In general, your Total Service Credit consists of the following:
Membership Service: Any credited service you performed as a TRS member.
Transferred Service: Any service you transferred from an eligible retirement system (only applicable if you transferred your membership to TRS).
Optional Service: Certain eligible service for which you have claimed or purchased credit. For more information, please see the What is optional service credit? FAQ under the Payment for Credit tab.
Chapter 126 Credit (Tier I and II members only): Credit for remaining in active service from October 1, 2000 through June 30, 2001 and from July 1, 2001 through June 30, 2002.

One of the benefits of purchasing service credit is the potential increase to your prospective service retirement allowance. If you are not vested, purchasing service credit may enable you to more quickly attain vested rights and qualify for retirement benefits. In addition, if you are a Tier III or IV member, purchasing service credit may also enable you to more quickly attain the years of credited service needed to stop or reduce your pension contributions.

In general, once your former employer has verified your prior service, and you have made any required payment, TRS will grant credit for prior service. Most members also must have at least two years of membership service before prior service credit can be granted.

The table below illustrates when members in each tier can receive prior service credit.

If you were employed by a public employer within New York State before you became a member of TRS, you may be eligible to receive credit for that prior service. TRS will need to contact your former employer to verify your request for prior service credit.

If you are a Tier III, IV, or VI member, there’s a cost to obtain credit for any eligible prior service. If you are a Tier II member, no purchase is required; credit is granted after the service is verified by your former employer. If you are a Tier I member, you may be able to purchase outside teaching service credit for teaching or pedagogical supervisory service in a school or college not maintained by the City of New York.

For more information, please see How can I request prior service credit? FAQ under the Payment for Credit tab.

Generally, service credit purchase deductions will stop automatically once your payment plan is completed.

You can learn how much Total Service Credit you had as of the end of the previous school year by referring to your most recent Annual Benefits Statement (ABS).

If you were employed by the City of New York before you became a member of TRS, you may be eligible to receive credit for that prior service. In most cases, TRS will need to contact your former employer to verify your request for prior service credit.

If you are a Tier III, IV, or VI member, there's a cost to obtain credit for any eligible prior service. If you are a Tier I or II member, no purchase is required; credit is granted after the service is verified by your former employer.

For more information, please see How can I request prior service credit? FAQ under the Payment for Credit tab.

If TRS is aware that you have a membership service deficit, TRS will send you a Cost Letter; payment for deficits is mandatory.

If TRS is aware that you have optional service credit (e.g., prior service credit) eligible for purchase, or if you submitted a request to TRS, we will send you a separate Cost Letter.

Your Cost Letters will specify the amount due, available payment options, and any consequences that may result if you do not respond by the deadline indicated (e.g., you may be placed automatically on a payment plan of payroll deductions, if eligible).

If you are a Tier II, III, IV, or VI member, there is no limit on the number of years of eligible prior service credit that you may claim or purchase. However, you would receive credit for your prior service only after you have attained at least two full years of service credit since becoming a TRS member. Tier III, IV, and VI members must purchase this credit. (Tier II members are not required to purchase prior service credit; credit is granted upon request and after verification.)

For all tiers, you may receive a maximum of one year's service credit for a given school year (360 calendar days), regardless of the number of positions you held during that year. In addition, you must request your service credit before your effective retirement date.

Note for Tier I members: You may purchase credit for a maximum of 15 years of outside teaching service (i.e., prior service that you performed with a public employer outside New York City). You must apply for the credit within 4 years of the date you join TRS or attain Tier I status. (For prior service that you performed with a New York City public employer, purchase is not required; credit is granted upon request and after verification by TRS.)

Yes—provided you did not lose your TRS membership rights. This type of service is known as Amann service. If you are a Tier I or II member, you should submit a written request to TRS to claim credit for this service; in most cases, purchase is not required. If you are a Tier III, IV, or VI member, you should submit a Cost Letter Request Form (code SB64); purchase of this service credit is generally required.

Regardless of your tier, before you can receive credit for your Amann service, your service must be verified by TRS and you must return to active service in a TRS-eligible position. In addition, if you are a Tier III, IV, or VI member, you must have attained two full years of service credit since becoming a TRS member.