Email: pio@cs.ny.
You will be eligible for a service retirement benefit when you reach age 55 and have five or more years of credited member service. If you are a Tier 3 member, you may retire under Article 14 or Article 15. However, your benefit, in most cases, will be greater under Article 15.
With at least 20 years of creditable service, your pension will be 50 percent of your FAE.
You must contribute 3 percent of your gross reportable earnings for all your years of public service. Exceptions: New York State Correction Officers' contributions are limited to 30 years of service.
Eligibility. You are eligible for a vested retirement benefit if you leave public employment before age 55 and you have five or more years of credited service. This means that when you reach age 55, you will be entitled to a retirement benefit based on your service and your earnings when you were an active member.
Five Year Certain and Ten Year Certain If you die within five years of retirement — or ten years, depending upon which option you elect — your beneficiary will receive the same monthly benefit amount you were receiving (without COLA) for the remainder of the five- or ten-year period.
Vesting is automatic; you do not have to fill out any paperwork to become vested. Tier 1, 2, 3 or 4 members who have at least five years of credited service are vested. As of April 9, 2022, Tier 5 and 6 members also only need five years of service credit to be vested.
Roll it into a new 401(k) plan The cons: You'll need to liquidate your current 401(k) investments and reinvest them in your new 401(k) plan's investment offerings, which will take time and some research.