Your July benefit, for example, arrives July 31. For tax reasons the December benefit is always paid on the first business day of January. A new retiree’s first payment comes the month after the retirement date.
| Benefit month | Direct deposit |
|---|---|
| January 2026 | Fri, Jan 30 |
| February 2026 | Fri, Feb 27 |
| March 2026 | Wed, Apr 1 |
| April 2026 | Fri, May 1 |
| May 2026 | Mon, Jun 1 |
| June 2026 | Wed, Jul 1 |
| July 2026 | Fri, Jul 31 |
| August 2026 | Tue, Sep 1 |
| September 2026 | Thu, Oct 1 |
| October 2026 | Fri, Oct 30 |
| November 2026 | Tue, Dec 1 |
| December 2026 | Mon, Jan 4, 2027 |
Questions
When does Virginia VRS pay retirees?
VRS deposits benefits on the first of the month for the month before. When the 1st is a weekend or holiday, the deposit comes the last business day of the month before, except in January.
Why did my payment not arrive on the date shown?
Direct deposits usually post on the date shown, but some banks release funds a day later. Paper checks are mailed before the payment date and can take several days to arrive. If a payment is more than five business days late, contact the plan.
Does the December payment count for this year or next?
Virginia VRS pays the December benefit in early January, so it is reported as income on the next year's 1099-R.
Related
See the Virginia VRS COLA page for when your check goes up, and the Virginia VRS calculator to estimate the amount.