[ Your TRS Pension ]

Pieces of the TRS pie

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Q:
Do I have to make contributions to my pension?
A:

The short answer is yes. How much depends on your specific circumstances. Member contributions help fund your pension.

As mandated by New York state law, Tier 3 and 4 members made pension contributions of 3% of their salary until they had either 10 years of membership or 10 years of service credit. Tier 5 members must make pension contributions of 3.5% of their salary throughout their active membership. Tier 6 members contribute 3–6% of their salary based on the amount of their salary. If you leave service and withdraw your membership, the contributions you made (plus 5% interest) are refunded to you.

Q:
I’m a Tier 6 member and I work for multiple employers. How is my contribution rate determined?
A:

For your first three years of employment (when rates are based on projected earnings) your contribution rate for each of those school years will be established using the projected salary from the first of your employers to report salary information to NYSTRS. Beginning in the fourth year, your contribution rate will be based on the total actual earnings you received two years prior.

For more information, visit nysut.cc/TRScontributions.

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Did you know?

Three funding sources make up the NYSTRS pension dollar: investment income, employer contributions and member contributions. Based on a 30-year average, as of June 30, 2025, $.85 of each pension dollar comes from investments; $.13 comes from employer contributions and member contributions make up the remaining $.02.

Source: Get to Know TRS
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