Congratulations on taking the first step toward securing your financial future today!

The BERS pension plan offers immediate and long-term benefits that can help you boost your financial well-being - now and in the future. If you want income for life after you retire, you must be a member of the BERS pension plan.

By enrolling in the pension plan now you will enjoy these benefits:

• A paycheck for life in retirement, vesting after five years of service
• A death benefit after one year of service, payable to beneficiaries of your choice
• Disability retirement coverage after ten years of service, or if you suffer a work-related accident
• A way to save even more money for retirement through the Tax-Deferred Annuity (TDA) Program, for DOE employees
• And much more!

You have a choice. If you want to enroll in the pension plan, you can complete the BERS Enrollment forms today, or you can let BERS automatically enroll you. For more information about auto-enrollment check out our Auto Enrollment Legislation FAQ. If you do not want to enroll in BERS, you can complete the opt-out form. Do not complete the opt-out form unless you do not want BERS to automatically enroll you.

Questions?

BERS is staffed with knowledgeable, caring retirement representatives who can work with you one-on-one to explain the plan and answer any questions you have.

Retirement representatives can:

• Confirm your eligibility
• Help you complete the enrollment paperwork
• Calculate your per-paycheck contributions
• Help you understand how the TDA Program works
• And so much more!

If you think you cannot afford to participate, consider this: For members earning under $45,000 per year, the contribution rate is only 3% of your gross salary. A small contribution now will provide you with ongoing paychecks for life in retirement.

If you have questions about participating in BERS, you can email brespon@bers.nyc.gov or contact a retirement representative at (929) 305-3800 or (800) 843-5575 (outside New York State), Monday to Friday.

Why Join BERS? Watch our video and see why you should become a member.

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