October 2026 Reporting Tips

Employers Must Verify Bona Fide Termination of Retirees

Each month, NYSTRS sends correspondence to employers that includes a list of their recent retirees. These letters, sent to the chief school administrator (CSA), the employer reporting contact and the human resources contact, require employers to certify a bona fide termination for each retiree on the list. This certification must be completed, signed and returned to NYSTRS as soon as possible. Delayed responses will impact NYSTRS’ ability to process retirements in a timely manner. Only one certification must be returned per employer.

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules and the Retirement and Social Security Law (RSSL) require members to have a bona fide termination from all NYS public service before their retirement date. Bona fide termination is defined as a member stopping paid service with their employer(s) prior to their date of retirement, with no prearrangement or understanding to return to NYS public employment following their retirement.

For further details regarding bona fide termination, please refer to Administrative Bulletin 2026-2.

Help NYSTRS Maintain Accuracy With Timely Monthly Reports and DSIR Responses

Monthly reports are due to NYSTRS by the 10th business day of the following month, and District Speciﬁc Issue Reports (DSIRs) should be responded to as soon as possible once they are generated.

Delays in the submission of monthly reports and/or DSIR responses impact NYSTRS’ ability to provide accurate information to members. Delays may also result in additional work for both NYSTRS editors and participating employers as reporting issues are compounded over time.

Each participating employer is assigned a NYSTRS editor who serves as their primary NYSTRS contact. Your editor’s contact information is found at the top of your “To Do List” in the Employer Secure Area (ESA). You may also contact NYSTRS with general questions at 800-348-7298, ext. 6220 or [email protected].

We appreciate your timely response so we may process our records and correct any issues quickly!

Remind Members to Update Name and Address

Members will sometimes notify their employer of a name or address change but forget to share it with NYSTRS. When this happens, important communications may not reach them. Please remind members to report name and mailing address changes directly with NYSTRS whenever they make a change with you as their employer. The easiest way for members to update their address is through MyNYSTRS, our secure online portal. Members can also fill out the Member Name/Address Change (GRE-50) form and submit it to NYSTRS.

Reminder: New Legislation Impacting Tier 6 Members

Recent legislation that goes into effect this month will impact the contribution rates of Tier 6 members (i.e., members with a date of membership on or after April 1, 2012) in some New York state public retirement systems. However, there is no change to Tier 6 contribution rates as it relates to NYSTRS members. For more information regarding the Tier 6 changes that do affect NYSTRS members, please refer to Administrative Bulletin 2026-6.

NYSTRS Recently Issued Three Administrative Bulletins

Be sure to read our latest Administrative Bulletins:

Employers are encouraged to share Administrative Bulletins with administrative staff.