Tag Archives: Taxes

Federal Tax Withholding and Your Pension

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Most NYSLRS pensions are subject to federal income tax. If your last federal tax bill or return was larger than you expected and you want to change the amount withheld from your NYSLRS pension, Retirement Online makes it fast and convenient to update your federal tax withholding. If you haven’t signed up yet, learn more about Retirement Online and click “Register Now” to open your account.

federal tax withholding and your pension

Understanding Your Federal Tax Withholding

NYSLRS calculates the amount withheld from your monthly benefit payment based on the information you provide us on a W-4P form (Withholding Certificate for Pension or Annuity Payments).

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released a revised version of their W-4P form, which no longer allows tax filers to adjust their withholding by electing a specific number of allowances. To comply with the IRS’ requirements, NYSLRS updated our tax withholding form. You do not need to submit a new W-4P to NYSLRS unless you want to change the amount of your tax withholding.

Updating Your Withholding

Retirement Online provides an online form that collects the same information as the paper W-4P form, and your updates will be made more quickly if you submit them online.

  • Sign in to Retirement Online.
  • From your Account Homepage, click the green “Update My W-4P Tax Information” button.
  • Follow the steps to update your withholding.

Basic Withholding

Step 1. Select your filing status. If you want your federal withholding to be based only on the benefit amount you receive from NYSLRS, with no adjustments, you can skip steps 2 – 4.

Adjustments to Withholding (Dependents, Tax Credits)

Complete Steps 2 – 4 ONLY if they apply to you.

Step 2. If you have income from a job or more than one pension/annuity, in addition to your NYSLRS pension, or if you’re married filing jointly and your spouse receives income from a job or pension/annuity, you can enter that in Step 2.

Click the ‘View Instructions’ link or see page 2 of the current IRS Form W-4P for examples that may help you with this step.

Step 3. If you need to claim dependents, you can enter that information in Step 3.

Step 4. If you have other adjustments to make — other income, deductions or extra withholding — you can complete Step 4.

Click the ‘View Instructions’ link or see page 3 of the current IRS Form W-4P for instructions and a worksheet that may help you with this step.

If you update your federal withholding online by the middle of the month, your changes will generally be applied that month. We’ll notify you by mail or email (depending on your contact preference) when the update has been completed.

If You Need Help

Our Taxes and Your Pension page has additional information about federal withholding, including what to do if you receive more than one benefit payment from NYSLRS, 1099-R tax form information and more.

If you need assistance completing the form, visit the IRS’ website and read the current revision of the IRS Form W-4P (detailed instructions start on page 2). You can also find phone numbers and online resources on the IRS’ Let Us Help You page.

If you’re not sure whether you need to adjust your federal withholding or if you have other tax questions, you may want to check with a tax preparer.

Retirees: Your 1099-R is Available Online

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Retirees: Your 1099-R is Available OnlineTax season is approaching, and with 1099-Rs available online, getting this key NYSLRS tax form is now faster and more convenient than ever.

Most NYSLRS pensions are subject to federal income tax (some disability benefits are not taxable). If you receive taxable income from NYSLRS, we provide a 1099-R tax form for filing your taxes. New this year, retirees who opted to go paperless received an email notifying them their 1099-R is available in their Retirement Online account. If you did not change your delivery preference to email, your 1099-R tax form will be mailed to you by January 31.

Understanding Your 1099-R

A 1099-R tax form is used to report the distribution of taxable retirement benefits. It shows:

  • The total benefit paid to you in a calendar year.
  • The taxable amount of your benefit.
  • The amount of taxes withheld from your benefit.

If you have questions about the information on the form, check our interactive 1099-R tutorial. It walks you through a sample 1099-R and offers a short explanation of each box on the form.

Get Your 1099-R Online Now

Whether you chose email delivery or not, you can access your 1099-R in your Retirement Online account now. To view, save or print your 1099-R:

  • Sign in to Retirement Online.
  • From your Account Homepage, click the “Manage My 1099-R Tax Forms” button.
  • Select “2023” from the dropdown.

If you don’t have an account, you can find step-by-step instructions for registering in the Tools & Tips section of the Retirement Online page.

Changing Your Federal Withholding

After you file your taxes, you may find that you need to adjust the federal taxes that are being withheld from your pension.

Retirement Online is the fast and convenient way to change your withholding information. You can also check your current withholding by signing in to Retirement Online and viewing your most recent pension pay stub. Visit our Taxes and Your Pension page for more information.

Note: New York State doesn’t tax your NYSLRS pension, and we can’t withhold income tax for other states.

10 Things All NYSLRS Retirees Should Know

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Retirees, brush up on your Retirement System knowledge!

10 Things All NYSLRS Retirees Should Know
  1. Get Your 1099-R Tax Form in Retirement Online
    Starting in 2024, your 1099-R tax form will be available in Retirement Online! Get yours faster and help us ‘go green’ — update your delivery preference now to receive an email when it’s ready, instead of waiting for it in the mail. (If you choose to receive your 1099-R by email, you will not receive a printed copy in the mail. Regardless of your delivery preference, you will be able to view and print your 1099-R by signing in to Retirement Online at the end of January.)
  2. Change Your Federal Tax Withholding in Retirement Online
    Retirement Online is the fastest way to update your withholding. Changes submitted by the middle of the month will generally appear in that month’s payment. Most NYSLRS pensions are subject to federal income tax (some disability benefits are not taxable).
  3. Not Taxed by New York State
    Your NYSLRS pension is not subject to New York State or local income taxes. Visit our Taxes and Your Pension page for more information. If you move to another state, your pension may be subject to that state’s income tax. If you’re thinking of moving to another state, check with that state’s tax department.
  4. Get Your Retiree Annual Statement in Retirement Online
    Starting in 2024, you can use Retirement Online to view and print your annual statement. Help us go green and update your delivery preference to receive an email when it’s available, instead of waiting to receive it in the mail.
  5. Manage Your Direct Deposit in Retirement Online
    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. You can find out when your next pension payment is coming by checking our online pension payment calendar.
  6. Prove Your Pension Income Using Retirement Online
    You may need proof of your retirement income for housing or as part of an application for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). With Retirement Online, you can print or save an income verification letter any time you need one.
  7. Receiving Your Annual Cost of Living Increases
    Once you become eligible for a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), you will receive a permanent increase to your pension amount every September. When your net benefit amount changes, NYSLRS will inform you.
  8. View Your Pension Payment “Pay Stub” in Retirement Online
    Sign in to Retirement Online to access full pay stubs for your pension payments. Select the date of the payment you want to review to see a breakdown of your pension payment, including your most recent COLA amount as well as any deductions made for health insurance, union dues, tax withholding or disbursements under a domestic relations order.
  9. You May Leave a Death Benefit
    Your survivors may be entitled to a death benefit after you die. Retirement Online makes it easy for eligible retirees to view their beneficiary selections, choose different beneficiaries or change contact information for an existing beneficiary. Anyone can report the death of a retiree by using our online death report form.
  10. Best-Funded, Best-Managed
    The New York State Common Retirement Fund holds and invests the assets of NYSLRS on behalf of members, retirees and their beneficiaries and continues to be one of the best-funded and best-managed public pension funds in the nation. Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli is the administrative head of NYSLRS and trustee of the Common Retirement Fund.

Not retired yet? Read our blog post 10 Things All NYSLRS Members Should Know.

Taxes After Retirement

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Estimating your post-retirement expenses is crucial to effective retirement planning, and it’s important to remember that taxes are also part of that equation. Most retirees pay less in taxes than when they were working, partly because their incomes are lower. But there are other reasons why your tax burden may be lighter after you stop working.

taxes after retirement

New York State Taxes

As a NYSLRS retiree, your pension will not be subject to New York State or local income tax. New York doesn’t tax Social Security benefits, either.

You may also get a tax break on any distributions from retirement savings, such as deferred compensation, and benefits from a private-sector pension. Find out more on the Department of Taxation and Finance website.

Be aware that you could lose these tax breaks if you move out of New York. Many states tax pensions, and some tax Social Security. For information on tax laws in other states, visit the website of the Retired Public Employees Association.

Federal Taxes

Unfortunately, most of your retirement income will be subject to federal taxes, but there are some bright spots here.

Your Social Security benefits are likely to be taxed, but at most, you’ll only pay taxes on a portion of your benefits. You can find information about it on the Social Security Administration website. (If you’re already retired, use the Social Security Benefits Worksheet in the Form 1040 instructions to see if any of your benefits are taxable.)

Throughout your working years, you’ve paid payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare. For most workers, that’s 6.2 percent (Social Security) and 1.45 percent (Medicare) of your gross earnings out of every paycheck. But Social Security and Medicare taxes are only withheld from earned income, such as wages. Pensions, Social Security benefits and retirement savings distributions are exempt from Social Security taxes. Of course, if you get a paying job after retirement, Social Security and Medicare taxes will be deducted from your paycheck.

Once you turn 65, you may be able to claim a larger standard deduction on your federal tax return.

To better understand how your retirement income will be taxed, it may be helpful to speak with a tax adviser.

Questions About Your NYSLRS Membership? Look Here for Answers

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If you have general questions about NYSLRS or your benefits, we have a web page that can help you find the answers.

That’s because the NYSLRS Contact Us page does double duty. It not only lists contact information, it also helps you find answers for many of the common questions we get from members, retirees and beneficiaries. It covers subjects like address changes, loans, pension estimates, direct deposit and cost-of-living adjustments (COLA).

To get started, go to the Contact Us page and select the Member, Retiree or Beneficiary button to find the questions and answers you need. Each section has categories specific to that member group.

Member

answers
  • Address Change
  • Forms
  • Loans
  • Member Annual Statement
  • Mortgage Letter/Account Verification Letter
  • Pension Estimates
  • Retirement Online
  • Service Credit
  • Withdrawing from NYSLRS

Retiree

answers
  • 1099-R Reprint
  • Address Change
  • Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA)
  • Direct Deposit
  • Federal Taxes
  • Forms
  • Health Insurance
  • Pension Checks
  • Pension Verification Letters
  • Retirement Online

Beneficiary

answers
  • 1099-R Reprint
  • Address Change
  • Direct Deposit
  • Federal Taxes
  • Forms
  • Pension Checks
  • Pension Verification Letters
  • Reporting a Death
  • Retirement Online
  • Who is a Beneficiary?

Getting Account-Specific Answers

The information on the Contact Us page is general. If you’re looking for information specific to your situation, like your loan balance or a breakdown of your pension payment, sign in to Retirement Online. If you don’t already have a Retirement Online account, sign up today.

Taxes and Your NYSLRS Loan

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You may be eligible to borrow money against your retirement contributions, but the loan may have tax implications. A NYSLRS loan is exempt from New York State and local income taxes, but it would be subject to federal taxes if the loan amount exceeds certain limits. That means you would need to include it on your federal income tax return for the year the loan is issued.(We’ll send you a 1099-R to file with your taxes.)

If you already have one or more outstanding NYSLRS loans, all or part of your new loan could be taxable. Also, if you already have a loan from a deferred compensation (457) or a tax-sheltered annuity (403-b) plan from your current employer, the total of all of your loan balances will be used in calculating your tax threshold.

The tax impact can be significant, and may even push you into a higher tax bracket. And, if you’re younger than 59½, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may charge a 10 percent penalty on top of your federal income taxes. Even if a substantial portion of your loan goes to the IRS, you’ll still have to repay the entire amount, plus interest, to NYSLRS. Moreover, if you do not pay off your loan before you retire, your pension will be permanently reduced.

You can have NYSLRS withhold 10 percent of the taxable amount from your loan check, but in most cases that will not cover the total amount you will owe the IRS.

Multiple Loans vs. Refinanced Loans

You may be able to avoid taxes, or at least lower them, by the way you structure your loan. If you have one or more NYSLRS loans and are considering another loan, you’ll have two options. You can take it as a separate loan (known as a multiple loan) or you can refinance your existing loan(s) to include the new loan amount.

The multiple loan option minimizes the potential tax impact. The minimum payment amount is higher for a multiple loan, but the minimum payment amount goes down as your loans are paid off. (The separate loan payments will be combined into a single payroll deduction.) The refinanced loan balance is spread over an additional five-year period. This reduces the minimum payment, but the taxable amount of a refinanced loan will always be greater than the taxable amount of a multiple loan.

Taxes and Your NYSLRS Loan

Retirement Online

Retirement Online, our self-service tool that gives you secure access to your account information, is the most convenient way to apply for a loan. Retirement Online will also let you know how much you can borrow, your repayment options and whether your loan is taxable. If you don’t already have an account, visit our website to learn more.

We recommend that you speak to a tax advisor or a NYSLRS customer service representative before taking a taxable loan. For more information about taking a loan from NYSLRS, visit our Loans page.