Tag Archives: Retirement date

Left Public Employment? Don’t Forget to File for Retirement

If you expect to leave public employment before retirement age, or if you’ve already left, take note of this important information about your NYSLRS pension.

Once you become a vested NYSLRS member, you’re eligible for a NYSLRS pension even if you leave public employment before retirement age. Vesting is automatic but receiving retirement benefits is not. You’ll need to apply for your pension. But when should you apply?

Filing for Retirement If You Have Left Public Employment

Most NYSLRS members can begin collecting their pension as early as age 55. If you file for your retirement benefit between age 55 and your full NYSLRS retirement age, you may face a permanent benefit reduction. Full retirement age for a NYSLRS pension is 62 or 63, depending on your plan and tier.

retirement age for full benefits if you left public employment

Waiting longer than your full retirement age, however, could cost you a lot of money.

If you aren’t working for a NYSLRS participating employer, your NYSLRS pension will not increase after your full retirement age. Pension benefits are not retroactive, and you will not be able to recover the monthly pension payments that you would have received if you retired at full retirement age.

How Social Security and NYSLRS Rules Differ

NYSLRS and Social Security are different systems with different milestones. You can collect Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62. If you delay taking Social Security, your benefit amount will continue to increase 8 percent per year until you reach age 70 (for those born in 1943 or later).

But if you wait until you’re 70 to apply for your NYSLRS pension, you’ll miss out on years of NYSLRS benefit payments.

The information above applies only to members who leave public employment before their full retirement age.

(In most cases, if you are still working for a participating public employer in New York State, your pension amount will continue to increase, even if you work past your retirement age.)

Steps You Can Take

Your retirement may be years or even decades in the future. Here are a few steps you can take to help you keep track of your NYSLRS pension if you leave public employment:

  • Estimate your NYSLRS pension at different ages using the benefit calculator in Retirement Online.
  • Create a plan for retirement, taking into account the milestones above.
  • Review your plan periodically and update it as necessary.
  • Keep your contact information up to date using Retirement Online.
  • Contact NYSLRS if you have questions about your benefits.

What to Consider When Choosing Your Retirement Date

Before you pin down a retirement date, there are several factors you should consider.

Your Retirement Date

NYSLRS has made it a lot easier for you to determine the best time to retire. Most members can now use our online pension calculator to estimate what your benefit would be at different retirement dates and ages. Just sign in to your Retirement Online account and click the “Estimate my Pension” button to get started.

As of April 9, 2022, Tier 5 and 6 members only need five years of service credit to be vested. If you are a Tier 5 or 6 member with five or more years of service credit you can contact us to request a benefit estimate.

choosing your retirement date

Your Health

Your current health and long-term health prospects should be a factor in choosing your retirement date. If your health is poor, you may want to retire earlier to give yourself more time to enjoy retirement. On the other hand, if you anticipate significant out-of-pocket health costs, working longer might give you more time to save for those costs.

If you are in good health, your retirement may last longer than average. In most cases, staying on the job a little longer will increase your NYSLRS pension and provide an opportunity to build your savings.

Your Savings

It’s always a good idea for members to plan to supplement their NYSLRS pension and Social Security with savings. Retirement savings are a hedge against inflation, can help in an emergency and give you more freedom to do the things you want to do in retirement.

Having retirement savings gives you more flexibility and — if you have enough saved — may offset any penalty if you decide to retire early. On the other hand, if you have no savings or are short of what you’d like to have, working a little longer offers a chance to save more.

State employees and some municipal employees can take advantage of the New York State Deferred Compensation PlanIn 2022, you can save up to $20,500 per year in a Deferred Compensation account, under Internal Revenue Service rules. Starting in the year you turn 50, you can save an additional catch-up amount. The age 50-plus catch-up amount for 2022 is $6,500.

If you don’t work for New York State, check with your employer to see if you are eligible. If you are not eligible, your employer may be able to direct you to an alternative retirement savings program. (The Deferred Compensation Plan is not affiliated with NYSLRS.)

Your Current Job

The type of work you do is an important factor in determining when to retire. A physically demanding job can get even harder as you age.

But there are other things to consider about your current job. Some members want to retire as soon as they’re eligible to go. However, if your job gives you satisfaction and a sense of purpose, are you ready to walk away from it? Do you look forward to social interactions with your coworkers? Will you miss your job more than you enjoy being retired?

Your Plans for Retirement

Is retirement the end of something or the beginning of something new? Answering that question could go a long way toward determining your ideal retirement date. If you have dreams of starting your own business or going mountain climbing in Spain, you may not want to delay retirement.

On the other hand, if you don’t have a plan to fill the long hours of retirement, you risk becoming bored or depressed. For some, that risk is a reason to keep working. Whether you decide to retire earlier or later, having a plan for retirement can help make it a more satisfying experience.

Countdown to Retirement – 1-3 Months to Go

Congratulations! After years of hard work and planning, the big day is almost here. It’s time to file for retirement.

You must submit your service retirement application 15 to 90 days before your retirement date.

Countdown to Retirement – 1-3 Months to Go

Filing Online

Online filing offers a secure and convenient way to apply for a service retirement benefit. You can upload needed documents instead of having applications notarized and taking them to the post office. You can also check on the status of your application once you submit it through Retirement Online. To get started, sign in to your Retirement Online account, scroll to the ‘My Account Summary’ section and click the “Apply for Retirement” button.

From there, you’ll go through a series of screens where you’ll be able to:

  • Choose your retirement date;
  • Get an estimate of the pension payment options available to you;
  • Select a pension payment option and beneficiary;
  • Have federal taxes withheld;
  • Sign up for direct deposit; and
  • Upload required documents, such as proof of date of birth.

After you click the “Submit” button, do not close your browser until you receive a confirmation message saying your application has been successfully submitted.

Once you submit your application, you will see a summary page that will include all the information that you have submitted through Retirement Online. Review this information to be sure that your online application is complete and your chosen option benefit and beneficiary information are accurate. This is very important since there are specific deadlines for selecting or changing a pension option and beneficiary.

If you don’t have a Retirement Online account, you can sign up today.

Filing by Mail

If you prefer, you can submit a paper retirement application. Complete an Application for Service Retirement (RS6037) and mail it to NYSLRS. (Do not give your retirement application to your employer.) Your application must be signed, notarized, and received by NYSLRS. We recommend that you mail your application “certified mail, return receipt requested.”

If you have received a recent pension estimate and you know which pension payment option you want, you should include your pension payment option form when you mail your retirement application. If you have not received an estimate, we will send you one, along with an option form, after we receive your application, but you must select an option within the deadlines required by law.

If you file by mail, you must also send us the following documents:

 We cannot start paying benefits until we receive proof of your date of birth.

If you have questions about filing for your retirement benefits, you can schedule a pre-retirement telephone consultation. To make an appointment, call 1-866-805-0990 (or 518-474-7736 in the Albany, NY area), press 2, then follow the prompts.

Read the Rest of Our Countdown to Retirement Series

This is the final installment of our Countdown to Retirement series. Missed our earlier posts? Catch up with them here: