Tag Archives: contact information

Common Retirement Myths—Part 2

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Sometimes a small misunderstanding can have a big impact on your retirement benefits. We debunked some common retirement myths in an earlier blog post. Here are five more myths you should be aware of.

Retirement Myths vs Facts

retirement myths

I updated my contact information with my employer, so I don’t need to update it with NYSLRS.

retirement fact

You need to update your contact information with both your employer and NYSLRS. Your employer does not provide updated member contact information to us. Make sure we have your current mailing address, phone number and email address on file so you receive the news, correspondence and statements we send you. Retirement Online is the fastest way to view and update your contact information with NYSLRS.

retirement myths

I can’t estimate my pension benefit until I’m close to retirement.

retirement fact

Even if you are years away from retiring, you can estimate your pension benefit in minutes using Retirement Online. Enter different retirement dates and beneficiaries to see how your choices affect your potential benefit and customize your estimate by adjusting your earnings if you anticipate a pay increase before you retire. (Note: Some members may not be able to use the Retirement Online pension calculator because of their circumstances—the system will notify you if your estimate cannot be completed, and you can send us a message using our secure contact form to request one.)

retirement myths

If I retire with an outstanding loan, my pension payment will be reduced temporarily until the loan is paid off.

retirement fact

If you retire with an outstanding loan, your pension will be permanently reduced.* We do not withhold loan deductions after retirement and apply it toward the outstanding balance until it’s paid in full.

Also, all or part of your outstanding loan balance may be subject to federal income taxes. If you retire before age 59½, the IRS may charge an additional 10 percent penalty.

*Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) members can repay their NYSLRS loan after they retire. However, you would need to pay the full balance of the loan in a one-time lump sum payment. Your pension would then be recalculated to remove the reduction and your monthly payment would increase going forward, but it would not be retroactive to your date of retirement.

retirement myths

The only way to file for retirement and begin receiving my pension is by completing a bunch of paper forms.

retirement fact

You can apply for retirement in Retirement Online, which is faster and more convenient than printing and mailing forms, and there’s nothing to have notarized. And when you apply online, you can also make changes online before your date of retirement—for example, if you need to change your banking or tax information. Watch our video for more information.

retirement myths

I can change my pension beneficiary after I retire.

retirement fact

Most retirees have 30 days from the start of the month following their retirement date to change their option election. After those 30 days, only certain pension payment options let you change your beneficiary.

  • The Single Life Allowance option provides the maximum monthly benefit payment to you for the rest of your life, but all payments stop upon your death, so nothing will be paid to a beneficiary.
  • The Joint Allowance or Pop Up Joint Allowance options provide a lifetime benefit for a beneficiary. After the initial 30-day window, you cannot change your beneficiary for any reason.
  • The Five Year Certain or Ten Year Certain options provide benefit payments to a beneficiary for a finite period if you die within five or ten years of your retirement—if you choose one of these options, you can change your beneficiary at any time. If you live beyond the five- or ten-year period, your beneficiary will not receive a pension benefit upon your death.    

Note, most retirement plans also provide a post-retirement death benefit, which is a one-time lump sum payment to your beneficiaries—you can change your beneficiaries for this at any time.

You can find more facts about your NYSLRS benefits in your retirement plan publication. If you have account-specific questions, please message our customer service representatives using our secure contact form.

Make Sure You Receive Your Member Annual Statement

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Member Annual Statements are distributed to NYSLRS members each spring. Don’t wait for a mailed copy — get your Statement online instead! You can update your delivery preference in Retirement Online to receive an email when your Statement is available.

(Note: Retiree Annual Statements were made available online in February.)

Get Your Member Annual Statement Sooner

You’ll receive your Member Annual Statement sooner if you choose to receive it through Retirement Online.

To update your delivery preference:

  • Sign in to Retirement Online.
  • From your Account Homepage, click “update” next to ‘Member Annual Statement by.’
  • Choose “Email” from the dropdown.
Get Your Member Annual Statement Faster with Retirement Online

Check and Update Your Contact Information

Retirement Online is the fastest way to check your contact information and update it if needed. If you don’t already have an email address on file, please provide it so that we can contact you quickly if we need to notify you about important information such as a change to your benefits. Use a personal email address you will have access to before and after you retire, rather than a work email address. You should also make sure your mailing address and phone number are current.

To update your contact information, click “update” next to your email address, mailing address or phone number to make corrections.

Use Retirement Online to Stay Informed

Your annual Statement is a snapshot of your NYSLRS account as of March 31. For the most up-to-date information year-round, sign in to your Retirement Online account.

In Retirement Online, you can view your date of membership, tier, retirement plan, estimated total service credit and more. Check out what else members can do in Retirement Online.

If you don’t already have an account, learn more and register for one today. If you need help with Retirement Online, read our Retirement Online Tools and Tips blog post.

Retirement Online for Retirees Keeps Getting Better

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More than 480,000 members and retirees have discovered that Retirement Online is the fastest way to do business with NYSLRS. It’s secure and convenient, and helps you avoid calling or mailing forms. It also gives you instant access to information about your benefits. And, your important documents will be available online, sooner than printed copies are mailed.

Retirement Online for Retirees Keeps Getting Better

Retirees Can Do Even More in Retirement Online

The Fastest Way to Get Your 1099-R Tax Document

With Retirement Online, you can get the tax information you need faster. If you receive a taxable benefit from NYSLRS, your 1099-R is now available online. Sign in to view, save or print your tax form for 2023.

View Your Retiree Annual Statement Online

Your Retiree Annual Statement provides important information about your benefit amount, deductions and tax withholding. Beginning with your 2023 Statement, you can now access it in Retirement Online.

Make the Switch to Email and ‘Go Green’

Be the first to know when documents are available online — email delivery gives you access to your important documents sooner. It also helps the environment by reducing paper consumption. ‘Go green’ by choosing the paperless option.

It’s easy to make the switch. To receive an email when your 1099-R tax form and Retiree Annual Statement are available in Retirement Online next year:

  • Sign in to Retirement Online.
  • From your Account Homepage, click the “update” link next to ‘1099-R Tax Form Delivery by’ or ‘Retiree Annual Statement by.’
  • Choose “Email” from the dropdown.

Be sure to check that the email address listed in your Retirement Online profile is current.

If you choose the email delivery preference, you will not receive a printed copy in the mail.

Don’t Forget These Timesaving Features

Change Your Federal Tax Withholding

No forms needed — Retirement Online is the fastest way to update your withholding. If you submit your changes by the middle of the month, they will generally be applied to that month’s payment.

Generate a Pension Verification Letter

There are organizations that may ask you for a letter verifying your pension income — maybe for housing or as part of an application for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). You can use Retirement Online to save or print your own letter any time you need one.

Manage Your Direct Deposit

Use Retirement Online to securely update your direct deposit bank account information. Whether you’ve switched banks or need to move your deposits to a different account, you can make those changes quickly with Retirement Online. Changes are generally applied within one to two payments, and more quickly than if you send in a paper form.

View Your Pension Pay Stubs

You can access pay stubs for your benefit payments by clicking the date of the payment you want to view. You can track year-to-date totals and any deductions for health insurance, union dues, tax withholding or disbursements under a domestic relations order, giving you greater insight into your benefits. NYSLRS will also send you a notice whenever the amount of your monthly payment changes.

Update Your Contact Information

Let us know if you move or your phone number or email address change. Update your contact information quickly in Retirement Online to make sure you continue to receive important news and information about your benefits.

You can even schedule an address change, so you’ll get NYSLRS mail at your seasonal home without interruption.

Manage Your Beneficiaries

Eligible retirees can change their beneficiary for their post-retirement death benefit or update contact information for an existing beneficiary.

If You Haven’t Opened Your Account, Sign Up Today

If you don’t have a Retirement Online account, now is a great time to sign up. Click “Sign Up” on our Retirement Online Sign In page to get started. We have step-by-step instructions on registering for your account and how to sign in for the first time. If it’s been a while, you may need to look up your user ID or reset your password.

You may also find our Retirement Online Tools and Tips blog post helpful.

A Short To-Do List for After You Retire

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There are a few things you should do regarding your NYSLRS benefits after you retire. This way, wherever your retirement takes you, we can continue to provide you with the benefits and services available to our retirees.

A Short To-Do List for After You Retire

Sign Up for Retirement Online

If you don’t already have a Retirement Online account, this is a great time to sign up. Retirement Online provides a secure and convenient way to check important NYSLRS information, like the deductions from your latest payment and a summary of your benefits. You can also view or update beneficiary information and generate pension income verification letters right from your computer. We’ll be adding additional online features for retirees in the near future, so stay tuned.

Have New Contact Information? Let Us Know

If you move after you retire, let NYSLRS know your new address so you can be sure to get important communications about your benefits.

The Post Office usually won’t forward pension checks to another address. If you haven’t already, you can sign up for our direct deposit program. It’s the safe, hassle-free way to receive your monthly benefit. But there are other things you’ll want to receive from us after you retire, such as:

  • Your 1099-R form. Your pension isn’t taxed by New York State, but it is subject to federal income tax.
  • Your Retiree Annual Statement. It’s a helpful reference that spells out the benefits, credits and deductions you receive each year.
  • Any official notifications such as a net change in your benefits.
  • Your Retiree Notes newsletter.

There are several ways to update your address. The fastest way is through Retirement Online. Or, you can complete our secure contact form for street addresses within the United States. Be sure to fill out the entire contact form and provide both your old and new addresses.

You can also complete a Change of Address Form (RS5512) and mail it to:

NYSLRS
110 State Street
Albany, NY 12244-0001

You should also make sure we have your current email address. Having an email address on file means we can contact you quickly if we need to notify you about an update to your NYSLRS benefits. If you haven’t updated your email address with NYSLRS, update it in Retirement Online, send it to us using the secure email form or send it to us with your Change of Address Form (RS5512).

Keep Your Beneficiary Information Current

Reviewing your beneficiary designations periodically is important. By keeping them up to date, you ensure that any post-retirement death benefit will be distributed to your loved ones according to your wishes. You can use Retirement Online to change your death benefit beneficiaries at any time, or contact our Call Center and we will send you the necessary form.

Read Our Guide for Retirees

Check out our publication, Life Changes: A Guide for Retirees (VO1705), for information about other benefits you may be entitled to and the services we offer after you retire.

Retirees: Be Sure We Have Your Current Email and Mailing Address

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Retirees should make sure their mailing address is current before the end of 2022 in order to receive important information from NYSLRS in the coming year. We’ll be mailing 1099-R tax documents in late January and Retiree Annual Statements in February.

Remember, if you file an address change order with the Post Office, they will only forward your mail for a limited time.

If you don’t already have an email address on file, please provide one so we can contact you quickly if we need to notify you about important information such as a change to your benefits. Make sure the email address you use is a personal email address that you have access to when you are retired (rather than a work email address) and remember to keep it up to date.

You can also choose to have account updates sent to you electronically instead of by mail. From your Account Homepage, click the “Update” link next to ‘Contact by’ and select Email as your correspondence preference. When there’s an update to your account, NYSLRS will send you an email to let you know you can sign in to Retirement Online to view it.

Check and Update Your Contact Information With Retirement Online

Retirement Online is the fast and convenient way to check your mailing address, phone number and email address, and update them if needed. ­­If you don’t already have an account, go to the Sign In page and click “Sign Up” under the ‘Customer Sign In’ button. (Need help with Retirement Online? See this post for handy tips.)

update your mailing address and contact info in Retirement Online

Other Ways to Update Your Mailing Address

There are other ways to update the mailing address we have on file for you.

By Email
If your new address is not a PO box or international address, you can email your address change information using the secure contact form on our website. Be sure to complete all form fields and provide your old and new addresses.

By Phone
For street addresses within the United States, you can call us toll-free 866-805-0990 (518-474-7736 in the Albany, New York area). Business hours are Monday through Friday, from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm. You will need to answer some questions to confirm your identity before we update your contact information in our records.

By Mail
You can complete and submit a change of address form by mail. (You’ll need this form if your new address is a PO box or an international address.) Mail your completed form to:

NYSLRS
110 State Street
Albany, NY 12244-0001