One of our most important goals is to provide you with the information you need to make the best choices possible about your benefits.

Your Member Annual Statement contains valuable information regarding all aspects of your membership, including your reported salary, service credit and beneficiaries.

Depending upon your own unique circumstances, it may also contain information about projected annual benefits, loans and account balances, among other things.

The mailing of Member Annual Statements usually begins in late May and takes approximately three weeks to complete. Most members will receive their statements sometime in June.

When you receive yours, be sure to review it carefully. Because your statement can help you plan for your future, you should verify that the information in it is accurate. If you have any questions, or find any errors, be sure to correct them as soon as possible.

Following are some of the most frequently asked questions we receive about the Member Annual Statements:

Q: Can I change where my statement is mailed?

A: No. Your statement is mailed to your employer, who is responsible for distributing it to you. If you leave public employment, we will mail your statement to the home address we have on file for you.

Q: Why does my statement indicate you haven't received any contributions from me this year?

A: It's likely you are not required to contribute. Employees' Retirement System members in Tiers 3 and 4 are only required to contribute until they have either 10 years of membership or 10 years of service credit, whichever comes first. Tier 1 and 2 members of ERS do not contribute if their employer offers a noncontributory plan.

Q: Do I add the amount of service credited during the fiscal year to my estimated total service credit?

A: No. The estimated service credit reported in your statement is what we have on record for you as of March 31, the end of our fiscal year, and includes the service credit you earned from April 1 through March 31. There's no need for you to perform any additional calculations.

Q: I don't believe the salary reported for me is correct. What should I do?

A: If you feel your salary information is wrong, you should contact your payroll office. If there is a discrepancy, they must send an adjustment report to us before we can make a change.

Remember, the salary information on your statement will not correspond to the calendar year earnings on your W-2 statement, since it is for the period beginning April 1 and ending the following March 31.

Q: How can I get answers to other questions I have about my statement?

A: We've created a special interactive, online presentation about the Member Annual Statement. It offers a page-by-page explanation of your statement and contains answers to other frequently asked questions. You can view the entire presentation or go directly to the information you need. To access the presentation, visit our Web site at www.osc.state.ny.us/retire/members/mas_tutorial/index.htm.