TRS is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on official New York City holidays. Appointments are not required. An online form may be used to schedule a video appointment. You can also contact us by phone, at 1 (888) 8-NYC-TRS (869-2877) during our normal business hours.

Documentation should be on the official stationery of the agency you worked for, and should indicate the exact period of service, your title, and an annual breakdown of your salary history during that period. TRS will review the documentation and notify you of the resolution.

The unit values reflect how much a unit in each Passport Fund is worth in a specific month; these values fluctuate from month to month. Therefore, your fund account balance(s) would also vary each month. If unit values go up, your units would be worth more, and your account would generally increase. If unit values go down, your units would be worth less, and your account would generally decrease.

Here's a simplified example: If you invest $100 in March and the unit value is $25, you have purchased 4 units. If the unit value increases to $26 in April, those 4 units would now be worth $104. Keep in mind that additional contributions, loans, and other account activity would also affect the number of units and your account balances. In addition, TRS increases the number of units slightly each month.

In general, you would qualify for Tier III status if you last joined TRS after July 26, 1976 and before September 1, 1983. You may also qualify if you transferred your Tier III membership from another eligible retirement system to TRS.

In addition, you can apply for reinstatement to your previous membership and tier status if you are in active membership status and previously lost your Tier III membership rights in TRS or another New York City or New York State public retirement system.

To apply for reinstatement, file a Membership/Tier Reinstatement Request Form (code SD42) with TRS. To effect the reinstatement, you must pay back the amount of contributions refunded when your membership ended, plus 5% interest compounded annually from the date of the refund to the date of repayment.

In general, you would qualify for Tier III status if you last joined TRS after July 26, 1976 and before September 1, 1983. You may also qualify if you transferred your Tier III membership from another eligible retirement system to TRS.

In addition, you can apply for reinstatement to your previous membership and tier status if you are in active membership status and previously lost your Tier III membership rights in TRS or another New York City or New York State public retirement system.

To apply for reinstatement, file a Membership/Tier Reinstatement Request Form (code SD42) with TRS. To effect the reinstatement, you must pay back the amount of contributions refunded when your membership ended, plus 5% interest compounded annually from the date of the refund to the date of repayment.

You may be eligible for an Ordinary Disability Retirement if you are an in-service member or you are on an official leave of absence, and you become physically or mentally incapable of performing your work duties.

In addition, if you are a Tier I, II, IV or VI member, you must have at least 10 years of credited service. If you are a Tier III member, you must have at least 5 years of credited service, must be eligible to receive primary Social Security disability benefits if you are under age 65, and must waive the benefits of any statutory presumption relating to the cause of disability or eligibility for disability benefits.

For more information, please see the Ordinary Disability Retirement and Lump-Sum Disability Benefit brochures.

In this case, please write to TRS' Member Status Unit. You will need to provide documentation that verifies your service claim. Documentation should be on the official stationery of the agency you worked for, and should indicate the exact amount of service you performed, your title, and an annual breakdown of your salary history during this period. TRS will review the documentation, make any necessary revisions, and notify you of the resolution.

Cost Letters for optional service credit (e.g., prior service credit) reflect all creditable service that TRS is aware of and has been able to verify. If you believe you have additional service that is creditable, you must provide TRS with official documentation of this additional service. If TRS determines that this service is creditable and a recalculation is necessary, the amount of your prior service will be modified, and you will be sent a new Cost Letter.

A member may have additional or modified service credit that may not be represented in the ABS. In most cases, the modified service was calculated manually and was updated in our system after the ABS was printed. Members should consider their Total Service Letter official verification of their service credit.

You may be eligible for an Accident Disability Retirement if you meet all of the following conditions:

• You are either an in-service member or on an official leave of absence; and
• You become physically or mentally incapable of performing your work duties; and
• You become disabled as a natural and proximate result of an accident, sustained in the performance of your duties in active service, that was not caused by your own willful negligence.

In addition, if you are a Tier III member, you must be eligible to receive primary Social Security disability benefits if you are under age 65, and must waive the benefits of any statutory presumption relating to the cause of disability or eligibility for disability benefits.

For more information, please see the Accident Disability Retirement brochure.