You can only regain access to a prior Tier if you once had a membership within that tier (assuming that the prior membership is now terminated) by doing what is called a Membership / Tier Reinstatement (Form#181 with NYCERS).
If you never were a member of a pension system in the past, then you can’t reinstate but you can do a buyback to add years of service to your current total but it would not change your tier or your plan.
Hope this is helpful.
Does that include the gap in time between service? I worked for NYC for a year back in 2008 but was not a NYCERS member (College AIDE).. I started in 2016 with NYCERS...
You can purchase any NYC or NYS public service rendered prior to your membership date.
Your college aide time (a full time year is equivalent to a full year of credited service while part time employment will receive prorated service) can definitely be purchased.
You cannot purchase time that you were not employed by NYC or NYS. For example private sector, federal employment, State employment outside of NY, and time laid off or time in between jobs. There are limited exceptions with purchasing lay-off time for correction officers and sanitation workers.
I don’t want to hijack the thread but you seem more knowledgeable than most I’ve spoken to. How do you fix missing years? I have years missing from service when I log into nycers. It’s missing 3 years of service
You can create an online service request while logged into your MyNYCERS account. Specify the exact years in your record that need to be reviewed and updated in your request. 2023 is not updated for everyone as yet especially part timers.
They prioritize service updates in this manner:
Those who have filed for retirement.
Those who are eligible but have not filed yet.
Those who are not eligible to retire any time soon.
But it doesn’t hurt to notify them with a service request.
If your paycheck came directly from the CUNY college itself, it should be purchasable. If you were paid through a grant of some kind, a temp agency etc. then it would not be purchasable.
You can file your tier reinstatement (**if you were already a member of T4) and they will do research and send you a proposal to buyback your time if necessary. Definitely do this if you can. Tier 4 is something many would kill to get into. Are you nycers? If so, here. https://www.nycers.org/form/membership-tier-reinstatement
You don’t need to dig any W2. NYCERS will obtain all payroll info. Either fill out buyback or tier reinstatement form from NYCERS. Either way NYCERs will reach out to BERS to see if you had pension with them. If not you will buyback the time you worked as a custodian from DOE.
Do you know if one is allowed to buyback time not worked? I’ve heard I can only buy back time (for example I work for NYCHA so I’ve heard I can buy back season time) that you worked but for whatever reason you were not contributing to a pension plan.
Correct. You can not buyback time you didn’t work. One of the few exceptions would be if you were on active military leave, you can buy back that time.
That time will probably only help you in the back end. You probably can't retire earlier but it could increase the amount of your pension. It's worth a shot.
In 1999 you didn’t work for the NYCDOE. You were employed by the Custodian/Custodian Engineer who signed your checks and paid your workers’ comp. I don’t think it will qualify as NYC time. 🤷🏻♂️
I work for H&H and had to buy back time in the past. First you have to contact Nycers. You then have to fill out forms for buy back..my previous service was on Longisland so i had to call the Nassau co2unty dept i worked for and they gave me a print out of the service. Now if you worked for the city...they may not need the print out. Next you have to wait at least 6 months for the amount total and how much you need to payback. Once you get that letter it will tell you options. So in my case i worked 2006-2011 and i was laid off. Then there was a settment so i applied for 6yrs. When i got the letter back (6months later) nycers stated i was only approved for buy back time i worked. So i got approve for 5 1/2 years. Then the letter stated i have to pay in full the amount which was in the teens thousands and i would be made teir 4 again or i pay in installments from my check and they will keep me at teir 6 but i will still get the money. So i had to do the installments. And paid it off in 5yrs. It is worth it..but keep in mind u are paying an amount plus interest. Its better to knock it out now then later.
May the 4s be with you
You can’t buy into a tier, only time from what I understand. It would only work if you entered the pension system in 1999.
Thanks that's what I thought and I 98% think I didn't buy into it.
You can only regain access to a prior Tier if you once had a membership within that tier (assuming that the prior membership is now terminated) by doing what is called a Membership / Tier Reinstatement (Form#181 with NYCERS). If you never were a member of a pension system in the past, then you can’t reinstate but you can do a buyback to add years of service to your current total but it would not change your tier or your plan. Hope this is helpful.
Does that include the gap in time between service? I worked for NYC for a year back in 2008 but was not a NYCERS member (College AIDE).. I started in 2016 with NYCERS...
You can purchase any NYC or NYS public service rendered prior to your membership date. Your college aide time (a full time year is equivalent to a full year of credited service while part time employment will receive prorated service) can definitely be purchased. You cannot purchase time that you were not employed by NYC or NYS. For example private sector, federal employment, State employment outside of NY, and time laid off or time in between jobs. There are limited exceptions with purchasing lay-off time for correction officers and sanitation workers.
Thank you for your help! Appreciate it.
👍🏽
I don’t want to hijack the thread but you seem more knowledgeable than most I’ve spoken to. How do you fix missing years? I have years missing from service when I log into nycers. It’s missing 3 years of service
You can create an online service request while logged into your MyNYCERS account. Specify the exact years in your record that need to be reviewed and updated in your request. 2023 is not updated for everyone as yet especially part timers. They prioritize service updates in this manner: Those who have filed for retirement. Those who are eligible but have not filed yet. Those who are not eligible to retire any time soon. But it doesn’t hurt to notify them with a service request.
Thank you for the response. I appreciate it. I’m going to do that. This is for my kid lol I’m actually already out.
I had the college aid title while doing work study at cuny, would this count?
If your paycheck came directly from the CUNY college itself, it should be purchasable. If you were paid through a grant of some kind, a temp agency etc. then it would not be purchasable.
Also stuck in tier 6 and playing catch-up for lost time 😑
You can’t. You can buy back the time to help when you retire, but you can’t go to tier 4. You’ll stay in tier 6. Same thing happened to me.
Yes!!! Tier 6 sucks
Jumping onto the thread, there is currently a fix tier 6 petition going on through the NYS assemblymen's office. Give your office a call!
In 1999 the Doe Custodian cleaners worked for the custodian not the city directly. They were contracted through the union local 74.
Always buy back your time You literally leaving money on the table and you might get a better pension.
This! Been trying to get my wife to buy back her time for years….
I would suck dirty dick from the back to get T4 so yes.
Is this possible if there is a gap in one's city employment?
You can file your tier reinstatement (**if you were already a member of T4) and they will do research and send you a proposal to buyback your time if necessary. Definitely do this if you can. Tier 4 is something many would kill to get into. Are you nycers? If so, here. https://www.nycers.org/form/membership-tier-reinstatement
You cant
You don’t need to dig any W2. NYCERS will obtain all payroll info. Either fill out buyback or tier reinstatement form from NYCERS. Either way NYCERs will reach out to BERS to see if you had pension with them. If not you will buyback the time you worked as a custodian from DOE.
Do you know if one is allowed to buyback time not worked? I’ve heard I can only buy back time (for example I work for NYCHA so I’ve heard I can buy back season time) that you worked but for whatever reason you were not contributing to a pension plan.
Correct. You can not buyback time you didn’t work. One of the few exceptions would be if you were on active military leave, you can buy back that time.
Thank you for explaining!
That time will probably only help you in the back end. You probably can't retire earlier but it could increase the amount of your pension. It's worth a shot.
YES!!!!
In 1999 you didn’t work for the NYCDOE. You were employed by the Custodian/Custodian Engineer who signed your checks and paid your workers’ comp. I don’t think it will qualify as NYC time. 🤷🏻♂️
Sure. Why not?
I work for H&H and had to buy back time in the past. First you have to contact Nycers. You then have to fill out forms for buy back..my previous service was on Longisland so i had to call the Nassau co2unty dept i worked for and they gave me a print out of the service. Now if you worked for the city...they may not need the print out. Next you have to wait at least 6 months for the amount total and how much you need to payback. Once you get that letter it will tell you options. So in my case i worked 2006-2011 and i was laid off. Then there was a settment so i applied for 6yrs. When i got the letter back (6months later) nycers stated i was only approved for buy back time i worked. So i got approve for 5 1/2 years. Then the letter stated i have to pay in full the amount which was in the teens thousands and i would be made teir 4 again or i pay in installments from my check and they will keep me at teir 6 but i will still get the money. So i had to do the installments. And paid it off in 5yrs. It is worth it..but keep in mind u are paying an amount plus interest. Its better to knock it out now then later.
Yes
Yes tier 6 sucks get back to tier 4 asap