Model the Tier 6 age-63 rules, test your best 36 consecutive months, and see how court leave balances may carry into retirement.
Set the timeline
Elapsed dates assume continuous full-time service. Tier 6 generally applies to ERS members who joined April 1, 2012 or later. Reconcile service with your Member Annual Statement.
Build your FAE
Enter the total pensionable earnings received during each period. The planner allocates that total across the period’s months, checks every rolling 36-month window, and applies the Tier 6 10% annual limit when 24 earlier months are available.
Include eligible regular pay, differential, location pay, longevity, holiday pay, and overtime only up to the ERS Tier 6 limit for that calendar year. Do not include leave cash-outs, termination pay, or pay above applicable pensionable limits.Account for accruals
Leave cash payments use base salary—not the pensionable totals entered above.
The 700/1,400-hour figures are planning benchmarks, not NYSHIP eligibility cutoffs. Actual monthly health credit depends on salary, age, unused hours, and annuitant option.
1.75% × first 20 years + 2% beyond 20
$0 × 42.6% × 100.0%See the tradeoff
Know the boundaries
Tier 6 requires at least five years of service and age 55. The full benefit is payable at 63; retiring from 55 through 62 permanently reduces it by 6.5% for each year under 63, prorated monthly.
With less than 20 years, the estimate uses 1.66% per year. At 20 years, it uses 1.75% for the first 20 years and 2% for each year beyond 20.
Current law uses the highest three consecutive years. The builder also applies the 10% limit against the previous two years when enough history is entered.
UCS rules allow up to 200 days for retirement service and retiree health. Sick credit can increase the benefit, but cannot satisfy vesting or move a member into the better 20-year formula.
Tier 6 members contribute throughout public service. The payroll rate depends on pensionable pay and applicable law; contributions are not subtracted from this gross pension estimate.
Overtime/comp and annual/vacation estimates are kept outside pensionable earnings. The 378-hour planning caps are applied automatically; confirm the applicable contract or title rule.
Confirm service, earnings, retirement options, health credit, and leave payout with Retirement Online and your court administrative office.