Tag Archives: Life Expectancy

Age Milestones for Retirement Planning

age milestones

Whether you’re 22 or 52, you should be planning for retirement. Your NYSLRS retirement benefits will be based on your tier, years of service and final average earnings. For most members, age is also an important factor in your NYSLRS benefits and it’s a factor for Social Security and retirement savings strategies as well. So, as you plan for retirement, consider these age milestones.

Age Milestones

Under 50: It’s never too early to start saving for retirement. Even modest savings can add up over time as investment returns grow and interest compounds.

50: The Age 50 and Over Catch-Up provision allows you to save more pre-tax dollars in a retirement account starting in the calendar year in which you turn 50.

55: The earliest age most NYSLRS members can begin collecting a service retirement benefit. (This does not apply to members in special retirement plans.) Your pension may be permanently reduced if you retire before your full retirement age.

59½: The age you can start withdrawing money from a tax-deferred retirement savings plan, such as an IRA, without facing a potential federal tax penalty. (The penalty does not apply to New York State Deferred Compensation Plan savings if you are retired or have left public service.)

62: Full retirement age for your NYSLRS benefit if you are in Tier 2, 3, 4 and 5 or PFRS Tier 6. Earliest age you can begin collecting a Social Security pension, but the benefit would be reduced. For more information about Social Security, read When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits.

63: Full retirement age for your NYSLRS benefit if you are in ERS Tier 6.

65: Age most people are eligible for Medicare benefits.

66: Full retirement age for Social Security if you were born from 1943 through 1954. Add two months for each year from 1955 through 1959.

67: Full retirement age for Social Security if you were born in 1960 or later.

70: If you do not take your Social Security benefit, your benefit will increase each year until you reach age 70. Delaying Social Security after 70 will not increase your benefit.

73: Generally, if you have tax-deferred retirement savings and are no longer working, you must begin withdrawing some of this money when you reach a certain age. Under a recent change in federal law, you must start taking “minimum required distributions” at age 73. The minimum age had been 72, and the change does not affect those who turned 72 before the end of 2022. This age milestone will increase to 75 in 2033. Required minimum distributions do not apply to your NYSLRS retirement benefits.

One Last Number: Having a rough idea of your life expectancy is essential to retirement planning.

Are You Prepared for a Long Retirement?

We all look forward to a long, happy and financially secure retirement. But as you plan ahead for retirement, “how long?” is an important question to ask.

Longer Life Span, Longer Retirement

People are living longer. A 55-year-old man can expect to live for another 27 years, to about 82. A 55-year-old woman can expect to live for another 30 ½ years. These figures, derived from the Social Security life expectancy calculator, are only averages. They don’t take into account such factors as your health, lifestyle or family medical history.

Here are some other statistics that are worth pondering as you plan for retirement: more than 37,000 current NYSLRS retirees are over 85, and more than 3,400 have passed the 95 mark. In fact, in the State fiscal year that ended in March 2020, 375 NYSLRS’ retirees were 101 or older. Considering that many public employees retire at 55, it’s possible that a fair percentage of them could have retirements that last 45 years or more.

preparing for a long retirement - how long can we expect to live

Making Your Savings Last

As you plan for a long retirement, you need to ask yourself, will I have enough money to maintain a comfortable lifestyle for decades to come?

Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) members who retired in fiscal year 2020 are receiving an average monthly pension of $2,656. The average Social Security benefit for a retired worker was $1,544, as of December 2020.

Your retirement savings are also crucial assets that can supplement your pension and Social Security. Savings are a hedge against inflation, can help in an emergency and provide flexibility over a long retirement.

If you have no retirement savings, it is never too late to start. An easy way to get started is through the New York State Deferred Compensation Plan, a retirement savings program created for New York State employees and employees of participating public agencies. If you’re a municipal employee, ask your employer if you’re eligible for the Deferred Compensation Plan or another retirement savings plan. (The New York State Deferred Compensation Plan is not affiliated with NYSLRS.)

After you retire, you’ll need to manage your retirement savings wisely to ensure your money lasts. You may find this savings withdrawal calculator helpful.

NYSLRS is Here for You

Your NYSLRS pension is a lifetime benefit that will provide monthly payments throughout your retirement. Get a head start on your retirement planning by getting a pension estimate. Most members can get an estimate by using our online benefit calculator.