Biweekly and semimonthly sound similar, but they split your salary differently. Biweekly means you are paid every two weeks — 26 paychecks a year. Semimonthly means you are paid twice a month — 24 paychecks a year. Your annual salary is the same either way; only the size and timing of each check change.
Side by side: $60,000 a year
| Biweekly | Semimonthly | |
|---|---|---|
| Paychecks per year | 26 | 24 |
| Pay period | Every 2 weeks, same weekday | Twice a month, fixed dates |
| Gross pay per paycheck | $2,307.69 | $2,500.00 |
| Federal tax per paycheck | $193.08 | $209.17 |
| Take-home per paycheck* | $1,938.08 | $2,099.58 |
| Months with an extra paycheck | 2 per year | Never |
| Gross pay per month | $5,000.00 | $5,000.00 |
*Single filer, Texas (no state income tax), no pre-tax deductions. Annual totals are identical: $60,000 gross, $5,020 federal tax, $3,720 Social Security, $870 Medicare, $50,390 take-home.
The worked example
Take a $60,000 salary, single, in Texas. The annual tax is the same on both schedules: $5,020 federal income tax (taxable income $60,000 − $16,100 standard deduction = $43,900, taxed at 10% and 12%), $3,720 Social Security and $870 Medicare — $50,390 take-home for the year.
The only difference is division. Biweekly divides the year into 26: $2,307.69 gross and $1,938.08 take-home per check. Semimonthly divides it into 24: $2,500.00 gross and $2,099.58 take-home per check — $161.50 more take-home per check, but two fewer checks a year.
Which is better for budgeting?
Biweekly is better for extra savings. Twice a year you get a month with three paychecks instead of two. If your budget is built on two paychecks a month, that third check is entirely extra — many people put it straight toward debt or savings.
Semimonthly is better for steady budgeting. You always get exactly two checks a month, on fixed dates (for example the 15th and the last day). Rent, bills and direct debits line up neatly, and there is never a "short" month.
There is no tax advantage either way, and your employer chooses the schedule, not you. What matters is knowing which one you are on: if you switch jobs from semimonthly to biweekly, your per-paycheck amount drops even though your salary is the same — plan for it before the first smaller check arrives.
Frequently asked questions
Neither pays more — your annual salary and annual tax are identical. Biweekly gives you two months a year with three paychecks, which is handy for extra savings or debt payments. Semimonthly gives you the same two paychecks every month, which is easier to budget around.
Biweekly is 26 paychecks a year (every two weeks). Semimonthly is 24 paychecks a year (twice a month, usually the 1st and 15th, or the 15th and the last day of the month).
No. Your annual tax is the same either way. What changes is the withholding per paycheck, because the same annual tax is divided by 26 paychecks instead of 24.
On a biweekly schedule, two months a year have three paydays instead of two, because 26 paydays do not divide evenly into 12 months. On semimonthly pay this never happens.