Typically, your payroll stub displays a pension number. Pension numbers beginning with either 5 or 6 generally belong to BERS. BERS pension deductions are usually coded as BOE414(h) on your payroll stub.

• one
• two
• three

No. A member of Tier 4 who was in an eligible position for the 25 Year Early Retirement Program on June 28, 1995 does not have the option of participating in the 57/5 program. A member in active service can retire with a reduced pension between the ages of 55 and 62.

In order to purchase previous service (buyback) a member must complete an application to have the service reviewed for credit. On the application, the member must indicate what years of service they wish to buy and provide verification of service and salary. Acceptable forms of verification include W2's, Social Security printouts detailing the name of the employer, or end of the year payroll stubs that indicate earnings to date. Once this information is received by BERS, your service will be reviewed to determine if it is pensionable service.

If you are a BERS member with 5 years of membership service and were honorably discharged after active service, then you may be eligible to purchase retirement credit for up to 3 years of military service performed before your membership with BERS. Additionally, if you are called to active duty military service while a City employee and a member of BERS, and if you do not remain active on City payroll during this period of active duty, then you may also be eligible to purchase retirement credit for that service.

The cost to buy-back service in Tiers 1 and 2 is based on your present earnings. The cost to buy-back service in Tiers 3 and 4 is based on the salary you were earning at the time the service was rendered, plus 5% interest. Military service will cost 3% of your salary from the last 12 months before you applied. You may pay for prior service credit in either a lump sum payment, post-tax payroll deductions, or with TDA funds (if applicable).

Those in a non-teaching job whose duties are regularly scheduled to be performed only during the school year (e.g. school aide, lunchroom worker), receive one year of credited service for 1,470 hours of work. Administrative hourly employees must work 1,827 hours for one year of credited service. Substitute teachers must work 180 days for the same credit.

If you have an outstanding loan balance at the time of your death, and it is not in default, your loan may be insured. If insured, your loan will be liquidated (paid off). Loan insurance for a Tier 1 or Tier 2 loan becomes fully effective 90 days after the issuance of the loan. Loan insurance for a Tier 3 or Tier 4 loan becomes fully effective 30 days after the issuance of the loan. Loan insurance for a 55/25 or 57/5 loan becomes fully effective 30 days after the issuance of the loan.

The maximum repayment period for a pension loan is 48 months.

Any outstanding loan balances must be satisfied prior to retiring. You have two options on repaying an outstanding loan at retirement: You may make a lump sum payment in the full amount of the outstanding loan. You may elect to have the outstanding loan balance removed from your ASF or MCAF account (you would have no out-of-pocket expense), however, your pension will be actuarially reduced. The reduction to your pension is a permanent reduction and continues for the life of your pension and that of any beneficiary you have designated to receive a pension upon your death.

The City of New York does not contribute to the individual account of a Tier 3/4 member. The City of New York does make employer contributions on an annual basis to the Board of Education Retirement System in amounts certified to cover the cost of benefits for Tier 3/4 members.

A Tier 1 or Tier 2 member must file a retirement application with BERS at least 30 days prior to the date of their retirement. A Tier 3/4 member is required to give only 1 days’ notice. It is in the best interest of all members to prepare for their retirement at least 90 days prior to the date they want to be retired. This period of time will allow the retirement system to have an approximation of benefits prepared and leave ample time for the member to make the wisest decision as to what retirement option they wish to take. Also, if a member has terminal leave, annual leave, or sick leave accruals, they should meet with their timekeeper to determine when they will no longer be on payroll. The retirement system requires this information in order to determine the correct retirement date.

A member may rescind their retirement application up to the day of retirement. Once the retirement date has arrived, the member is retired and may not rescind their application.

In most cases, a litigation hold on your account indicates that BERS has either received a Domestic Relations Order (DRO) in connection with your accounts, or has received notice that a DRO may be pending. A DRO is a court order issued during a divorce proceeding, which requires the retirement system to take certain steps. If your account is marked with a litigation hold, then you will not be able to update your beneficiaries or apply for a loan using the online Member Self-Service (MSS) portal. Instead, you will need to complete a Designation of Beneficiary or Loan Application form and submit it to BERS. If you are unsure why there is a litigation hold on your account, you may email BERS for more information.

A member of the retirement system who has a balance of at least $2,000 may take a TDA loan. The maximum repayment period for a TDA loan is 60 months.

No. A BERS member who transfers their membership to NYCERS may not continue to contribute to the BERS TDA Program. You may be able to withdraw your TDA investment or roll it over into another investment vehicle such as another TDA, a 401(k) plan, 457 plan, or IRA. If you elect to withdraw your TDA contributions prior to age 59½, you may be taxed and penalized for the premature withdrawal.

Any active member of BERS on DOE payroll may join the TDA Program.

TDA Enrollment forms can be downloaded from the forms page. Select the Plan Information tab and the link for Forms will be on the left navigation panel. You can also contact BERS for a TDA Enrollment Form. You can call BERS at 929-305-3800 or send an email request to Brespon@bers.nyc.gov.

You may enroll in the TDA Program at any time during the year. Contributions will begin approximately 60 days after your TDA Enrollment Form is received at BERS

You may change your TDA contribution rate at any time. Once you elect a contribution rate, that rate will continue until you change it by completing and submitting a TDA Investment or Election Change Form. You may also change your TDA contribution rate online by using the Member Self Service Portal (MSS). Signing up for a MSS account is easy, please visit the Register/Log In page for helpful MSS user guides.

When you enroll in the TDA Program, you select the allocation of your TDA contributions. You may change the allocation of your past or future contributions as often as once per quarter.

When you retire, resign, or otherwise end your employment with the City of New York, you have several options available to you. If You Are Retired: At retirement, you may arrange to receive regular payments through the purchase of an annuity, make a direct withdrawal, rollover, or transfer of your account. You can also elect TDA Deferral status at retirement, which allows you to leave your contributions and investment results in the TDA Program until Required Minimum Distributions begin at the age of 72. If You Are a Vested Member: If you leave employment after attaining vested rights in the pension system, you may withdraw the balance of your TDA account or you may elect to have a TDA Deferral status. Electing TDA Deferral status allows you to continue your participation in the Fixed and Variable Programs on a tax-deferred basis. If You Are Not a Vested Member: Should you leave employment for any reason before vesting in the pension system, you may withdraw the balance of your TDA account at any time. If you do not withdraw your QPP account balance, your TDA account will continue to accrue investment returns for up to five years from the date of your resignation. A withdrawal of your QPP account balance will automatically terminate your participation in the TDA Program.

If you retire, you must begin receiving Required Minimum Distributions of your post-1986 account value by April 1 of the year following the year you reach age 72, and your December 31, 1986 account value at age 75. Once distributions begin, a minimum amount is required each year. If you are still in active service when you reach age 72, a required minimum distribution of your post-1986 account value must begin by April 1 of the year following your retirement and each December 31 thereafter.

The difference is in the taxability. Roth contributions are fully taxed by the federal government at the time that they are made, so they are not subject to taxes at the time of distribution. Earnings on Roth contributions are free from taxation at the time of distribution if the distribution occurs in the fifth year after the first Roth contribution or later, and as long as the participant is 59½ years old, disabled, or deceased. By contrast, pre-tax contributions and earnings on pre-tax contributions, are not taxed until they are distributed.

Yes. You may select only pre-tax contributions, only Roth contributions, or a combination of the two. The dollar amount of your contribution will always be based on your gross compensation.

Your Roth contributions to the BERS TDA Program will be invested in the same way as your pre-tax contributions. The fixed interest rate, the variable incremental increase, and the variable unit value are all the same for Roth contributions as for pre-tax contributions. To change your investment election, you may file a TDA Investment Election form, or submit a request using the BERS MSS Portal.

YThe refund eligibility rules are the same, whether your contributions were made on a pre-tax or Roth basis. You may request a TDA withdrawal after reaching age 59½ years of age, or after separation from service.