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

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 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.

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 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.

For all tiers, credit may be granted for a leave associated with public employment in another New York State or New York City position, or for a leave associated with certain military service. Tier I members may also be eligible to receive credit for leaves associated with restoration of health and certain study leaves. In all cases, before TRS can grant credit for a leave, the member's employer must recommend that service credit be granted.

Credit for Restoration of Health Leave (or LHR) is only applicable to Tier I members. To receive pension credit for this leave, you must initially apply through your employer. Your employer will recommend to TRS whether the LHR should be credited for pension purposes. However, TRS will make the final determination whether pension credit is granted for the LHR.

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).

In general, service with a public employer in New York State or New York City may be eligible for prior service credit in TRS.

If you are a Tier III, IV, or VI member, you may be able to request a Cost Letter online in the secure section of our website (if you have verified service credit available to purchase). You may instead submit a paper Cost Letter Request Form (code SB64) to claim service. TRS will verify the service with your former employer and notify you of the cost. (Prior service with the New York City Department of Education (DOE) does not need to be claimed because the DOE sends TRS regular work history updates for most titles. We will contact you separately about prior DOE service you have available for crediting.)

If you are a Tier I or II member, you may request credit for prior service by contacting our Member Services Center at 1 (888) 8-NYC-TRS and requesting a personalized Record of Prior Service form (code SB146).

TRS must receive any claim for prior service credit before your retirement date. However, claiming and purchasing prior service credit sooner rather than later would prevent additional interest from accruing and increasing the cost.

Please note that, if you are in the process of transferring your membership to TRS, you should not request prior service credit until the transfer is complete.