The Daily Bulletin

The New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS) is pleased to announce the return of its in-person Pension and Retirement Education Program (PREP) seminars.

The PREP seminar educates members of all ages and career stages on the value of careful financial and retirement planning.

The Buffalo seminar will be held Tuesday, August 1, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Buffalo Airport Hotel, 4600 Genesee Street, Cheektowaga, NY 14225. There is no fee to attend, and your spouse or companion is welcome to attend, but you must make a reservation in advance. Spots fill up quickly!

There are two ways to make a reservation:

1. Online using your MyNYSTRS account. After logging in to your account, visit the Tools > Schedule a Consultation or PREP page.
2. By calling NYSTRS at (800) 348-7298, ext. 6180.

When calling for a reservation, you must provide your Employee ID or Social Security number, email address, and home phone number (and the same information for your spouse or companion if they are a member and will attend, too).

Topics covered during this half-day seminar include the following:

• NYSTRS Benefits: Your pension, disability coverage, loans, vesting, and death benefits.
• Financial Planning: Saving early, catching up, withdrawals, and financial advisers.
• Social Security: Benefits, eligibility rules, when to collect, and earning limits.
• Estate Planning: Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health-care proxies, and living wills.
• The Retirement Process: Retirement options, "resigning" vs. "retiring," choosing a retirement date, retirement checklist, monthly payments, taxes, and earnings limitations on NYS public employment.

PREP seminars are not intended for individual benefits counseling. Members interested in a benefit consultation should visit the Retirement Planning > Benefits Consultations page of the NYSTRS website to learn how to schedule a personal consultation.