Retirement Benefit Summary
for Tier 6 Police & Fire Retirement System Members
Welcome to the New York State and Local Retirement System (NYSLRS). NYSLRS is made up of two retirement systems; you are in the Police and Fire Retirement System (PFRS). This summary is designed to help you understand your PFRS retirement benefits and become familiar with the services we offer.
Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli is the administrative head of NYSLRS and trustee of the Common Retirement Fund
Your Retirement Plan
We strongly encourage you to review your retirement plan publication for a complete description of your benefits. Visit our Find Your Retirement Plan Publication page and follow the steps listed. You can also request your plan publication using our secure contact form.
About Your Membership
Police officers or paid firefighters working for New York State or a municipal employer in the State are automatically enrolled in PFRS. Employers are responsible for enrolling new employees into PFRS when their employment begins.
Your Tier
When you join PFRS, you are assigned to a tier based on your date of membership. PFRS members who joined on or after April 1, 2012 are in Tier 6. Your tier determines:
- Your eligibility for service or disability retirement benefits;
- The formula used to calculate your pension benefits;
- Death benefit coverage;
- Your membership contributions; and
- Eligibility for loans from the Retirement System.
Contributions
Most Tier 6 members contribute a percentage of their gross reportable earnings for all their years of public service, but there are some exceptions:
- If you are enrolled in a retirement plan that limits the amount of service that can be used towards your pension, you are not required to contribute once you reach the maximum amount of service allowed by your plan.
- If you are covered by a collective bargaining agreement that requires your employer to offer a non-contributory plan, you are not required to contribute if the agreement was in effect on January 9, 2010, if you joined the Retirement System before the agreement expired, and if you elected the non-contributory plan.
During your first three years of membership, your contribution rate is based on your annual wage, as provided by your employer at enrollment (see the table). For part-time employees, your rate is based on an annualized wage, also provided by your employer, but your contribution amount is determined by applying your rate to your actual earnings. After three years, your contribution rate is based on what you actually earned in all public employment two years prior. Contribution rates are set on April 1 of each year.
| Annual Wage | Contribution Rate |
|---|---|
| $45,000 or less | 3.00% |
| $45,000.01 to $55,000 | 3.50% |
| $55,000.01 to $75,000 | 4.50% |
| $75,000.01 to $100,000 | 5.75% |
| More than $100,000 | 6.00% |
Service Retirement Benefit
As a Tier 6 member, you will be vested once you have five years of credited service. This means you are entitled to a retirement benefit even if you leave public employment before you are old enough to retire.
If you are in a special 20- or 25-year retirement plan (for example, Section 384, 384(f), 384-d or 384-e of the Retirement and Social Security Law), you will be eligible for a service retirement benefit when you have accrued the amount of creditable service required by your plan, regardless of your age.
If you are in a regular retirement plan, you can receive your full retirement benefit at age 62 or choose to retire as early as age 55 with a reduced benefit. The amount of your benefit will be based on your service credit and final average earnings.
Your retirement benefit is a pension that is payable to you for your lifetime. It may also provide a payment to a beneficiary after your death, depending on the pension payment option you choose at retirement. Please refer to your retirement plan publication for more information.
Service Credit
You receive retirement service credit for your public employment (paid service as an employee or officer of an employer that participates in PFRS). One year of full-time employment is the same as one year of retirement service credit. Part-time service is prorated.
Final Average Earnings
Your Final Average Earnings (FAE) will be the average of your highest three consecutive years of earnings in New York public employment, subject to certain limitations. Usually, this period is the three years of employment immediately before you retire, but it can occur at any time during your career.
For a complete explanation of how your FAE is determined, including limitations on earnings and overtime and payments that can be included, please review your retirement plan publication.
Disability Retirement Benefit
If you become unable to perform your duties because of a permanent physical or mental incapacity, you may be eligible for a disability retirement benefit — a lifetime pension based on your FAE and, in some cases, your service credit and age at retirement. If your disability results from an on-the-job accident, not due to your own negligence, no minimum amount of service credit is required; otherwise, you need a certain amount of service credit to qualify. The service credit requirement depends on your retirement plan. There are also specific filing requirements that must be met.
Death Benefits
If you die while you are in public service, your beneficiary may be entitled to a death benefit payment. If your death is due to an on-the-job accident, no minimum amount of service credit is required. Otherwise, members in special plans are eligible after 90 days of service and members in regular plans are eligible after one year of service. Your member contributions, plus interest, are also payable to your beneficiary.
Receiving Benefits
You must apply to receive Retirement System benefits. They are not paid automatically. To apply, file the appropriate application with the Office of the State Comptroller in a timely manner.
The Retirement System can only pay benefits that are authorized by law. If you do not meet all the filing and eligibility requirements established by law, you will not receive a benefit. If you apply for a benefit and believe it was incorrectly denied or improperly calculated, you may request a hearing and redetermination to be held before an independent hearing officer.
Note: Under the New York State Constitution and the Public Integrity Reform Act, members convicted of a felony related to their public service may have their retirement benefits reduced or revoked.
Retirement Online
Retirement Online is the fastest, most convenient way to review your benefits and manage your account. In many cases, you can use Retirement Online instead of mailing forms or calling. You can view your benefit information, update contact information, view and update beneficiaries, apply for a loan, estimate your pension, request to purchase service credit, apply for retirement and more. Learn more about Retirement Online, then take a few moments to create your new account.
Stay Informed
- Visit our Members page for the most up-to-date NYSLRS information and retirement planning tools.
- Sign up for E-News, our monthly email newsletter, for the latest retirement news.
- Subscribe to our blog, New York Retirement News, where you’ll find tools to help you understand your benefits and important retirement news.
- Like us on Facebook for quick tips and updates on a variety of retirement topics.
How to Contact Us
- Review commonly asked questions on our Contact Us page.
- Send a message using our secure contact form.
- Call our Contact Center toll-free at 866-805-0990.
- Write to us at:
NYSLRS
110 State Street
Albany, NY 12244-0001
Rev. 7/24