Planning your spending is easier when you know when you’ll have the money to spend. And while military paydays are tied to the 1st and 15th, they get moved due to weekends and holidays – or even weekends AND holidays put together. And then there are many banks and credit unions that offer early crediting of military pay. It can get a little bit confusing!
The next regular military payday is Monday, 1 November 2021. Most military members will be paid on that day, unless they use a bank or credit union that offers early crediting of military pay as a benefit to their members. The two biggest financial institutions that offer early crediting of military pay are USAA and Navy Federal Credit Union.
Long Pay Period Warning
For anyone who gets paid early – including Navy Federal Credit Union members who don’t use an Active Duty checking account and don’t usually get paid early – the November end-of-month pay period is going to be long – 18ish days. That’s over Thanksgiving and Black Friday shopping weekend. Plan ahead so that you’re prepared for the long pay period during a time when you may have extra expenses.
You might also consider using this long pay period as a stress test of your personal finances.
USAA
USAA’s early crediting policy is straightforward and easy to understand: military pay deposits are credited one business day prior to the actual military payday. So, for this payday, USAA banking customers should have their military pay deposited on Friday, 29 October 2021.
Navy Federal Credit Union
Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU) has two different pay deposit dates depending on what type of checking account you use for your military pay deposit. Monday paydays are weird with Navy Federal, so read up:
Active Duty Checking customers should see their pay pending on Thursday, 28 October 2021, to be posted overnight and available for use on the morning of Friday, 29 October 2021.
NFCU members with accounts that are not Active Duty Checking accounts should see their pay pending on Friday, 29 October 2021, to be posted overnight and available for use on Saturday, 30 October 2021. Yes, I know this sounds weird, but it is right. The Navy Federal pay processing system is based on overnight payments, and those payments are started on a business day. With the Monday actual payday, they can’t process from a Sunday. So they start the process on Friday and the pay is available for use on Saturday. It’ll happen with the next paycheck, too – but you’ll then have a ridiculously long pay period at the end of November, over Thanksgiving weekend.
Service Credit Union
Service Credit Union’s early crediting offer is “up to two business days,” pending the receipt of the pay files from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS.) The Service Credit Union calendar anticipates that pay will be deposited on Thursday, 28 October 2021.
You can see a complete list of banks and credit unions that I know offer early direct deposit at Banks and Credit Unions With Early Direct Deposit Of Military Pay
Depending on how you plan your spending, knowing when the next military payday will come can make a big difference in your plans. Start planning for the year with the 2021 Active Duty Military pay post, or USAA customers can use the 2021 USAA Military Pay Deposit Dates article, or Navy Federal Credit Union members can use the 2021 Navy Federal Active Duty Checking Pay Deposit Dates article.
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NFCU direct deposits have always been confusing for me and many of my coworkers… especially when payday lands on a Monday. This article explains it much better than any that I have found. I have sent this link to several of my coworkers. Thank you for breaking it down into plain English.
Love your pay calendars & posts, they are so helpful! Will you post a 2019 pay calendar soon? Thanks for all you do!
For some reason I have not gotten payed yet. I have navy federal active duty checking. I’m stationed at fort Carson in Colorado. It usually drops around 10pm which is midnight where DFAS headquarters is. Any therious on if I should still get payed before Monday?
Benjamin, Navy Federal members with Active Duty checking accounts should be paid sometimes overnight to be available for use today. It doesn’t always happen at an exact time – we’re talking about thousands of transactions here, and that takes some time. I’m guessing you got paid since you wrote this?
I haven’t been paid for 19 days! I bank with chime and ever since I’ve been enlisted I’ve been getting paid on the 9th and 25th.. so I receive my first month pay check on the 9th and mid month on the 25th… a whole week later… I reached out to my bank and they are trying to figure out why this is the case and it’s been like this for almost two years.. last time I was paid was Nov.24th so I should have received my first months(1st of dec) pay on the 9thbut yet to receive it…
I can’t imagine how Chime is paying you that early…are they just guessing how much you’ll get paid?
DFAS didn’t release pay information due to the continuing resolution situation, so it’s not surprising that you didn’t get paid. This is one of the risks of any bank or credit union that offers early crediting of direct deposit. And, of course, there’s always the risk that we won’t get paid at all…
I use Venmo and get paid on the 9th and 25th also… basically 1 business day after LES comes out
You won’t see it til tomorrow
I received my pay via venmo today around 1pm
Please reconsider and use a Military Friendly Bank for your deposits. As an active duty individual, one has enough concerns and stressors. Please do not add to it by trying to figure out your payday. Most Military Friendly banks publish a calendar to keep you informed. Again, please reconsider your banking institute. Just saying…
The pay delay this month had nothing to do with which bank an individual uses…
NFCU customers with Active Duty Checking accounts will see their pay posted overnight on Thursday, 11 April 2019, to be available for use on Friday, 12 April 2019 –
Does this mean that the deposit hits tonight at midnight (4/11)? I don’t see a pending deposit like I usually do.
The pay will post overnight from Thursday to Friday. There is no set time – it varies from pay period to pay period.
Hi
I usually see a pending deposit days before my post date. As of today Apr 29, 2019 there is no such thing. Should I be worried?
Do you bank with Navy Federal? I’ve found that I often see the deposit pending, and then it disappears sometime during the day on which it will then post overnight.
I hope it all worked out for you.
Thanks for this. It turns out that Bank of America is also an early depositor. I got paid retirement pay on Friday, June 28.
Today is Thursday July 11th, my husband and I bank with NFCU and receive early active duty military direct deposits, typically today would’ve shown “scheduled deposit +amount” and listed a green – underneath the orange – indicating it is a pay day. There is not a scheduled deposit notification or any indication that we’ll receive our deposits. Should I be worried?
Good Evening!
Thanks for a great article, I have a random question. I logged into my NFCU account today and see a pending deposit from DFAS for this coming Monday 9/30) , I have an active duty account , have they changed their deposit policies or will it realistically deposit over night on Friday and I’ll see it Saturday?
Thanks in advance
I noticed that, too. I can’t say for sure, but I can’t imagine that NFCU would vary from their published pay posting schedule. A lot of people would be really upset about that! I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
I talked to an NFCU rep today, he said we get paid tonight. The recording is wrong
Are you sure?
Charles – what recording? I’m so confused!
My pay is available today, 9/28, vice the 9/30 that was on the Pending Post. This article explains why. Today is the 1 business day before my actual payday. Thanks NFCU.
Hey, so following the schedule for early Active Posting for December 2019, we are supposed to see our final paycheck of the year on the 28th. However, I opened up the Navy Federal app to check the posting date and for this month, it doesn’t even show any Early posting dates and just says mine doesn’t post till the 30th. Is this an error? I’ve called someone from Navy Federal and they said not to worry about it but I just wanted to make sure.
I just spoke with DFAS and was told all active duty pay will be delayed by a couple of days during this month (Dec 2020) so those who usually receive their pay a couple days early might not see that happen this month fyi…
I’m with USAA and haven’t received my pay.
Yes, not unexpected with the continuing resolution not being finished until Friday afternoon. Fingers crossed for tomorrow!
Hi thank you this was super helpful my husband and I knew nothing about any of this and were getting a little worried. But can you please update us on any info you find ? I’ve been searching on the internet and nothings really answering my questions. I really just wanted to know if this means that banks that normally release pay the day before regular pay day that they will release pay on the 15th instead or could it be released later ? We have an on base bank in Oklahoma and they aren’t much help on the issue.
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/12/14/was-your-military-pay-delayed-heres-what-happened.html
If the delay in pay was due to the resolution not being signed until Friday, why did Marines get paid while other branches didn’t? I understand they aren’t under the DFAS umbrella but this doesn’t make much sense if it was a “delay in all military pay”.
I looked in DFAS, and it reflects a “pay date” for December of 20 DEC. Here is hoping it happens before then! My assumption would be that we might see pay on Friday (18th) or potentially worse case would be in next business day which would be the 21st. Would have been nice to have received a warning from DoD or other US Government reps.
K, I suspect you’re reading the date backwards – 20 DEC 15 is the 15th of December 2020.
Is that possible?
Hello everyone, my husband left for basic training on 12/17 and was placed in ROM quarantine for what was supposed to be 2 weeks but ended up being almost 4 because someone in the ROM caught covid. I knew that he was most likely not going to be paid by the 1st of January because he got there on the 17, but shouldn’t he have been paid today the 15? I’m starting to get worried and would appreciate any help or comments that could help, thanks In advance.
Jasmine, first military paychecks usually take 4-8 weeks. Given the holidays, it sounds like it wasn’t enough time to get things set up for 15 January. I would be cautiously hopeful for 1 February but not surprised if it wasn’t until 15 February. Welcome to the military!
My girlfriend is in the Army National Guard. As of today, she has yet to receive pay for December and January. She stated this is not normal. Should be worried or is there a possibility her pay may post on 02/01/21. Thank you
While the Guard can have different pay issues, that doesn’t sound right to me. She should definitely be talking to her finance folks!
I’m a disabled veteran receiving compensation. Why has my early deposit stopped for the month of Feb. 2021 usually comes on a Friday if the 1st fall’s on a Monday?
Darren, that would be a question for your bank. Disability compensation should be paid on Monday. If your bank usually releases those funds early, it would be up to them to tell you why it didn’t happen this time.
If you use Navy Federal Credit Union, it is possible that you will see that deposit available for use tomorrow morning.
Thank You for your reply… I do bank with NFCU and all is well, deposit made at midnight Fri. Ty again.