With direct deposit, your retirement benefit payment is automatically deposited to your financial institution (bank or credit union) on the last business day of each month. And now, thanks to recent upgrades to Retirement Online, retirees can update direct deposit account information online.
Changing Your Direct Deposit Bank Account Information
If you change financial institutions, or want your payment to go into a different account at the same institution, sign in to your Retirement Online account to update your account number and routing information. From the top of your Account Homepage, in the ‘I want to…’ section, click the “Update Direct Deposit” link to get started.
If you have a joint account holder on your account, you need to complete a paper Electronic Funds Transfer Direct Deposit Enrollment Application (RS6370). Make sure the joint account holder signs the form as well. You can upload your completed application in Retirement Online, or you can mail it to the address on the form.
If you choose not to update your deposit information through Retirement Online, you can complete and mail in the paper application. If you want your payment to go into a savings account, or if you don’t have a voided check to attach, a bank official will need to complete Section 3 of the form.
If you are updating account numbers but not changing your financial institution, you can have a bank representative fax the information to 518-473-5323. The fax should be on their letterhead and include:
- Your name;
- Your retirement number, registration number or NYSLRS ID;
- Old and new account numbers and routing number; and
- A bank representative’s signature.
To avoid a delay in your payment, please wait for confirmation of your direct deposit change before closing your old bank account.
Sign Up for Direct Deposit
Ninety-six percent of NYSLRS retirees and beneficiaries receive their pension payments by direct deposit. Direct deposit has always been the safe, quick and convenient way to get your pension payment. If you’re still getting your pension payment by check, sign up for direct deposit today. Sign in to your Retirement Online account. From the top of your Account Homepage, in the ‘I want to…’ section, click the “Update Direct Deposit” link. You will need your financial institution’s account number and routing number to sign up.
You can also complete and submit an Electronic Funds Transfer Direct Deposit Enrollment Application (RS6370) to sign up for direct deposit.
For More Information
Our Pension Payment Calendar lists a schedule of direct deposit dates by month.
Visit our Direct Deposit page for more information.
My Statements show a $3.00 deduction. What is this for? Perhaps a fee for Direct deposit?
For questions about deductions from your pension payment, please email our customer service representatives using our secure email form. Filling out the secure form allows them to safely contact you about your personal account information.
My mother has decided to move to another state in a very short amount of time. We need to update her direct deposit info and I’ve read it takes 30 days. She made this decision inside of 30 days. What do you suggest? We are closing out her current account this week. Thank you.
Your mother can mail a letter requesting that NYSLRS cancel her current direct deposit and mail her pension check to her. She should include her name, retirement number, address and signature. If she knows her new address, she can include a completed change of address form. She can mail the letter to NYSLRS, Attn: Direct Deposit, 110 State Street, Albany, NY 12244-0001.
She can also change her address in her Retirement Online account. If she doesn’t have an account, she can go to the Sign In page and click the “Sign Up” link under the “Customer Sign In” button. If her new address is not a PO box, she can update her address by emailing us using our secure contact form.
To set up direct deposit for her new account, she can complete a Direct Deposit Application (RS6370) and mail it to the address above.
If she has questions, she should call our customer service representatives at 866-805-0990, press 2, then follow the prompts.
I am divorced with both husband and wife equal distributionof pension. Husband will not talk. He works for nassau county social service. HOW WILL I KNOW WHEN HE RETITES AND WHEN WILL I GET HIS HALF. we have s court order and I have a useless lawyer. How can I find I fo on my own. I am 66 years old sn I need help here. .
NYSLRS will make retirement benefit payments to an ex-spouse if there is a valid Domestic Relations Order (DRO) on file instructing us to do so. You can find more information in the Guide to Domestic Relations Orders on our website.
If you still have questions, we suggest that you or your attorney email our Matrimonial Bureau.
Can a bank that sends my pension check designated by the agency I worked for can take a dollar and fifty cent without telling me why? Is it even legal?
You can view a breakdown of your most recent pension payment, including deductions, in Retirement Online. Sign in to your account and click “View Account Details.” If you don’t already have an account, go to the Sign In page and click the “Sign Up” link under the “Customer Sign In” button.
You can also get information about deductions from your pension by calling our customer service representatives at 1-866-805-0990 (or 518-474-7736 in the Albany, NY area), pressing 2, then following the prompts. You can also email them using our secure email form. Filling out the secure form allows them to safely contact you about your personal account information.
Can i make additional payment to my retirement account , so that i have extra fund when i retire later?
Unless your retirement plan allows for voluntary annuity savings contributions, you cannot make additional contributions toward your retirement.
Unlike a 401k, the pension you will receive from NYSLRS will not be based on the amount of contributions you paid into the system. NYSLRS benefits are defined benefit plans, which means you will receive a lifetime benefit that will be based on your years of service and your final average earnings.
Hi NYS Retirement System, My mother-in-law was a NYS Retiree and passed away in September 2020. My father-in-law notified NYS Retirement as a beneficiary, and to date has not heard back from you. She received her pension via direct deposit, and he hasn’t received any payments yet. Please let me know if we need to call your office, or what do we need to do.
Thank you for your effort!
We are sorry for your loss. Your message is important to us and we have sent you a private message in response.
My husband was a member of CSEA. He worked at SUNY Geneseo for over 30 years. He continued his health insurance when he retired in 2007. He passed away on January 8, 2021. I want to make sure the health insurance through my portion of his pension. How can I verify this? Do I need to make a payment by phone? If so, I’ll be glad to do so.
Nancy Barrett
NYSLRS does not administer health insurance programs for its retirees or their beneficiaries, so we cannot assist you with your health benefit questions.
For New York State retirees, the New York State Department of Civil Service administers the New York State Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP). To learn more, please visit the Department of Civil Service’s website at http://www.cs.ny.gov, call them at 1-800-833-4344 or 518-457-5754, or email them at pio@cs.ny.gov.
I understand that current employees can direct deposit into several different accounts. Why can’t retirees?
Thank you NYS Pension system and all the workers in the NYSLRS offices for the direct deposit.
I can’t imagine why anyone receiving a pension payment would still wait for a mailed check and then have to go out and deposit the check! Especially after the disaster we all went through with the deliberate attempts to hurt the US Postal Service and with severe cold and snow weather in many parts of NYS and in the USA.
Direct Deposit works and works great. I notice the deposit happens the last work day of each month which means I get the payment most times before the month is over.
Thanks again !
Thank you for your feedback.
My name is Lavelle Powell’s n I I need a direct deposit because my bank key was lost so I want to get a direct deposit come to my name
To sign up for direct deposit, please complete a direct deposit form and submit it to us.
If you would like your pension deposited into a checking account, you can attach a voided check and mail the completed form to us.
Instead of mailing a voided check, you can have a bank representative complete and sign Section three of the form and fax it to us (if you’re depositing into a savings account, a bank representative must complete Section 3).
Instructions, our mailing address and our fax number are on the form:
http://www.osc.state.ny.us/files/retirement/forms/pdf/rs6370.pdf
How do I let the IRS know that I have not receive a stimulus check?, and I am eligible!!
NYSLRS is not affiliated with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which is a federal agency. Their website is http://www.irs.gov.
can you direct deposit to more than one account?
NYSLRS can only make direct deposits into one account. However, you may wish to contact your bank about setting up automatic transfers of funds into a different account.