Working Days Until Retirement

Not every day between now and your last day is a day you'd actually be at work. This counts only the workdays — weekends, federal holidays, and your planned vacation days come out first.

Independent · Free · No sign-up · Sources: OPM federal holiday schedule

How we calculate this

Start with every calendar day between today and your retirement date, remove weekends, then remove the US federal holidays that fall on a weekday (on their observed date). Then we subtract a prorated share of your vacation days: vacation days per year × (calendar days remaining ÷ 365.25), rounded down. For the default of 15 vacation days a year, that works out to 28 days subtracted for this date range.

Upcoming federal holidays in 2026

• Labor Day — September 7, 2026
• Columbus Day — October 12, 2026
• Veterans Day — November 11, 2026
• Thanksgiving Day — November 26, 2026
• Christmas Day — December 25, 2026

Which holidays we exclude

We use the 11 US federal holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. When a holiday falls on a Saturday it's observed the Friday before; when it falls on a Sunday it's observed the Monday after — the same shifting rule the federal government itself uses for its own calendar.

Private employers vary

This calculator uses the federal holiday schedule because it's the one fixed, publicly published reference every year. Your actual employer may observe a different set of holidays, offer floating holidays instead of some federal ones, or run a compressed workweek. Treat the number above as a solid estimate, not your exact final paycheck date.

Prefer a live countdown instead of a workday total? Try the retirement countdown clock, or get something you can print and hang up with the printable retirement countdown calendar.

Frequently asked questions

How many working days are in January 2026?

20 working days. January 2026 has 22 weekdays, minus New Year's Day (observed Thursday, January 1) and Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday, January 19), which both fall on weekdays that year.

How many working days are in a year?

250 working days in 2026, counting Monday–Friday and subtracting the 11 US federal holidays on their observed dates. A year without any federal holidays would have about 260–261 weekdays; each holiday that lands on a weekday removes one.

Do you count federal holidays?

Yes — all 11 US federal holidays, on their observed dates (a holiday that falls on a Saturday is observed the Friday before; one that falls on a Sunday is observed the Monday after). See the full list for the current year in the details box above.

What about my vacation days?

Tell us how many vacation days per year you plan to take, and we subtract a prorated share — vacation days per year × (years left until retirement) — from your working-day count. If you take a fixed number of vacation days every year, this keeps the estimate honest rather than assuming you'll stop taking time off.

Is there an app that counts workdays until retirement?

A Pensora iPhone app with a home-screen widget (including a workday mode) is coming soon — see the app page for details.

Does this match my employer's payroll calendar exactly?

It should be close for a standard Monday–Friday federal-holiday schedule, but private employers set their own holiday calendars — some give fewer paid holidays, some give more, some swap a federal holiday for a floating day. Check your employee handbook for your exact list.

This calculator is for educational purposes only and is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Pensora is independent and not affiliated with the SSA, the IRS, or any government agency. For decisions about your own situation, consider a licensed financial advisor.