diff --git a/src/components/HrTools/PdsGoalCalculator/PdsGoalCalculator.test.tsx b/src/components/HrTools/PdsGoalCalculator/PdsGoalCalculator.test.tsx
index b2b74c4432..3c61f6b3a1 100644
--- a/src/components/HrTools/PdsGoalCalculator/PdsGoalCalculator.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/HrTools/PdsGoalCalculator/PdsGoalCalculator.test.tsx
@@ -97,6 +97,53 @@ describe('PdsGoalCalculator', () => {
     await waitFor(() => expect(continueButton).not.toBeDisabled());
   });
 
+  it('hides the Back button on the first step', async () => {
+    const { findByRole, queryByRole } = render(
+      <PdsGoalCalculatorTestWrapper>
+        <PdsGoalCalculator />
+      </PdsGoalCalculatorTestWrapper>,
+    );
+
+    await findByRole('button', { name: /continue/i });
+    expect(queryByRole('button', { name: /back/i })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it('shows the Back button after advancing past the first step', async () => {
+    const { findByRole } = render(
+      <PdsGoalCalculatorTestWrapper>
+        <PdsGoalCalculator />
+      </PdsGoalCalculatorTestWrapper>,
+    );
+
+    const continueButton = await findByRole('button', { name: /continue/i });
+    await waitFor(() => expect(continueButton).not.toBeDisabled());
+    userEvent.click(continueButton);
+
+    expect(await findByRole('button', { name: /back/i })).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it('clicking Back returns to the previous step', async () => {
+    const { findByRole, queryByRole } = render(
+      <PdsGoalCalculatorTestWrapper>
+        <PdsGoalCalculator />
+      </PdsGoalCalculatorTestWrapper>,
+    );
+
+    const continueButton = await findByRole('button', { name: /continue/i });
+    await waitFor(() => expect(continueButton).not.toBeDisabled());
+    userEvent.click(continueButton);
+
+    const backButton = await findByRole('button', { name: /back/i });
+    userEvent.click(backButton);
+
+    await waitFor(() =>
+      expect(queryByRole('button', { name: /back/i })).not.toBeInTheDocument(),
+    );
+    expect(
+      await findByRole('heading', { level: 6, name: 'Calculator Setup' }),
+    ).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
   it('re-enables Continue when switching from Full-time to Part-time hides the only invalid field', async () => {
     const { findByRole, getByRole, queryByRole } = render(
       <PdsGoalCalculatorTestWrapper
diff --git a/src/components/HrTools/PdsGoalCalculator/PdsGoalCalculator.tsx b/src/components/HrTools/PdsGoalCalculator/PdsGoalCalculator.tsx
index 8e3d7426b1..f3aba67f33 100644
--- a/src/components/HrTools/PdsGoalCalculator/PdsGoalCalculator.tsx
+++ b/src/components/HrTools/PdsGoalCalculator/PdsGoalCalculator.tsx
@@ -33,19 +33,20 @@ const MainContent: React.FC = () => {
     usePdsGoalCalculator();
   const { allValid } = useAutosaveForm();
 
+  const isFirstStep = stepIndex === 0;
   const isLastStep = stepIndex === steps.length - 1;
 
   return (
     <>
       <CurrentStep />
-      {!isLastStep && (
-        <DirectionButtons
-          formTitle={currentStep.title}
-          handleNextStep={handleContinue}
-          handlePreviousStep={handlePreviousStep}
-          disableNext={!allValid}
-        />
-      )}
+      <DirectionButtons
+        formTitle={currentStep.title}
+        handleNextStep={handleContinue}
+        handlePreviousStep={handlePreviousStep}
+        showBackButton={!isFirstStep}
+        hideNextButton={isLastStep}
+        disableNext={!allValid}
+      />
     </>
   );
 };
diff --git a/src/components/HrTools/Shared/CalculationReports/DirectionButtons/DirectionButtons.test.tsx b/src/components/HrTools/Shared/CalculationReports/DirectionButtons/DirectionButtons.test.tsx
index 6ed2ba75fe..540cf55729 100644
--- a/src/components/HrTools/Shared/CalculationReports/DirectionButtons/DirectionButtons.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/HrTools/Shared/CalculationReports/DirectionButtons/DirectionButtons.test.tsx
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ interface TestComponentProps {
   buttonTitle?: string;
   isEdit?: boolean;
   disableNext?: boolean;
+  noDiscard?: boolean;
 }
 
 const TestComponent: React.FC<TestComponentProps> = ({
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ const TestComponent: React.FC<TestComponentProps> = ({
   buttonTitle,
   isEdit,
   disableNext,
+  noDiscard = false,
 }) => (
   <ThemeProvider theme={theme}>
     <TestRouter
@@ -51,7 +53,7 @@ const TestComponent: React.FC<TestComponentProps> = ({
                 isSubmission={isSubmission}
                 handleNextStep={handleNextStep}
                 handlePreviousStep={handlePreviousStep}
-                handleDiscard={handleDiscard}
+                handleDiscard={noDiscard ? undefined : handleDiscard}
                 overrideNext={overrideNext}
                 showBackButton={showBackButton}
                 buttonTitle={buttonTitle}
@@ -155,6 +157,53 @@ describe('DirectionButtons', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it('renders Discard, Back, and Continue in left-to-right order', async () => {
+    const { findAllByRole } = render(<TestComponent showBackButton={true} />);
+
+    const buttons = await findAllByRole('button');
+    expect(buttons).toHaveLength(3);
+    expect(buttons[0]).toHaveTextContent(/discard/i);
+    expect(buttons[1]).toHaveTextContent(/back/i);
+    expect(buttons[2]).toHaveTextContent(/continue/i);
+  });
+
+  it('renders Discard, Back, and Submit in left-to-right order during submission', async () => {
+    const { findAllByRole } = render(
+      <TestComponent showBackButton={true} isSubmission={true} />,
+    );
+
+    const buttons = await findAllByRole('button');
+    expect(buttons).toHaveLength(3);
+    expect(buttons[0]).toHaveTextContent(/discard/i);
+    expect(buttons[1]).toHaveTextContent(/back/i);
+    expect(buttons[2]).toHaveTextContent(/submit/i);
+  });
+
+  it('renders Back to the left of Continue when there is no Discard handler', async () => {
+    const { findAllByRole } = render(
+      <TestComponent noDiscard={true} showBackButton={true} />,
+    );
+
+    const buttons = await findAllByRole('button');
+    expect(buttons).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(buttons[0]).toHaveTextContent(/back/i);
+    expect(buttons[1]).toHaveTextContent(/continue/i);
+  });
+
+  it('renders only Continue (right-aligned) when there is no Discard, no Back, and not a submission', async () => {
+    const { findAllByRole } = render(<TestComponent noDiscard={true} />);
+
+    const buttons = await findAllByRole('button');
+    expect(buttons).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(buttons[0]).toHaveTextContent(/continue/i);
+
+    // The Continue button's wrapper Box uses `ml: 'auto'` to push it to the
+    // right edge when no left-side controls are rendered. Walk up from the
+    // button to confirm that wrapper is the only child of the outer flex row.
+    const outerRow = buttons[0].closest('.MuiBox-root')?.parentElement;
+    expect(outerRow?.children).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
+
   it('renders Discard Changes button', async () => {
     const { findByRole, getByRole } = render(<TestComponent isEdit={true} />);
 
diff --git a/src/components/HrTools/Shared/CalculationReports/DirectionButtons/DirectionButtons.tsx b/src/components/HrTools/Shared/CalculationReports/DirectionButtons/DirectionButtons.tsx
index 233779602c..b4266f250c 100644
--- a/src/components/HrTools/Shared/CalculationReports/DirectionButtons/DirectionButtons.tsx
+++ b/src/components/HrTools/Shared/CalculationReports/DirectionButtons/DirectionButtons.tsx
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ interface DirectionButtonsProps {
   actionRequired?: boolean;
   overrideNext?: () => void;
   showBackButton?: boolean;
+  hideNextButton?: boolean;
   isEdit?: boolean;
   additionalApproval?: boolean;
   splitAsr?: boolean;
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ export const DirectionButtons: React.FC<DirectionButtonsProps> = ({
   isSubmission,
   overrideNext,
   showBackButton,
+  hideNextButton,
   submitForm,
   validateForm,
   submitCount,
@@ -90,73 +92,73 @@ export const DirectionButtons: React.FC<DirectionButtonsProps> = ({
     setOpenDiscardModal(false);
   };
 
-  return (
-    <Box
+  const backButton = showBackButton && (
+    <Button
+      variant="contained"
+      startIcon={<ChevronLeft />}
       sx={{
-        mt: 5,
-        display: 'flex',
-        justifyContent:
-          !handleDiscard && !showBackButton && !isSubmission
-            ? 'flex-end'
-            : 'space-between',
+        bgcolor: 'grey.300',
+        color: 'text.primary',
+        '&:hover': {
+          bgcolor: 'grey.400',
+        },
+        fontWeight: 'bold',
       }}
+      onClick={handlePreviousStep}
     >
-      {handleDiscard && (
-        <Button
-          sx={{ color: 'error.light', px: 2, py: 1, fontWeight: 'bold' }}
-          onClick={() => setOpenDiscardModal(true)}
-        >
-          {isEdit ? t('Discard Changes') : t('Discard')}
-        </Button>
+      {t('Back')}
+    </Button>
+  );
+
+  return (
+    <Box sx={{ mt: 5, display: 'flex', justifyContent: 'space-between' }}>
+      {(handleDiscard || showBackButton) && (
+        <Box sx={{ display: 'flex', gap: 2 }}>
+          {handleDiscard ? (
+            <Button
+              sx={{ color: 'error.light', px: 2, py: 1, fontWeight: 'bold' }}
+              onClick={() => setOpenDiscardModal(true)}
+            >
+              {isEdit ? t('Discard Changes') : t('Discard')}
+            </Button>
+          ) : (
+            backButton
+          )}
+        </Box>
       )}
 
-      <Box sx={{ display: 'flex', gap: 2 }}>
-        {showBackButton && (
-          <Button
-            variant="contained"
-            sx={{
-              bgcolor: 'grey.300',
-              color: 'text.primary',
-              '&:hover': {
-                bgcolor: 'grey.400',
-              },
-              fontWeight: 'bold',
-            }}
-            onClick={handlePreviousStep}
-          >
-            <ChevronLeft sx={{ mr: 1 }} />
-            {t('Back')}
-          </Button>
-        )}
-        {isSubmission ? (
-          <Button
-            variant="contained"
-            color="primary"
-            onClick={handleSubmit}
-            disabled={submitCount ? !isValid : false}
-          >
-            {t('Submit')}
-            <ChevronRight sx={{ ml: 1 }} />
-          </Button>
-        ) : (
-          <Tooltip
-            title={
-              disableNext ? t('Complete all required fields to continue') : ''
-            }
-          >
-            <Box component="span">
-              <Button
-                variant="contained"
-                color="primary"
-                onClick={overrideNext ?? handleNextStep}
-                disabled={disableNext}
-              >
-                {buttonTitle ?? t('Continue')}
-                <ChevronRight sx={{ ml: 1 }} />
-              </Button>
-            </Box>
-          </Tooltip>
-        )}
+      <Box sx={{ display: 'flex', gap: 2, ml: 'auto' }}>
+        {handleDiscard && backButton}
+        {!hideNextButton &&
+          (isSubmission ? (
+            <Button
+              variant="contained"
+              color="primary"
+              endIcon={<ChevronRight />}
+              onClick={handleSubmit}
+              disabled={submitCount ? !isValid : false}
+            >
+              {t('Submit')}
+            </Button>
+          ) : (
+            <Tooltip
+              title={
+                disableNext ? t('Complete all required fields to continue') : ''
+              }
+            >
+              <Box component="span">
+                <Button
+                  variant="contained"
+                  color="primary"
+                  endIcon={<ChevronRight />}
+                  onClick={overrideNext ?? handleNextStep}
+                  disabled={disableNext}
+                >
+                  {buttonTitle ?? t('Continue')}
+                </Button>
+              </Box>
+            </Tooltip>
+          ))}
       </Box>
       {openSubmitModal && (
         <SubmitModal