Happy 10-year anniversary! In response to a column last school year, we heard from a number of people who discovered their school districts were improperly deducting their 3 percent pension contribution even though they've completed 10 years of membership.

So the tip bears repeating. It could mean money in your pocket.

Thanks to union-backed legislation in 2000, employers must stop deducting the 3 percent contribution for Tier 3 and 4 members who have been retirement system members for 10 years. Remember, this means membership in TRS, not just years of service.

It doesn't matter if some of your service is part-time or if you've switched school districts.

Check your records and most recent TRS member profile. If you find your district is improperly deducting the 3 percent contribution, tell your local union president. Then, call the New York State Teachers' Retirement System at (800) 348-7298, ext. 2857, and TRS will contact your district. If you have trouble getting rid of the deduction, call us at one of the numbers listed above.

Here are some other questions of general interest we've received:

Q: I am a Tier 2 member. Am I am able to take a loan against my retirement funds?

A: Only Tier 3 and Tier 4 members have had to contribute to their retirements. Tiers 1 and 2 are non-contributory tiers, so members have none of their own monies to borrow from.

Q: I was teaching when I was deployed to Iraq with the U.S. Army. I want to buy back my retirement year for the time I was in Iraq. I also want to start my retirement back up again. Please let me know what I should do.

A: Great news for you! The state of New York allows you to claim your military service in Iraq that interrupted your teaching service — at no cost to you. To apply, send a copy of your DD-214 with a cover letter, including your TRS member identification number, to the Military Service Unit, New York State Teachers' Retirement System, 10 Corporate Woods Drive, Albany, N.Y. 12211-2395. Be sure to mail it certified, return receipt.

Concerning the startup of new teaching service for retirement, your district sends in periodic payroll reports to the TRS. If your name appears on those lists as actively employed, your retirement crediting begins again.

Q: I worked full-time for three years in the records office of Long Island University while pursuing my master's degree. My job was to post grades on student transcripts. Am I entitled to any prior service credit?

A: The college where you worked is not part of the State University system. Prior service cannot be earned through employment with a private entity.