Dan and Katelyn explore how sick leave and annual leave factor into federal retirement planning, including how sick leave boosts pension calculations, how unused annual leave is paid out, and strategies for coordinating both for maximum value. They also break down OPM’s new digital retirement system launching in 2026, covering online applications, processing changes, timelines, and key considerations for federal employees.
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The Fed15 Podcast: Coordinating Sick & Annual Leave for Retirement + OPM’s Digital Retirement Overhaul
Dan explains the differences between sick leave and annual leave and how coordinating the two can strengthen overall retirement outcomes. He breaks down how sick leave can increase a pension calculation without affecting retirement eligibility, then reviews how unused annual leave is paid out and best practices for timing and coordination. He wraps up by showing how to strategically align both types of leave for maximum value and closes with a practical pre-retirement checklist to ensure nothing is overlooked.
Katelyn covers OPM’s digital transformation of the retirement process and what’s changing for 2026. She walks through the new online retirement application system, highlights its key features, and stresses the importance of verifying that online information matches personal records. She also reviews updates to processing procedures, timelines, and other key considerations federal employees should be aware of.
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