Q: Does a beneficiary have to be a relative? I will be retiring in two years, and should something happen to me I would like my companion to continue to get my pension. I also have a question about the Pop-Up Survivor Option. After I provide my beneficiary's death certificate I understand that my pension pops up, but can I designate another beneficiary at that time or is my pension lost when I die?

A: Your beneficiary does not have to be a relative. In a joint-life survivor option, if the beneficiary pre-deceases the retiree, you cannot name another beneficiary. Regarding the "pop-up," if your beneficiary dies, you would begin receiving what you would have gotten if you had selected Maximum. Upon your death, the pension ends.

Q: I taught full-time in a public school from January 1971 to June 1979. Prior to that, I had worked for one semester as a regular substitute. When I took a two-year leave of absence, beginning in June 1979, I had worked nine full years, including the half-year as a substitute. When I returned from the leave in September 1981, I worked the first full month of my 10th year, then resigned. A couple of years ago, I met with a retirement counselor because I was considering returning to the classroom. He told me I had lost my benefits and was no longer part of the system because I hadn't vested after 10 years. He told me also that I had received notification of this, but I have no record of that. It seems terribly unfair to have lost nearly 10 years of service toward retirement benefits. Since I am considering a return to the classroom, what can I do?

A: If you secure another teaching position you will be filing an application for the TRS as a Tier 4 member. Be sure to check the box that asks if you ever had membership in a public retirement system. Contact the TRS toll-free at (800) 348-7298, ext. 6250, and ask for reinstatement to Tier 1.

Q: I worked for 1 1/2 years (part-time, about 4 or 5 hours per day) as an academic adviser at a two-year college. Can that time be counted toward retirement in TRS?

A: We assume you are referencing the Prior Service Law, which requires that the service involved had to be prior to joining the TRS, rendered in a New York state public institution and paid on the payroll of the employer. For details, contact the TRS at (800) 348-7298, ext. 6250.

Q: In last month's column, you said Tier 4 members need to be at least age of 55 and have 30 years of credited service to retire. I hope I misunderstood. I entered the retirement system at age 45 and don't want to work until I'm 75!

A: Sorry for any confusion. Tier 4 is a 30/55 plan (30 years of service/55 years of age). For the vast majority of members, who join the TRS in their 20s, that formula will afford a FULL pension at age 55. However, if a member reaches age 55 and does not have the above number of years of service credit (in your case, 10 years) you could retire with penalties. If you continue teaching until you have 20 years of service, you'll be 65 and could retire without any reduction in your retirement calculation. (You would have attained the 20 years needed to avoid that penalty; and age 62 and over eliminates the penalty for less than 30 years of credited service.)