Retirement System Information
INSTRUCTIONAL
NON-INSTRUCTIONAL
NYS Teacher's Retirement System
The salary and service credit you earn today is helping you build a secure future. Along with a guaranteed pension in retirement, you’ll qualify for disability and death benefit coverage when you reach service milestones and other eligibility requirements.
Have questions you can’t find the answers to? Call TRS at (800) 348-7298, Ext. 6250 or send a secure message through TRS Secure Email.
Membership Application (here)
Active Member Quick Links
Pension and Retirement Education Program
Many retirees wish they began focusing on financial and retirement planning much earlier in their lives. The truth is no matter how far along you are in your career, careful financial and retirement planning are critical.
PREP is designed to help members of all ages prepare for retirement. PREP is structured to allow you to tailor the program to fit your needs.
Stay for the entire seminar (PREP Schedule) or just the modules below that would be of greatest significance to you:
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8:45‐10:15
a.m.
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· NYSTRS Benefits: Your
pension, disability coverage, loans, vesting, death benefits.
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10:30‐11:00 a.m.
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· Financial Planning: Saving
early, catching up, withdrawals, financial advisors.
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11:00‐11:25
a.m.
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· Social Security: Benefits,
eligibility rules, when to collect, earning limits.
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11:30‐ 12:30
p.m.
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· Estate Planning: Wills,
trusts, powers of attorney, health care proxies, living wills, long‐term
care.
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1:30‐ 2:30
p.m.
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· Retirement — A New
Beginning: Planning ahead, staying active and healthy, relationships,
relocating.
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2:35‐3:30 p.m.
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· The Retirement Process:
Retirement options, "resigning" vs. "retiring," choosing
a retirement date, retirement checklist, monthly
payments, taxes, earnings limitations on NYS public employment.
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There is no fee to attend and your spouse/companion is welcome to attend, but you must make a reservation in advance. Note: These seminars are not designed for individual retirement counseling.
Registration beginning at 8 a.m.
NYS Employee Retirement System
What Tier Am I?
Tier: If you joined:
2 July 1, 1973 through July 26, 1976
3 July 27, 1976 through August 31, 1983
4 September 1, 1983 through December 31, 2009
5 January 1, 2010 through March 31, 2012
6 April 1, 2012 or after
Membership Application (here)
Vesting
Members are considered “vested” when they have earned sufficient service credit to qualify for a pension. Vesting is automatic; you do not have to fill out any paperwork to obtain this status.
Tier 5 and 6 members are vested when they have five or more years of member service. Members in other tiers are vested after earning five years of service credit. As a vested member, you may apply for and receive your vested retirement benefit if you leave public employment and become eligible for a retirement benefit at a later date (depending on your Retirement System and tier status).
Tier 3 and 4 vested members with at least five, but less than ten, years of service credit can voluntarily withdraw their membership and receive a refund, or roll over their contributions to an IRA or another qualified retirement plan.
● Beneficiary Change Form
● Name Change Form
● Address Changes
Online: Retirement Online is our self-service tool that provides personalized access to retirement account information. Sign In, find your address under “My Profile Information” and click “update.”
By Mail: Write to our Member and Employer Services Bureau. Be sure to include your NYSLRS ID or registration number in your correspondence. If you don’t know one of these numbers, you can check recent letters from NYSLRS or your Member Annual Statement. In most cases, you can also update your address by calling our Call Center. Address Change Form by mail.
By Phone: Call Center agents are available every business day from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm. 1-866-805-0990
For Retirees: Webpage
Retirement
● 5 Step Plan for Retirement
● Planning for Retirement Checklist
● How your benefits change in retirement
● NYS ERS Page with forms