Retirement Online is the fastest way to update your address with NYSLRS. Sign in to Retirement Online. From the top of your Account Homepage, in the ‘My Profile Information’ section, find your address and click “update.”

If you don’t have a Retirement Online account, you can:

• Complete and mail a Change of Address Form (RS5512); or

• Mail a signed letter (including your name, old address, new address, date of change and NYSLRS ID) to:

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

Retirement Online is the fastest way to update your address with NYSLRS. Sign in to Retirement Online. From the top of your Account Homepage, in the ‘My Profile Information’ section, find your address and click “update.”

If you don’t have a Retirement Online account, you can:

• Use our secure contact form (complete all form fields, and provide your old and new addresses);
• Call toll-free at 866-805-0990 (518-474-7736 in the Albany, New York area);
• Complete and mail a Change of Address Form (RS5512); or

• Mail a signed letter (including your name, old address, new address, date of change and NYSLRS ID) to:

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

Retirement Online is the fastest way to update your email address with NYSLRS. Sign in to Retirement Online. From the top of your Account Homepage, in the ‘My Profile Information’ section, find your email address and click “update.”

You can also use Retirement Online to tell us how you prefer to receive correspondence. If you choose email, we’ll send an email notifying you to sign in to Retirement Online when you have correspondence to view. Please note that certain correspondence may be sent by mail for security purposes.

If you don’t have a Retirement Online account, you can:

• Use our secure contact form (complete all form fields, and provide your old and new email addresses);
• Call toll-free at 866-805-0990 (518-474-7736 in the Albany, New York area); or

• Mail a signed letter (including your name, old email address, new email address, date of change and NYSLRS ID) to:

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

Retirement Online is the fastest way to update your phone number with NYSLRS. Sign in to Retirement Online. From the top of your Account Homepage, in the ‘My Profile Information’ section, find your phone number and click “update.”

If you don’t have a Retirement Online account, you can:

• Use our secure contact form (complete all form fields, and provide your old and new phone numbers);
• Call toll-free at 866-805-0990 (518-474-7736 in the Albany, New York area); or

• Mail a signed letter (including your name, old phone number, new phone number, date of change and NYSLRS ID) to:

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

If you are signed up for direct deposit, you’ll have access to your retirement benefit on the last business day of the month (indicated by an “E” on the Pension Payment Calendar).

Retirement Online is the fastest way to sign up for direct deposit. To get started, sign in to Retirement Online. From the top of your Account Homepage, in the ‘I want to…’ section, click the “Update Direct Deposit” link. If you don’t already have an account, you can learn more about and register for Retirement Online today.

Another way to sign up for direct deposit is to complete a Direct Deposit Enrollment Application (RS6370). Either attach a voided check or have a bank representative complete section three of the form.

NYSLRS will send you a letter confirming you’ve signed up and the effective date. Once we’ve confirmed your enrollment, we will electronically deposit your retirement benefit into your checking or savings account on the last business day of each month.

If you need to update your bank account information or change banks, use Retirement Online to update your direct deposit information. Sign in to Retirement Online. From the top of your Account Homepage, in the ‘I want to…’ section, click the “Update Direct Deposit” link. If you don’t already have an account, you can learn more about and register for Retirement Online today.

If you choose not to update your information through Retirement Online, you can either complete another Direct Deposit Enrollment Application (RS6370) or have the bank fax the following information to 518-473-5323 on bank letterhead:

• Your name;
• Your NYSLRS ID;
• Both the old and new routing and account numbers; and
• A bank representative’s signature.

NYSLRS will send you a letter confirming the change and the effective date.

Whether you receive your payment by direct deposit or mailed check, you can view your benefit payment pay stub in Retirement Online. Sign in to Retirement Online. From the top of your Account Homepage, in the ‘I want to…’ section, click the “View Pension Check” link, then select the date of the pension payment that you want to view. You will be able to view pay stubs for pension payments beginning with your January 2023 payment and going forward.

You can sign in to Retirement Online and view your benefit payment pay stub to see the current amount and year-to-date total of your federal withholding. From the top of your Account Homepage, in the ‘I want to…’ section, click the “View Pension Check” link, then select the date of the pension payment that you want to view. You can see a list of payments you receive beginning with your January 2023 payment and going forward.

You can also use our automated phone service to get your current withholding status. Call 866-805-0990 (518-474-7736 in the Albany, New York area), press 2 and follow the prompts.

Retirement Online is the fastest way to update your federal tax withholding. Sign in to Retirement Online. From your Account Homepage, in the ‘My Account Summary’ section, click the “Update My W-4P Tax Information” button and follow the steps.

If you don’t have a Retirement Online account, you can change your tax withholding by filing a W-4P form. You can mail it to the address on the form or fax it to 518-486-3252.

Most of our forms can be printed from our Forms page. Under the Retiree and Beneficiary Forms, you’ll find forms specifically for retirees, including the W-4P form (to change your federal tax withholding), and the Direct Deposit Enrollment Application (RS6370).

Have forms mailed to you using our automated phone system.

• Call toll-free at 1-866-805-0990 (518-474-7736 in the Albany, New York area).
• Press 2 and follow the prompts.

Your retirement benefit check is mailed on the second-to-the-last business day of each month for that month (indicated by an “M” on the Pension Payment Calendar).

If you have not received your retirement benefit check by the eighth of the following month, please contact us to request a replacement check. If you received your check and it was lost or stolen, call us immediately at 866-805-0990 (518-474-7736 within the Albany, New York area), press 2 and follow the prompts. If you message us using our secure contact form, be sure to include your telephone number (with area code) so we can call you.

If you receive your check by mail, it is important to notify us of any address changes as quickly as possible as the Post Office may not forward your check.

If you sign up for direct deposit, your retirement payments will be deposited directly into your checking or savings account on the last business day of each month. More than 95 percent of our retired members take advantage of this safe and convenient way to receive retirement benefits.

Our retirees often need pension verification letters for housing or the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). There are a few ways to request a pension verification letter:

• Use Retirement Online to create your own letter. Sign in to Retirement Online. From the top of your Account Homepage, in the ‘I want to…’ section, click the “Generate Income Verification Letter” link. This is the quickest way to obtain your letter.
• Use our secure contact form. Tell us what information you need and be sure to include your daytime phone number, in case our customer service representatives have a question. In most cases, we’ll mail your letter in five to seven business days.
• Fax your request to 518-473-5590. Include your NYSLRS ID, current address, signature and phone number in case we have questions. Tell us whether you want the letter mailed or faxed to you (and provide a fax number).

If you want the letter sent to an entity like a mortgage company, they must fax a request to us on their letterhead along with a signed release from you giving us permission to release your information.

You can report the death of a member or retiree by using our online death report form. You can also report a death by phone or mail. Please note that we will need an original, certified death certificate before any death benefits can be processed or paid.

Online Form: Please complete all required fields on the report a death form and be sure to provide your phone number in case we need to call for additional information. You can upload a photocopy of the death certificate so NYSLRS can begin identifying any benefits that may be payable.

Call: 1-866-805-0990 and press 3 and then 1. You will be asked for the member’s NYSLRS ID, retirement or registration number (or Social Security number if you don’t have these account numbers) and the date of death. You may also be asked for the address and phone numbers of immediate family members who may be beneficiaries.

Mail: NYSLRS will need an original, certified death certificate before any death benefits can be processed or paid. Please mail a death certificate (please include your contact information) to:

NYSLRS
Attn: Survivor Services
110 State St
Albany, NY 12244

Note: you may wish to send the death certificate by certified mail, return receipt requested.

Once we receive an original death certificate, we will send named beneficiaries, or their certified representatives (guardians, powers of attorney, executors), information about any continuing pension benefits and death benefits that may be payable based on the member or retiree’s tier and retirement plan. We will also send named beneficiaries the appropriate forms to complete.

It could take several months from the date we are notified of a death to the date that any death benefit is paid, or a continuing pension benefit begins. This is the average time necessary to recover any pension payments made after the retiree’s death and calculate any death benefit that may be due, as well as receive a certified copy of the death certificate, tax withholding forms and notarized forms certifying the identity of named beneficiaries.

If you are a beneficiary receiving a monthly benefit from NYSLRS, Retirement Online is the convenient and secure way to review your benefits and conduct transactions in real time. Beneficiaries can update their contact information, manage their direct deposit information, update their federal tax withholding, generate an income verification letter and view account information. Learn more about and register for Retirement Online today.

To access Retirement Online, beneficiaries must be receiving a monthly pension from NYSLRS. (For example, you might receive a monthly joint-allowance pension benefit due to the death of a spouse.) If the member or retiree who named you as a beneficiary is still alive, you will not be able to sign up for an account.

Account Lock Out

1. Click “OK” on the pop-up message saying your account is locked.
2. Select how you want to receive your security code and click “Next.”
3. Enter the security code you received and click “Submit.”
4. Correctly answer secret questions that you created when you first registered.
5. Enter a new password and click “Reset Password.”

If you are unable to unlock your account, please call us toll-free at 866-805-0990 (518-474-7736 within the Albany, New York area), press 2 and follow the prompts.

Password Reset (read our Forgot Password help guide)

1. Go to the Retirement Online Sign In page.
2. Click "Forgot Password." Enter your user ID and select the “I’m not a robot” checkbox.
3. Correctly answer secret questions that you created when you first registered.
4. Enter a new password and click "Reset Password."

Forgot User ID (read our Forgot User ID help guide)

1. Go to the Retirement Online Sign In page.
2. Click "Forgot ID." Enter your last name, ZIP code, date of birth and email address, and select the “I’m not a robot” checkbox.
3. Correctly answer secret questions that you created when you first registered.
4. Your user ID will be displayed on the screen.

Retirement Online is generally available Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 7:00 am to 9:30 pm; Tuesday from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm; and weekends from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm. Visit the Retirement Online Sign In page for the most current hours of availability.