It is very important to choose a beneficiary or beneficiaries so you can be sure that if you die while you are still working for the New York City public schools the person(s) you choose receives your death benefit, instead of leaving it up to the courts. You need to designate beneficiaries for both your pension and your Tax Deferred Annuity, and remember to keep your designations up to date if circumstances change. You can view or change your current beneficiaries for your Qualified Pension Plan (QPP) and TDA accounts by logging in to the TRS website at www.trsnyc.org. BERS members may call 929-305-3800.