NYSLRS and NYCERS Death Benefits: What Surviving Families Must Claim

New York's public pension systems pay out hundreds of millions of dollars in death benefits each year — and a significant portion goes unclaimed because families don't know where to start or miss the procedural requirements. If your spouse or parent worked for New York State, a New York State county or local government, or New York City, understanding the claims process is one of the most financially important tasks you'll face in the weeks after a death.

The two systems — NYSLRS and NYCERS — operate independently and have different rules, different forms, and different benefit structures.

NYSLRS: The State System

The New York State and Local Retirement System (NYSLRS) covers most employees of New York State and local governments outside New York City — teachers (through NYSTRS, a separate system), police officers, firefighters, and civil servants in counties, towns, and villages across the state.

NYSLRS distinguishes sharply between active members (still working) and retired members.

Death Benefits for Active NYSLRS Members

When an active NYSLRS member dies before retirement, the benefit depends on their tier and years of service:

Ordinary Death Benefit: For most active members with at least one year of service, the ordinary death benefit is a lump sum equal to one year's salary, paid to the designated beneficiary. This amount may increase based on years of service — up to three times the final year's salary for members with sufficient service credit.

Accidental Death Benefit: If the member died as a direct result of an on-the-job accident, the benefit is substantially larger: a pension paid to the surviving spouse or, if none, to dependent children. Claims for the accidental death benefit must be filed within five years of the date of death.

To check which benefit applies, contact NYSLRS at 1-866-805-0990 and provide the member's name, date of birth, and membership number if available.

Death Benefits for Retired NYSLRS Members

Retired members' death benefits depend entirely on the pension payment option they selected at retirement. This decision, made once at retirement, is irrevocable.

• Single-Life Allowance: The monthly pension is maximized during the retiree's lifetime but stops completely upon their death. No pension continues to survivors.
• Joint Allowance options (50%, 75%, 100%): A reduced monthly pension during the retiree's lifetime, with the designated percentage continuing to the surviving spouse after death.
• Pop-Up option: Similar to a joint allowance, but if the beneficiary dies before the retiree, the pension "pops up" to the higher single-life amount.
• Term-Certain options (5, 10, or 15-year certain): Guarantees a minimum payment period. If the retiree dies during the certain period, the designated beneficiary receives the same payment for the remainder of the period.

Survivor's Benefit Program: Regardless of which option was chosen, retired state employees who left service after April 1, 1970, are entitled to a minimum lump-sum death benefit of $3,000 from the NYSLRS Survivor's Benefit Program. This is paid to the designated beneficiary on file.

How to File an NYSLRS Death Claim

1. Report the death to NYSLRS immediately by calling 1-866-805-0990. This is critical — NYSLRS will stop pension payments to prevent overpayment that would need to be recovered later.
2. NYSLRS will mail a death benefit claim package to the designated beneficiary on file.
3. Complete the required forms (including RS6355 Designation of Beneficiary confirmation) with proper notarization.
4. Submit with a certified death certificate.

Processing typically takes 60–90 days for straightforward claims. Errors on forms — especially missing notarizations — are the most common cause of delays.

NYCERS: The NYC System

The New York City Employees' Retirement System covers employees of New York City agencies — sanitation workers, clerical staff, court officers, and many other municipal employees. (Police are covered by NYPD Pension Fund; teachers by TRS.)

NYCERS operates a more digitized environment and requires particularly prompt action from survivors.

Report the Death Immediately

NYCERS aggressively recovers pension payments made after the date of death. The city will reclaim any overpayments regardless of who received them. Report the death to NYCERS at 1-347-643-3000 as soon as possible — ideally within days.

NYCERS Death Benefits

For active NYCERS members, death benefits include:

• A lump-sum ordinary death benefit based on the member's compensation and years of service
• An accidental death benefit if the death resulted from a job-related accident, providing a pension to the surviving spouse or dependent children

For retired NYCERS members, benefits depend on the pension option selected at retirement, following a structure similar to NYSLRS.

NYCERS requires formal documentation before releasing claim packages. A death certificate is mandatory, and additional forms may be required depending on the member's tier and beneficiary designation.

NYCERS Forms for Minor Beneficiaries

If the deceased member designated minor children as beneficiaries, NYCERS requires Form 137 — the Designation of Guardian under the Uniform Transfers to Minors Act. Without this form, NYCERS cannot process the payment to minors. This is one of the most common causes of prolonged processing delays in NYCERS claims.

NYCERS Unclaimed Funds

NYCERS maintains an active "Unclaimed Funds" registry. When a member dies and no beneficiary claim is filed within one year, the benefit is transferred to unclaimed status. Families who discover a deceased relative was a NYCERS member can search the unclaimed funds registry on the NYCERS website (nycers.org) or call the member services line. The funds do not expire, but claiming them requires proof of the relationship to the deceased member.

Critical Differences Between the Two Systems

What to Do Right Now

1. Determine whether your family member was covered by NYSLRS, NYCERS, or another NYC pension fund (NYPD, TRS, etc.)
2. Call the relevant system's member services line immediately to report the death and stop pension payments
3. Request a claim package and ask what specific forms are required given the pension option that was selected
4. Ensure all forms are properly notarized — this is mandatory and forms submitted without notarization will be returned
5. Submit with a certified death certificate

The complete claims workflow, including form checklists for both NYSLRS and NYCERS, is part of the New York Survivor Benefits Navigator. It covers not just pension claims but every overlapping deadline — from property tax exemptions to Workers' Compensation — so nothing gets missed during an already difficult time.

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