Fortnight Calculator
Fortnightly Date Calculator
What Is a Fortnight?
A fortnight is a period of 14 days (two weeks). The term is widely used in Australia, the UK, and New Zealand but is uncommon in the United States. The word comes from the Old English "fēowertyne niht" meaning "fourteen nights."
Fortnightly Pay Cycles in Australia
Fortnightly pay is the most common pay cycle in Australia. Most employers pay their staff every two weeks, typically on a Thursday or Friday. The Fair Work Act 2009 requires employers to pay employees at least monthly, though fortnightly is standard practice.
Common Fortnightly Cycles
| Type | Period | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fortnightly Salary | 14 days | Most common employee pay cycle in Australia |
| Centrelink Payments | 14 days | JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, Age Pension, Carer Payment |
| Centrelink Reporting | 14 days | Mutual obligation reporting periods |
| Fortnightly Bills | 14 days | Some energy and phone providers offer fortnightly billing |
| Mortgage Repayments | 14 days | Fortnightly repayments can save thousands over the loan term |
Fortnights Per Year
There are approximately 26.07 fortnights in a year (365 days ÷ 14 = 26.07). Most payroll systems process 26 fortnightly pay runs per year. In some years, there may be 27 pay periods depending on the start date.
Fortnightly Mortgage Trick
Paying your mortgage fortnightly instead of monthly can save you years of repayments. Here's why: 26 fortnightly payments equals 13 monthly payments per year (not 12), so you make one extra monthly payment each year without noticing. On a $500,000 loan at 6% over 30 years, this can save over $100,000 in interest and cut your loan term by about 5 years.
Need to Calculate Exact Days?
Use our date calculator for custom date arithmetic.
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