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Retirement & payment options

Importance of payroll/pension deduction, maintaining NYSUT membership in retirement

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our NYSUT membership offers the opportunity to participate in a number of programs through NYSUT Member Benefits that can save you money, safeguard your family and prepare for the future. Members can enjoy up to an additional 20 percent discount when purchasing these endorsed benefits through payroll or pension deduction.

With these convenient payment options, you won’t have to worry about forgetting important due dates for bills and can save through reduced fees or the elimination of service fees. Approximately 88 percent of NYSUT members have payroll or pension deduction available to them. If your local association has arranged for payroll deduction with its employer, you are eligible to use this payment option.

For our retirees, pension deduction is available if you are collecting a monthly pension benefit from the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System, Teachers’ Retirement System of the City of New York, New York State and Local Retirement System, New York City Board of Education Retirement System, or receiving a monthly lifetime annuity from TIAA.

Note: You must have an active NYSUT membership as an in-service or retiree member to participate in payroll or pension deduction of Member Benefits-endorsed programs. If you are interested in switching from payroll to pension deduction upon retiring, please follow these steps to ensure a smooth transition.

1: Contact Member Benefits at 800-626-8101 with your definite retirement date, and we will communicate that information to each plan administrator of programs you participate in.

2: Call each plan administrator of programs you participate in to verify your mailing address so you can be billed directly once payroll deductions stop.

3: If you do not receive a bill for each program you had on payroll deduction, contact the applicable program administrator to verify a bill was mailed to your correct address. All discounts provided through payroll deduction will continue for up to one year with direct billing.

4: Make sure to pay each bill you receive. You must be on direct billing for at least one billing cycle to allow time for your pension system to put your permanent monthly pension benefit in place (this can take up to six months). Deductions can only be taken from the permanent benefit.

5: When you receive your next bill, complete the Pension Deduction Authorization Form enclosed with it and send the form back with the bill to the plan administrator (without payment). If you do not receive a pension deduction form, contact Member Benefits.

6: Upon receiving your pension deduction form, the plan administrator will send the details to Member Benefits to submit to your pension system and start the deductions with your next monthly benefit. This process must be done for each program you participate in.

Retiree membership can be maintained in either of the following ways:

  • Continue membership within your local if retiree membership is offered. Contact your local to find out if any retiree membership requirements are in place. Retiree membership is required to continue your membership in NYSUT and our national affiliates, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and National Education Association (NEA); or
  • Continue as an at-large member of NYSUT through the Retiree Council in your region. Contact your local to ensure you will be reported as retired to NYSUT. This will provide you with membership in the Retiree Council in your region along with NYSUT, AFT, and NEA.
NYSUT Member Benefits logo
NYSUT membership is required to participate in any NEA Member Benefits programs. To be eligible to vote and participate in NEA governance activities, you will need to make a one-time payment of $300 for a lifetime membership. Contact NYSUT Membership Support Services at 800-342-9810 or membership@nysut.org to make your one-time payment.

For questions about establishing retiree membership, you may reach out to the following membership departments:

  • United Federation of Teachers members: 212-598-6855
  • United University Professions members: 800-342-4206
  • Professional Staff Congress/CUNY members: 212-354-1252
  • All other NYSUT members: 800-342-9810

For questions about maintaining NYSUT retiree membership or further information about NYSUT retiree programs, contact the NYSUT retiree services consultant serving your region. You can also find this information at nysut.cc/retireeconsultants.

Learn more about continuing participation in Member Benefits-endorsed programs or the payroll/pension deduction process by visiting memberbenefits.nysut.org or calling 800-626-8101.

For information about contractual endorsement arrangements with providers of endorsed programs, please contact NYSUT Member Benefits.

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