Beware of imposters — trust only NYSTRS with pension questions

My financial advisor claims to be a New York State Teachers’ Retirement System expert. Can I trust their advice?

No. When it comes to your pension, don’t rely on outside sources for pension advice. Financial planners often contact NYSTRS members offering retirement preparation services and claiming to be experts about NYSTRS benefits, but they’re not. Although they design their seminars, ads, videos, publications and mailings to look like NYSTRS-sanctioned products, these firms aren’t affiliated with, or endorsed by, NYSTRS.

How can I tell if someone is legitimate or simply posing as a NYSTRS representative?

A big red flag is if they charge fees. Talking to a NYSTRS representative, attending a NYSTRS seminar, consultation, accessing NYSTRS publications or its online library is always free. If you have questions about your pension account reach out to one of the NYSUT TRS consultants listed at right, visit the NYSTRS website at nystrs.org, call NYSTRS at 800-348-7298, or use your MyNYSTRS account to send a secure message or review your annual benefit profile.

It’s also important to keep private your personally identifiable information and your MyNYSTRS login information; both can be used to steal your identity. Contact NYSTRS at 800-348-7298, ext. 6190 to discuss adding a “theft of ID” flag to your account if you think your information has been compromised.