Whether you are a new member, in mid-career or close to retirement, there are steps you can take to learn about your pension benefits and stay on track as you progress down the road to a financially secure retirement. 

You possess a valuable financial asset from participating in a defined-benefit pension system and saving money in a tax-deferred annuity. That’s why it’s important to designate beneficiaries, keep your beneficiary designations current after life-changing events and make sure the latest contact information for your beneficiaries is on file with your pension system. 

If you were a public employee who worked for New York City or New York State before joining the Teachers’ Retirement System or the Board of Education Retirement System, you may be able to purchase credit for that prior service and increase your Total Service Credit — a key factor in determining your retirement eligibility and the amount of your retirement benefit.

The Tax-Deferred Annuity (TDA) program is an excellent way for eligible UFT members to save extra money that will allow them to fully enjoy retirement. They can defer paying federal income taxes on their TDA, which lowers income taxes during their working lifetime.

The start of the school year is an excellent time to think about yourself and the best way to secure your future.

The UFT's Tax-Deferred Annuity (TDA) Program is one of the most popular benefits the union has won for its members, with more than 120,000 in-service members and retirees participating.

Experiencing a pandemic can be life-changing, especially for essential workers like UFT members who face its challenges every day. Sometimes that kind of experience makes people reevaluate their lives and their goals. They move, they reconnect with family and friends, they change jobs and sometimes they retire sooner than planned.

We outline the steps you need to take if you're planning to retire in June and give you a schedule of remote pension clinics, presented by UFT special pension representatives, tailored to your tier.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the UFT Pension Department has transitioned pension clinics and workshops from in-person events to remote sessions.

There was no service interruption in the UFT Pension Department as employees, working remotely for the first time, handled an influx of retirement queries.