🇺🇸 Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) • 10 U.S.C.
DFAS Military Retiree & Annuitant Pay Schedule
Direct deposit schedule for retired Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Space Force personnel, and Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) annuitants.
Official Data Verification: August 2026
Audited against Federal Reserve Holiday Calendar
Primary Authority: Social Security Administration (SSA)
Regulatory Basis: POMS GN 02401.000 & 20 CFR § 404.1807
Transparency & Trust:Our Methodology•Official Data Sources•Editorial & Accuracy Policy•Report Correction
2026 DFAS Military Pay Dates
Paid on the first business day of each month for the preceding month's service entitlement.
| Entitlement Month | Scheduled Direct Deposit | Payment Type | DFAS Holiday/Weekend Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 Pay | Wednesday, Dec 31, 2025 | Early Advance | Jan 1, 2026 is New Year's Day |
| Jan 2026 Pay | Friday, Jan 30, 2026 | Early Advance | Feb 1 is Sunday |
| Feb 2026 Pay | Friday, Feb 27, 2026 | Early Advance | Mar 1 is Sunday |
| Mar 2026 Pay | Wednesday, Apr 1, 2026 | Standard | 1st Business Day |
| Apr 2026 Pay | Friday, May 1, 2026 | Standard | 1st Business Day |
| May 2026 Pay | Monday, Jun 1, 2026 | Standard | 1st Business Day |
| Jun 2026 Pay | Wednesday, Jul 1, 2026 | Standard | 1st Business Day |
| Jul 2026 Pay | Friday, Jul 31, 2026 | Early Advance | Aug 1 is Saturday |
| Aug 2026 Pay | Tuesday, Sep 1, 2026 | Standard | 1st Business Day |
| Sep 2026 Pay | Thursday, Oct 1, 2026 | Standard | 1st Business Day |
| Oct 2026 Pay | Friday, Oct 30, 2026 | Early Advance | Nov 1 is Sunday |
| Nov 2026 Pay | Tuesday, Dec 1, 2026 | Standard | 1st Business Day |
| Dec 2026 Pay | Thursday, Dec 31, 2026 | Early Advance | Jan 1, 2027 is New Year's Day |
Official Primary Data Sources
Verified against federal statutes, agency publication manuals, and Federal Reserve rules.
Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments (SSA Pub 05-10031)
Social Security Administration
Official annual disbursement schedule detailing 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Wednesday delivery dates.
Title 20 Code of Federal Regulations § 404.1807
U.S. Government Publishing Office
Federal statutory regulation governing staggered Wednesday payments based on beneficiary birth dates.
Federal Reserve Board Financial Services Operating Holidays
Federal Reserve System
Standard banking holidays (Title 5 U.S.C. 6103) governing prior-business-day deposit shifts.
Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI-W Inflation Data
U.S. Department of Labor
Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners used for statutory COLA calculations under 42 U.S.C. § 415.
Independent calculation engine reviewed monthly by policy researchers.
Read Editorial Standards →