque = hourly wage x weekly paid hours x 2 = annual equivalent / 26. Scheduled payday n = first payday + 14n days. Deposits in year = cheque x actual payday count. Semi-monthly equivalent = annual equivalent / 24. Weekly paid days = annual salary / (52 x daily rate).
Worked example
$30 an hour for 40 hours a week gives $2,400 every two weeks. With the first payday on January 2, 2026, January has payments on the 2nd, 16th and 30th, totalling $7,200. A $2,000 cheque beginning January 1, 2027 has 27 scheduled payments and $54,000 of calendar-year deposits.
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Frequently asked questions
Is biweekly the same as semi-monthly?
Biweekly means every two weeks. Semi-monthly means twice in each calendar month. Their usual annual counts are 26 and 24, so equal annual salaries produce different cheque amounts.
Which months have three paycheques?
That depends on the first payday and year. Read the monthly table for your schedule; the same months will not necessarily have three payments next year.
What happens in a 27-payment year?
The fixed-cheque calendar includes all 27 deposits. An employer preserving a fixed annual salary may instead reduce each cheque to annual salary divided by 27. The tool displays both assumptions.
Does the calendar change bank holidays?
No. It lists the underlying 14-day schedule. Payroll may move a deposit across a month or year boundary, so use employer dates for final cash planning.