Employer contributions support the benefits earned by current and future retirees and are an important asset of the Common Retirement Fund.
Your required contributions are invoiced annually and are calculated using:
- The employees' earnings reported to NYSLRS by your organization during the most recently completed State fiscal year (for more information, visit the Fiscal Year Earnings and Prior Years’ Adjustments page); and
- The employer contribution rates for the retirement plans and optional benefits you offer.
When Rates Are Issued and Subsequently Invoiced
Employer contribution rates are issued in early September for the invoice due approximately 18 months later.
The 2026 invoice (current year’s invoice for the payment due February 1, 2026) uses:
- The employees’ earnings reported to NYSLRS by your organization during State Fiscal Year April 1, 2024–March 31, 2025; and
- The rates from the Actuarial Valuation for State Fiscal Year April 1, 2024–March 31, 2025, which were issued in September 2024 (for more information, refer to the 2024 Actuarial Assumptions).
In July, we provide an estimated invoice of your employer contributions, and in November, we provide your final annual invoice.
The 2027 invoice (next year’s invoice for the payment due February 1, 2027) will use:
- The employees’ earnings reported to NYSLRS by your organization during State Fiscal Year April 1, 2025–March 31, 2026; and
- The rates from the Actuarial Valuation for State Fiscal Year April 1, 2025–March 31, 2026, which were issued in September 2025 (for more information, refer to the 2025 Actuarial Assumptions).
Shortly after rates are issued, we provide a projected invoice as a budgeting tool for the 2027 invoice. Because employees’ earnings have not yet been reported, the projected invoice uses the earnings reported for State Fiscal Year April 1, 2024–March 31, 2025 multiplied by a Projection Factor to calculate your employees’ anticipated earnings (how much earnings are expected to change).
In July 2026, we will provide an estimated invoice of your employer contributions, and in November 2026, we will provide your final annual invoice.
Note: Because your estimated invoice and annual invoice are calculated using reported earnings and your projected invoice is calculated using anticipated earnings, your projected invoice may not match your estimated or annual invoice.
Rev. 9/25