Overview
An estimated invoice is provided in July for informational purposes. It approximates your final annual invoice. If you have the Billing Security Role, we notify you when your estimated invoice is available in Retirement Online.
Please do not send payment for your estimated invoice. Your final annual invoice will be provided in November. Payment will be due by February 1, 2025, or you will have the option to pay a discounted prepayment amount by December 15, 2024.
Note: Both February 1, 2025 and December 15, 2024 fall on a weekend. Detailed payment information and instructions will be provided with your invoice in November.
Viewing Your Estimated Invoice
- Sign in to Retirement Online.
- From Account Homepage, click Access Billing Dashboard button.
- After choosing location code and retirement system (ERS or PFRS), click Estimated Invoice link.
Only employees with the Billing Security Role are able to access the Billing Dashboard. Your Security Administrator assigns the Billing Security Role to contacts who need to view billing information.
Retirement Online works best when viewed with Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. If you use a different browser, your information may not display properly or you may experience other problems.
Understanding Your Estimated Invoice
Your estimated invoice is based on the employee earnings and days worked reported to NYSLRS by your organization during the State fiscal year ending March 31, 2024.
Adjustments to these earnings submitted before May 31 will be included in the estimate and the final annual invoice you receive in November. Corrections submitted after May 31 may not have been received in time to appear on the current year’s invoices.
Please note, adjustments to earnings for previous fiscal years, known as Prior Years’ Adjustments, must have been submitted by March 31 to be included in the current year’s invoice.
You can review the Fiscal Year Earnings and Prior Years’ Adjustments used to calculate your estimate in Retirement Online under Billed Data.
The ‘divide-by factor’ represents the 45 days of interest you will save if you pay your annual invoice by December 15, 2024 instead of by February 1, 2025. This amount changes with the interest rate.
When Graded Payments are Required or When You Can Amortize
The Contribution Stabilization Program (CSP) and Alternate Contribution Stabilization Program are optional programs, which reduce volatility in employer billing rates and required contributions year over year.
The programs established a graded contribution rate system. Each year, NYSLRS (the System) establishes graded rates. As the System average rate trends upward or downward, the System graded rate follows.
- Under the CSP, the System graded rate may change by up to 1 percent.
- Under the Alternate Program, the graded rate may change by up to 0.5 percent.
NYSLRS uses the System average rate and System graded rate to determine an employer’s graded rate. Then, the employer’s graded rate is compared to their normal annual contribution rate to determine whether they are required to make a graded payment or eligible to amortize.
When the employer’s normal annual contribution rate is lower than their graded rate, the employer is required to make a graded payment to offset future increases in their graded rate. In this circumstance, your invoice provides the required Employer Graded Payment under the Adjustments section. This payment is applied to any outstanding amortizations (oldest to newest) and any remaining funds are deposited into your Reserve Fund, which earns interest.
When the employer’s normal annual contribution rate is higher than their graded rate, the employer is eligible to amortize a portion of their invoice. In this circumstance, your invoice provides the maximum amount you may amortize, which is the difference between your normal annual contribution rate and your graded rate, less the amount of your Reserve Fund, which is automatically applied as if you had amortized that amount. The amount applied reduces your total amount due and appears on your invoice as a CSP Chap 57 Reserve Fund Credit. If your Reserve Fund balance was more than the amount applied, you will have money left over in your Reserve Fund.
Note: To view your updated Reserve Fund balance, click the Reserve Fund Balance link on the Billing Dashboard. Your invoice does not provide this information.
If You Need Help
If you have questions about your estimated invoice or for help accessing Retirement Online, use our help desk form (select Employer Billing or Retirement Online Troubleshooting from the dropdown).
You can also call 866-805-0990 (press 1 to access the employer menu, then follow the prompts).
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