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Pension & Retirement Education Program

Pension & Retirement Education Program
PREP sessions are designed to help members of all ages prepare for retirement.
Contact Us

(800) 348-7298, Ext. 6180
communit@nystrs.org

Many retirees wish they began focusing on financial and retirement planning much earlier in their lives. Don’t let that happen to you! No matter how far along you are in your career, careful financial and retirement planning are critical. That’s why our Pension & Retirement Education Program (PREP) seminar is so valuable.

The PREP seminar will help you understand your NYSTRS benefits while also providing essential retirement-planning tips. This information will help you develop a plan to achieve your retirement goals and dreams.

Topics covered during this half-day seminar include:

  • NYSTRS Benefits: Your pension, disability coverage, loans, vesting and death benefits.
  • Financial Planning: Saving early, catching up, withdrawals and financial advisors.
  • 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.

Seminars are held from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., with registration beginning at 8 a.m. There is no fee to attend and your spouse/companion is welcome to attend, but you must make a reservation in advance. (Note: These seminars are not designed for individual retirement counseling.)

PREP seminars often fill up, so book early. Can't attend a seminar now? We begin taking reservations for our three PREP schedules during the year in: mid-September (fall schedule); mid-December (winter/spring schedule); and, mid-May (summer schedule).

PREP Schedule

Location Address Dates Directions
Buffalo
Buffalo Airport Hotel
4600 Genesee Street
Cheektowaga, New York 14225

Wednesday, December 6

 Directions
Rochester
RIT Inn and Conference Center
5257 West Henrietta Road
Rochester, New York 14467

Thursday, December 7

 Directions

Make a Reservation

There are two ways to make a reservation:

  1. Online using your MyNYSTRS account. After logging into 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 EmplID or Social Security number, email address and home phone number (and the same information for your spouse/companion if they are a member and will attend too).

Please bring your latest Benefit Profile with you to the seminar. For the most up-to-date estimate of your retirement benefits, use our online MyNYSTRS Pension Estimator. This tool allows you to create estimates using various retirement dates.

If you make a reservation but cannot attend, please call the number above to cancel (or cancel using your MyNYSTRS account) so that we can offer this reservation to another member.

Directions to PREP Seminars

For directions to a specific location, select a site from the following drop down menu.

PREP Module Videos

NYSTRS Benefits: Your pension, disability coverage, loans, vesting, and death benefits. 
(Download presentation slides and the corresponding PREP Workbook chapter)

Financial Planning: Saving early, catching up, withdrawals, and financial advisors.
(Download presentation slides and the corresponding PREP Workbook chapter)

Social Security: Social Security benefits, eligibility rules, when to collect, and earning limits.
(Download presentation slides and the corresponding PREP Workbook chapter)

Estate Planning: Wills, trusts, powers of attorney, health care proxies, living wills, and long-term care.
(Download presentation slides and the corresponding PREP Workbook chapter) Also visit our Taxes & Estate Planning page for additional information.

Living The Retirement Dream: Post-retirement topics, including planning ahead; staying active and healthy; relationships; and relocating.
(Download presentation slides and the corresponding PREP Workbook chapter)

The Retirement Process: Retirement options, "resigning" vs. "retiring," choosing a retirement date, retirement checklist, monthly payments, taxes, and earnings limitations on NYS public employment.
(Download presentation slides and the corresponding PREP Workbook chapter)

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