Tag Archives: know your benefits

Firefighters Deserve A Salute Every Day

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Recognizing Firefighters

It’s National Fire Prevention Week this week and, while attention is properly focused on promoting fire prevention, we also think it’s a great time to recognize all the firefighters who are members of the New York State and Local Retirement System (NYSLRS).

Of the 533,415 members in NYSLRS, 32,470 are in the Police and Fire Retirement System (PFRS). More than 6,000 of these brave men and women are firefighters.

NYSLRS Firefighters data

NYSLRS Membership and Firefighters

All firefighters working for participating employers are PFRS members. With that membership comes a variety of benefits, including certain death and disability benefits as well as a pension. As firefighters and other PFRS members progress through their careers they become eligible for these benefits. For example, from day one, PFRS members are covered by job-related death and disability benefits. However, with ten years of service credit, most members are also eligible for a non-job-related disability benefit.

In addition, most PFRS employers offer their employees special retirement plans. A special plan lets members retire after completing 20 or 25 years of credited service in specific job titles rather than reaching a certain age. Most firefighters — and, in fact, nearly 80 percent of all PFRS members (25,784) — are enrolled in a set of special 20- and 25-year plans. Whether members need 20 or 25 years depends on their retirement plan.

Firefighters are Heroes

To the members of the New York State Professional Fire Fighters Association, the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York and the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs; to the county fire marshals, supervising fire marshals, fire marshals, assistant fire marshals, assistant chief fire marshals and chief fire marshals: Thank you for your service to New York and its citizens. We are grateful for the valuable service you provide all of us.

Know Your Benefits: Your NYSLRS Pension

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Generally, three main components determine your NYSLRS pension: your retirement plan, your final average salary (FAS) and your total service credit.

Your Retirement Plan

NYSLRS retirement plans are established by law. Your plan lays out the formula we’ll use to calculate your pension as well as eligibility requirements. It’s important to read your plan booklet, which you can find on our Publications page.  If you aren’t certain what retirement plan you’re in, check your Member Annual Statement or ask your employer.

NYSLRS Pension Chart

Final Average Salary

Your FAS is the average of your earnings during the set period of time when they were the highest. For ERS and PFRS members in Tiers 1 through 5, that period is three consecutive years; for Tier 6 members, it’s five consecutive years. Some PFRS members may be eligible for a one-year period, if their employer offers it. We will use your FAS, age at retirement, total service credit and the formula from your retirement plan to calculate your NYSLRS pension.

Generally, the earnings we can use for your FAS include regular salary, overtime and recurring longevity payments earned within the period. Some payments you receive won’t count toward your FAS, even when you receive them in the FAS period. The specifics vary by tier, and are listed in your retirement plan booklet.

In most cases, the law also limits how much your pensionable earnings can increase from year to year in the FAS period. Earnings above this cap will not count toward your pension.

Our Your Retirement Benefits publications, (ERS and PFRS), provide the limits for each tier and examples of how we’ll determine your FAS.

Service Credit

Service credit is credit for time spent working for a participating public employer. For most members who work full-time, 260 workdays equals one year of service credit. Members who work part-time or in educational settings can refer to their retirement plan publication for their service credit calculation.

Service credit is a factor in the calculation of your NYSLRS pension. Generally, the more credit you have, the higher your pension will be. Some special plans (usually for police officers, firefighters or correction officers) let you retire at any age once you’ve earned 20 or 25 years of service credit. In other plans, if you retire without enough service credit and don’t meet the age requirements of your retirement plan, your pension will be reduced.

Planning Ahead for Your NYSLRS Pension

As you get closer to retirement age, keep an eye on your service credit and FAS. Make sure we have an accurate record of your public employment history. You can sign in to Retirement Online or check your latest Member Annual Statement to see the total amount of service credit you’ve earned. You may also want to take a look at our budgeting worksheet or try our Benefit Projector Calculator as you plan for your retirement.

If you have questions, or want to find out more information about what makes up your NYSLRS pension, please contact us.

Top Five Pre-Retirement Goals for NYSLRS Members in 2018

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January is a great time to set goals for the coming year. And setting pre-retirement goals is crucial in planning for a successful retirement. Here are five goals to consider for 2018:

Plan ahead for retirement

1. Choose a sensible savings plan that works for you.There are several ways to save for retirement, including starting a deferred compensation plan like the New York State Deferred Compensation Plan. An important part of developing a savings plan is to start early. The sooner you start saving, the more time your money has to grow. Check out our Weekly Investment Plan chart to see how a weekly investment can grow by age 65.

2. Track your expenses and income. Tracking your current expenses for a month or two will give you a better idea of how much you’re likely to spend in retirement and how much you’ll need to supplement your pension. Use the expense and income worksheets on our website to create a retirement budget. Be sure to include periodic expenses, such as car insurance and property taxes.

3. Request a pension estimate. If you’re within 18 months of your anticipated retirement date, it’s a good idea to request an estimate of what your retirement benefit will be. You can do this by sending us an email using our secure contact form or by calling 1-866-805-0990 (518-474-7736 in the Albany, NY area). If you are not certain that you’ve received credit for all your public service in New York State, you can submit a Request for Estimate form (RS6030) and be sure to provide detailed information about your public employment in section eight of the form. If your planned retirement date is farther away, you may want to use our online Benefit Calculator. This estimates your pension based on information you provide, so have your Member Annual Statement handy before you start, or sign in to your Retirement Online account to check your current service credit.

4. Pay off any NYSLRS loans. An outstanding loan balance at retirement will permanently reduce your NYSLRS retirement benefit. You cannot make loan payments after you retire, and the pension reduction does not go away after we recover the balance of the loan. Visit the Loans page on our website for information about making additional payments or increasing your loan payment amount.

5. Consider seeking the advice of a financial planner. Financial planners don’t manage your money, but can help you assess your present financial condition and develop a practical plan to meet your specific goals and needs. Also consider doing your own research by seeking Do-It-Yourself financial planning guides on the web.

If you ever have any retirement-related questions, please contact us.

How To Keep Your NYSLRS Records Up-to-date

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Whether you joined NYSLRS  recently or are preparing to retire, accurate records are essential. To make sure that your records are ready when you are, it’s important to check and update your NYSLRS account details. Here’s how:

  • Sign in to Retirement Online. It’s a convenient and secure way to review your records for personal details, contact information, designated beneficiaries and more. In many cases, you can use Retirement Online to make changes instead of sending forms through the mail or calling NYSLRS.
  • Review your Member Annual Statement (MAS). Each summer, your MAS offers an overview of your retirement account. Check it over carefully to make sure your date of birth, date of membership, service credit, earnings and other details are correct.

Be sure to contact us if you find any information that’s missing or incorrect. Get in touch right away:

  • When your mailing address changes. This is especially important if you leave public service before you’re eligible for retirement. With your correct address on file, we’ll be able to keep you informed about your benefits. The fastest and easiest way to update your address is to sign in to Retirement Online and make the change, or you can send us a completed Change of Address form (RS5512), though this process will take longer.
  • When you find a date-of-birth error. If your date of birth is wrong on any paperwork that we send you, we need to know. Please send us a photocopy of documentation showing your correct date of birth (such as a copy of your birth certificate). You can attach it to an email using our secure contact form, or write to our Member and Employer Services Bureau Registration Unit at 110 State Street, 5th Floor, Albany NY 12244-0001.
  • When you change your name. You can change your name in our records by submitting a Name Change Notice form (RS5483). If a court order was necessary for your name change, you’ll need to include a copy of the order.
  • When you want to select or change your beneficiaries. Sign in to Retirement Online and click Update My Beneficiaries. Retirement Online is the fastest way to get the job done. But, you can also complete a Designation of Beneficiary form (RS5127) and send it to us.

 

Know Your Benefits: Disability Retirements

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Many of us dream about retirement, but not one of us pictures leaving the workplace because we can’t perform our duties anymore. Yet the truth is debilitating medical conditions do happen. Though we hope you never have to use them, NYSLRS members have certain benefits available should you become permanently disabled from performing the duties of your job.

This post is an overview of common disability benefits and how to file for them. It is important to review your retirement plan booklet for specific benefit and eligibility information, and contact us with any questions you have, before you file an application.

Disability Retirements

Benefits

Most members are eligible for what’s called an ordinary disability retirement benefit. Usually, it provides whichever is greater:

  1. 1.66 percent of your final average salary (FAS) for each year of credited service; or
  2. 1.66 percent of your FAS for each year of credited service, plus 1.66 percent of your FAS for each year of service you might have earned before age 60, up to one-third of your FAS.

To qualify for an Article 15 disability retirement benefit, you must have at least ten years of credited service, unless your disability results from an accident you sustain on the job. If your disability results from an on-the-job accident, not due to your own willful negligence, there is no minimum service requirement.

Some members have plans that may provide an accidental disability retirement benefit. The benefit amount varies depending on your system (Employees Retirement System or Police and Fire Retirement System), tier and plan. It’s a lifetime benefit, but may be reduced by amounts received from workers’ compensation or Social Security. There is no minimum service requirement for an accidental disability retirement.

“Accident” has a special meaning when used in connection with Retirement System disability benefits. Whether an incident is an “accident” is determined on a case by case basis, using court decisions for guidance.

Members of the Police and Fire Retirement System as well as some members of the Employees Retirement System, such as sheriffs and correctional officers, may be entitled to a performance-of-duty disability benefit. The benefit amount and eligibility requirements vary depending on your system, tier and plan.

Filing

You, your employer, or someone you authorize may file a disability application on your behalf. If you think you might be eligible for a disability retirement, you may want to file your application sooner, rather than later, because there are strict filing deadlines that must be met. If you meet the requirements for a service retirement too, you can apply for both at the same time. If your disability application is approved, you will be able to choose which benefit you accept.

World Trade Center Presumption

If you participated in World Trade Center rescue, recovery or clean-up operations, you may be eligible to apply for a benefit under the World Trade Center Presumption Law. The deadline for members to file a notice with NYSLRS has been extended to September 11, 2018.

Resources/More Information

For specific benefit and eligibility information, be sure to read your retirement plan booklet on our Publications page. Also, check out our Disability Retirements page and our VO1802 Life Changes: Applying for Disability Retirement booklet. You can reach our Call Center by email using our secure contact form or toll-free at 1-866-805-0990 (518-474-7736 in the Albany, New York area).

What Unused Sick Leave Might Mean For You at Retirement

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If you’ve accumulated unused, unpaid sick leave, you may be able to use it toward your NYSLRS pension benefit.

New York State employees are eligible for this benefit. You also may be eligible if your employer has adopted Section 41(j) for the Employees’ Retirement System (ERS), or 341(j) for the Police and Fire Retirement System (PFRS), of Retirement and Social Security Law. Not sure? Ask your employer or check your Member Annual Statement.

Here’s How It Works

Your additional service credit is determined by dividing your total unused, unpaid sick leave days by 260. Most ERS members can get credit for up to 165 days (7½ months) of unused sick leave. The benefit is capped at 100 days (4½ months) for most Tier 6 members. State employees in certain negotiating units may be able to use 200 days (about nine months). Those extra “months” would be used in calculating your retirement benefit.

Also, depending on your employer, your unused sick leave may be used to cover some health insurance costs during your retirement. Please check with your employer for information about health insurance.

Restrictions

Unused sick leave cannot be used to reach NYSLRS retirement milestones. Let’s say you have 19½ years of service credit. At 20 years, your pension calculation would improve substantially. You also have 130 days of unused sick leave. Can you add the six months of sick leave credit to get you to 20 years? No. Retirement law does not permit it. You’ll have to work those extra six months to get the 20-year benefit rate, though sick leave credits can still be used in your final pension calculation.

Also, credit for unused sick can’t be used to:

  • Qualify for vesting
  • Reach a minimum retirement age
  • Increase your pension beyond the maximum allowed under your retirement plan
  • Meet the service credit requirement for a special 20- or 25-year plan

Check your retirement plan booklet for more information.

NYSLRS’ Partial Lump Sum Payments

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When you retire, you’ll choose a payment option for your monthly lifetime benefit. Eligible NYSLRS members may also choose to receive a partial lump sum payment. The payment, which you’ll receive when we finish calculating your pension benefit, is a percentage of the actuarial value of your retirement benefit at the time you retire. By accepting this one-time lump sum payment, your lifetime monthly benefit will be permanently reduced.

Who is Eligible for the Partial Lump Sum Payment?

If you’re a Police and Fire Retirement System (PFRS) member covered by a special 20- or 25-year plan, you may be eligible to choose this payment. Certain Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) members (sheriffs, undersheriffs, deputy sheriffs, and county correction officers) are eligible if their employer offers this benefit. (Read the other eligibility requirements for PFRS members and ERS members.)

Partial Lump Sum PaymentsHow the Partial Lump Sum Payment Works

The percentage amounts you can choose from depend on how long you’ve been eligible to retire. You can choose a lump sum payment that equals 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25 percent of the value of your retirement benefit.

The payment can be made directly to you, or you can also have it paid in a direct rollover to an Individual Retirement Annuity or other plan that accepts rollovers. Before you decide, you may want to speak with a tax advisor to see if the partial lump sum payment is right for you. Certain partial lump sum distributions could be subject to federal income tax.

How Do I Choose the Partial Lump Sum?

If you’re eligible for the partial lump sum, we’ll send you a special option election form when you file for retirement. You can use this form to choose both the partial lump sum and the payment option you want for your continuing lifetime monthly benefit.

Please read Partial Lump Sum (PLS) Payment at Retirement – For Eligible Retirement System Members for more information.

ERS Tiers 1 and 2: The New Career Plan

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Did you become a member of the Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) before July 1, 1973? If you’re still working in public service, you’re one of the 3,508 active members in Tier 1. If you joined after July 1, 1973 but before July 27, 1976, then you’re one of 4,127 active members in Tier 2.

Most ERS Tier 1 and Tier 2 members are in the New Career Plan (Section 75-h or 75-i). Currently, 96 percent of active Tier 1 members and almost 95 percent of active Tier 2 members are covered by this plan. Here’s a quick look at the benefits in the New Career Plan:

Benefit Eligibility

Tier 1

  • Members must be at least age 55 to be eligible to collect a retirement benefit.
  • There are no minimum service requirements — they may collect full benefits at age 55.

New Career Plan — ERS Tier 1

Tier 2

  • Members must have five years of service and be at least age 55 to be eligible to collect a retirement benefit.
  • The full benefit age is 62.
  • Almost 95 percent of active Tier 2 members are covered by the New Career Plan (Section 75-h or 75-i).

New Career Plan — ERS Tier 2

Final Average Salary

Final average salary (FAS) is the average of the wages earned in the three highest consecutive years of employment. For Tier 1 members who joined NYSLRS June 17, 1971 or later, each year used in the FAS calculation is limited to no more than 20 percent above the previous year’s earnings. For Tier 2 members, each year of earnings is limited to no more than 20 percent above the average of the previous two years’ earnings.

Benefit Calculations

  • For Tier 1 and 2 members, the benefit is 1.66 percent of the FAS for each year of service if the member retires with less than 20 years. If the member retires with 20 or more years of service, the benefit is 2 percent of the FAS for each year of service.
  • Tier 1 members and Tier 2 members with 30 or more years of service can retire as early as age 55 with no reduction in benefits.
  • Both Tier 1 and Tier 2 members who worked continuously from April 1, 1999 through October 1, 2000 receive an extra month of service credit for each year of credited service they have at retirement, up to a maximum of 24 additional months.

If you have questions about the New Career Plan, please read the Tier 1 plan publication or the Tier 2 plan publication. You can find other plan publications on our website.

NYSLRS’ Disability Benefit: What You Should Know

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Meeting filing requirements and submitting medical documents are key

A disabling condition can happen to anyone at any time. As a member of the NYSLRS, you may be eligible for a disability retirement if you become disabled and unable to work.Applying for a NYSLRS Disability Benefit

Disability benefits are based on your tier and retirement plan. The eligibility and filing requirements can vary too. Most members with 10 or more years of service credit can apply for an ordinary (non-job-related) disability benefit, and in some circumstances, your employer can file for you. If you become disabled due to a job-related accident, there’s no minimum service required.

If you decide to file for a disability retirement, please remember to keep the following in mind:

Meet Our Filing Requirements

You can file your disability retirement application while:

  • You are still on your employer’s payroll, or
  • As soon as possible after you stop receiving your salary.

You can find a list of all the disability retirement applications on our website. You can also read about the filing requirements in your retirement plan publication.

Make Sure We Have Your Medical Documentation

If your application meets the filing requirements, we will request medical reports from the doctors and treatment facilities you listed on your application. We may also ask you to make an appointment, paid for by NYSLRS, with one or more independent medical examiners whose specialty relates to your disability.

A medical or administrative review board will then make a determination about your eligibility.

If you aren’t approved for a disability retirement, you may request an administrative hearing and redetermination within four months from the date of denial. This gives you an opportunity to provide more evidence to support your request for disability benefits.

Because of the multiple steps that can be involved in the process, these cases typically take longer than regular retirement cases. So, since it may take some time to process your application, we encourage you to file the application while you are still on the payroll. This can help minimize any financial hardship you may encounter during the time it takes to process your application.

For more information about the disability retirement process or how to file, read our publication, Life Changes: Applying for Disability Retirement (VO1802).

Death Benefits For ERS Members

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Among the most important benefits a NYSLRS membership provides are death benefits. When you’re covered by a death benefit, your beneficiary may receive a payment on your behalf at your death.

Death benefits can vary by tier and retirement plan, so for the purpose of today’s post, let’s focus our attention on the Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) Tier 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 members in regular plans. (If you’re in a special 20- or 25-year plan or are a Tier 1 member, please review your plan publication to learn more about your death benefits.)

The Ordinary Death Benefit

You’re eligible for the ordinary death benefit when you have one year of service credit. Your beneficiary would receive this benefit if you died while working for a public employer.

  • After one year of service, the ordinary death benefit is equal to your last year’s salary.
  • After two years of service, the benefit equals two times your last year’s salary.
  • After three or more years of service, the benefit equals three times your last year’s salary.

Post Retirement Death Benefits ERS Regular-Plans

The Post-Retirement Death Benefit

Your beneficiary may also be eligible for a post-retirement death benefit if you retire directly from your employer’s payroll or within one year of leaving covered employment.

  • During your first year of retirement, the post-retirement death benefit is 50 percent of your ordinary death benefit payable at retirement.
  • During your second year of retirement, the benefit is 25 percent of your ordinary death benefit.
  • During your third year and thereafter, the benefit is 10 percent of the ordinary death benefit that would have been payable at age 60 (if any) or at retirement, whichever was earlier.

There may be other death benefits available in your retirement plan. Please read the Death Benefit section in your plan publication for more information. If you have any questions about death benefits, please email us using our secure email form.