When you join NYSLRS, we ask you to designate one or more beneficiaries who may receive certain benefits if you die while working. But, don’t forget about your beneficiaries after you turn in your membership application. It’s important to review them periodically to make sure they reflect your current wishes.

Your beneficiaries can be anyone; you don’t need to choose family members. You can even name an organization, such as a charity or religious institution, or your estate. And, did you know there are two types of beneficiary that you can designate?

Types of Beneficiaries

You can name both primary and contingent beneficiaries:

• Your primary beneficiary will receive any payable benefit. You can list more than one primary beneficiary, and if you do, they will share the benefit equally. You can also choose different percentages for each beneficiary, as long as they total 100 percent. (Example: John Doe, 50 percent; Jane Doe, 25 percent; and Mary Doe, 25 percent.)

• Your contingent beneficiary will only receive the benefit if all your primary beneficiaries die before you do. Multiple contingent beneficiaries will share the benefit equally, unless you choose to divide the benefit among them differently.

How Do I Designate a Beneficiary?

Even though you designated a beneficiary when you first joined NYSLRS, you can update your beneficiaries any time.

• The fastest way to view or update your beneficiaries is through Retirement Online. It’s a convenient and secure way to review your personal details, contact information and more. Register and sign in, then click Manage My Beneficiaries on the right, under I want to ….
• You can also complete and mail us a Designation of Beneficiary form (RS5127). Be sure to sign and date the form, and have your signature notarized. The notary must include his or her notary expiration date, and your notary should not be one of your beneficiaries. We can’t accept a form with any alterations, including erasures or the use of correction fluid. You can name up to four primary and four contingent beneficiaries on the form. Please contact us if you want to designate more, because we cannot accept attachments.

Whether you change your beneficiaries online or by mail, be sure to include all of your beneficiaries. Your new beneficiary designations will replace all of your previously named beneficiaries. The changes will not take effect until we review and approve your designations.

More Information

You can read more about beneficiary designations in our Life Changes: Why Should I Designate a Beneficiary? publication. If you have any other questions, please contact us.