Why some people will get an extra paycheck in October

October brings us leaf peeping, pumpkin spice, and a Halloween that includes something extra—and we’re not talking about candy. Let’s just say this spooky month comes with more treat than trick as far as your bank account is concerned. But it all depends on how frequently you are paid. Each calendar year, there are roughly four months that include five Fridays. If you get paid every other Friday, or biweekly—which is most Americans—you could get an “extra” paycheck during one of those months, meaning you’d enjoy three paydays instead of two. The good news: October is one of these three-paycheck months. The bad news: This marks the last month in 2026 when workers can expect to receive an “extra” paycheck. Depending on your employer’s pay schedule, those months could have included either January and July or May and October. It all depends on when you received your first paycheck of the year (see below). How to determine if you’ll receive three paychecks this month Here’s how to calculate whether you’ve got three paychecks coming in October, according to Alliant Credit Union: If you received your first paycheck of 2026 on Friday, January 2, your three-paycheck months were January and…