Benefit Update Reminders

View and Update Your Beneficiaries— Reminder that active employees should periodically review their retirement plan beneficiary designations and update them if needed regarding in-service death benefits. Life circumstances sometimes change, and the beneficiary you may have named before might not be the one you would choose today. Members should also make sure their beneficiary’s contact information is up to date. 

NYSLRS members-Sign in to Retirement Online and click “View and Update My Beneficiaries” to make sure you have beneficiaries listed on your account. Going online is the quickest way for members to change/update their pension plan beneficiary(ies).  Here, is a timely NYSLRS post that has additional beneficiary designation death benefit information: https://nyretirementnews.com/beneficiaries/ 

To update your beneficiary information--

https://www.osc.ny.gov/retirement/members/view-and-update-your-beneficiaries

https://web.osc.state.ny.us/retire/retirement_online/customers.php

Members may also complete the Designation of Beneficiary form (RS5127) and mail it to NYSLRS at 110 State Street, Albany, NY 12244: Designation of Beneficiary. The form must be properly notarized.

Designation of Beneficiary — Trust-To designate a trust as either your primary or contingent beneficiary. This form is for active members only. 

• NYSTRS members-You can review your beneficiary information by checking your annual benefit profile or through your online "MyNYSTRS account" via www.nystrs.org.

To designate or change your beneficiary, print a Designation of Beneficiary form from the TRS website or request one from the TRS Hotline at 800-782-0289. The form must be properly notarized-https://www.nystrs.org/getmedia/2d88c990-fe62-4730-b8c4-e7de5c49967e/net11-4.pdf

You can also complete Designation of Beneficiary Form (NET 11.4) and mail to NYSTRS at 10 Corporate Woods Dr, Albany, NY 12211.

• SUNY ORP members (including 403b enrollees)-You can designate beneficiaries for the SUNY Optional Retirement Program (ORP) by directly online under your participant account, if you do not have online access, please call the participant call center for assistance:

• Corebridge Financial 1-603-594-8340  https://www.corebridgefinancial.com/rs/suny/home 
• Fidelity Investments 1-844-FOR-SUNY (844-367-7869) or www.netbenefits.com/suny
• Teachers Insurance Annuity Association (TIAA) 1-866-662-7945 or www.tiaa.org/suny  
• Voya Financial 1-800-584-6001 or https://suny.beready2retire.com

• NYS Deferred Comp Plan (457b) members-https://www.nysdcp.com/rsc-web-preauth/Images/Beneficiary-Designation_tcm90-57671.pdf

Contact the 457b Helpline: 1-800-422-8463 or Email: participant.service@nysdcp.com (Don’t include personal information such as Social Security number).

You can also easily modify your beneficiaries online without having to fill out this form. Log into your account at www.nysdcp.com and click “View Account,” “Beneficiaries” and “Manage my Beneficiaries” for a fast and accurate recording of your beneficiary designations.

NOTE: Campus Benefit administrators are not to take any beneficiary related forms in HR when employees update their beneficiaries or to verify a change was made.   Also, remember retirement assets that do not have a beneficiary on file with a retirement plan administrator may be subject to estate probate, fees and potential estate income taxes.

NYSLRS members reminder-update or confirm that active member’s contact information on file with ERS/PFRS is current to ensure their Members Annual Statement (MAS) is mailed (May-July) to the proper home address or location. The Member Annual Statement is a snapshot of the member’s NYSLRS account as of March 31, the end of the State Fiscal Year.

Should the member need to update any of their contact information, including their home/mailing address, they may do so as follows: https://www.osc.ny.gov/retirement/update-your-contact-information

  Log into your Retirement Online account. Under “My Profile Information” find your address click the update link OR

  Fill out all required fields on the secure contact form. From the Topic dropdown, select Contact Information Changes. Attach your completed Change of Address form using the Browse… button OR

• Complete and mail to the below address a Change of Address Form (RS5512)  OR
• Mail a signed letter (including your name, old address, new address, date of change, and registration number) to:  NYSLRS: 

Attn: Member Services
              110 State Street
              Albany, NY 12244-0001

• OR Call 1-866-805-0990 if your new address is not a PO Box or foreign address.

NOTE:  Member Annual Statements (MAS) are available at Retirement Online so members do not have to wait for their MAS to be mailed!

Get Your Statement Online

• · Sign in to Retirement Online.
• · Click the “View My Member Annual Statement” or “View My Retiree Annual Statement” button.
• · Follow the prompts.

Update your delivery preference to receive an email notifying you as soon as next year’s MAS is available online:

• · Sign in to Retirement Online.
• · Click “update” link next to ‘Member Annual Statement by’.
• · Choose “Email” from dropdown.

If you choose email as your delivery preference, you will not receive a printed copy in the mail.

Posted: 02/28/2025