New York State Teachers' Retirement System started mailing benefit profiles to more than 260,000 active members in mid-February. Due to the volume of statements, the mailing will likely take a month to complete, so please wait until the end of March or April to contact TRS at (800) 348-7298, ext. 6250, if you do not receive your profile.

The annual statements are mailed to TRS members who were active as of June 30, 2006. Check the statement carefully to verify your salary and service credit information. If you notice an error, ask your employer to correct the records and submit the revision to TRS. Correcting any misinformation now will expedite the processing of your pension benefits in the future.

Q: I have been teaching for two years and I am considering moving to another state. How will this affect my retirement? What will happen to the money that I have accumulated? How can I find out how much money I have?

A: Under state law, you need five years of credited service to be vested for a future pension. If you leave the state and decide to remove your contributions, you would receive those monies plus 5 percent interest. Or, you might wish to leave your membership intact by not withdrawing the money. If you return to New York state within the next seven years, your membership will continue. If you do not, your monies, plus 5 percent interest, will be refunded at that time. To get more details, as well as total monies, please contact the TRS.

Q: This is my first year teaching in a public school. I previously worked at a state university for 4.5 years as an adjunct professor. Can those 4.5 years count toward my retirement?

A: Under state law, if you were a member of TIAA-CREF, which is a defined-contribution pension plan, you cannot switch those years of service to the state TRS, which is a defined-benefit plan. However, if you were a member of the New York State Employees' Retirement System, you will be able to transfer the service.

Q: Would you please explain how final averages are treated when a person retires in January? Several people in our district have retired in January and I was wondering if the five months under a higher salary has a significant effect on the final average.

A: If a member retires mid-year, the calculation goes back three years from that date for the three-year final average salary. It is trickier to calculate because you are crossing multi-school years (hence different salary levels). We'd suggest that you schedule a video consultation with the TRS and have the representative figure your pension based on both a January and June retirement. That way you will learn if the difference is substantial for you.

Q: I am in Tier 3. Before I joined the TRS I worked during one summer vacation for the U.S. Postal Service when I was in college. Can that time be counted toward my retirement?

A: Unfortunately, no. The post office is federal service and is not a state entity that would qualify you for additional credit.