Retirement Checklist Information for:

All Funds

When planning for retirement, it is important to give retirement prior to submitting your application. • Naturalization or immigration papers.
yourself enough time to review your benefits and op- Fact sheets pertaining to retirement and related Unacceptable documentation includes military
tions. The time frames in this checklist are a guide; issues are available on our website. records indicating your age, expired documen-
however, actual processing times vary and cannot ü Direct deposit, also known as Electronic Funds tation, out-of-state drivers’ licenses (except P.A.
begin until the New Jersey Division of Pensions & Transfer (EFT), of your retirement check to a and N.Y.), hospital birth certificates, marriage
Benefits (NJDPB) receives all the necessary infor- bank account is mandatory (except for foreign certificates, census records, baptismal records,
mation and forms from both you and your employer. mailing addresses). You must provide your di- or affidavits from older family members.
rect deposit information at the time you apply
SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS Registered users can verify if proof of age is on
for retirement, or your retirement application will file using MBOS. If your proof of age is not al-
BEFORE RETIREMENT
not be processed. You should make sure that ready on file with the NJDPB, you should sub-
ü Obtain a Retirement Estimate — Members with- you have your account type (checking or sav- mit your proof of age document using the Online
in two years of retirement can obtain an estimate ings), bank routing number, and bank account Document Submission application available on
of retirement benefits using the Member Benefits number readily available to submit with your re- MBOS. Or, if you are unable to submit online,
Online System (MBOS). Register with MBOS on tirement application. You can make changes to you should mail a photocopy of your proof of age
our website at: [Link]/treasury/pensions an existing direct deposit any time after retire- document to the New Jersey Division of Pen-
To hear an estimate of retirement benefits over ment; please allow approximately 60 days for sions & Benefits, Retirement Bureau, P.O. Box
the phone, call the NJDPB Automated Informa- changes to take effect. 295, Trenton, NJ 08625-0295. Please include
tion System at (609) 292-7524. ü All members must provide proof of age prior to your name, pension number or last four digits
retirement. Acceptable proofs of age include: of your Social Security number, retirement date,
FOUR TO SIX MONTHS and daytime telephone number on the photo-
BEFORE RETIREMENT • Birth certificate — with visible seal;
copy.
ü You must apply for retirement online using • Passport;
ü For members of the Public Employees’ Retire-
MBOS — You cannot apply for more than one • A U.S. Passport Card; ment System (PERS), Teachers’ Pension and
year prior to your retirement date (members el- • A current digital New Jersey driver’s license or Annuity Fund (TPAF), and JRS — If you are
igible for a Deferred Retirement may file for re- identification card (for non-drivers) issued by choosing Option A, B, C, D, 2, 3, or 4, you must
tirement more than one year in advance upon the N.J. Motor Vehicle Commission; also submit proof of your beneficiary’s birth
termination of employment). Paper applications date. Please include the retiree’s name, pension
are not accepted.* Be sure to carefully read the • A current digital Pennsylvania or New York
membership number, retirement date, and day-
instructions and the available fact sheets about driver’s license; and
time telephone number on the photocopy of your

* Members of the Judicial Retirement System (JRS) must complete a paper Application for Retirement Allowance and cannot use MBOS to apply for retirement.

Page 1 March 2025 Fact Sheet #06

This fact sheet is a summary and not intended to provide all information.
Although every attempt at accuracy is made, it cannot be guaranteed. Retirement Checklist

beneficiary’s proof of age. dollar difference between the coverage you had eligible for State-paid or employer-paid cover-
Note: Your retirement will not be processed until before retirement and the coverage you will have age, you may continue the coverage into re-
the NJDPB receives the required copies of birth after retirement to a nongroup life insurance poli- tirement by paying the appropriate premium);
date evidence. It is the applicant’s responsibility cy, by applying to the Prudential Insurance Com- • A member employed by a board of education
to ensure that all forms are submitted within 90 pany within 31 days of your termination of em- or a county college retiring with 25 or more
days of the NJDPB’s receipt of your retirement ployment. No physical examination is required years of service credit in one or more State-
application. Otherwise, your retirement will be to prove insurability. The cost of the coverage or locally-administered retirement systems, or
canceled and you will need to submit another will be at the standard rate for someone your who retires on a Disability Retirement, even if
application for a future retirement date. age. For further information about conversion, the employer did not participate in the SEHBP.
you can contact Prudential at 1-855-364-7783. This includes members who elected Deferred
ü PERS and TPAF only — If applying for a Veter- You should contact other insurance carriers and
an Retirement, you must qualify as a veteran for Retirement with 25 or more years of service
compare the available policies and costs before credit. Eligibility is limited to full-time employ-
pension purposes. Registered users can verify if you decide to purchase the conversion policy.
veteran status is on file using MBOS. If you are ees as defined by N.J.A.C. 17:9-4. The State
not already listed as a veteran in the NJDPB’s ü Your employer will be notified that you have filed pays for the health benefit cost if you qualify
records, you must send a photocopy of your mili- an application for retirement and should submit under this category;
tary discharge (DD Form 214) to the N.J. Depart- a Certification of Service and Final Salary to the • Upon turning age 65, members of the TPAF
ment of Military and Veteran Affairs (NJDMAVA), NJDPB. and PERS who retired with less than 25 years
at the following address: ü Contact the N.J. State Employees’ Deferred of service credit from a non-participating board
New Jersey Department of Military and Compensation Plan (NJSEDCP) office at of education, vocational/technical school, or
Veteran Affairs 1-866-NJSEDCP, the Supplemental Annuity Col- special services commission who have contin-
ATTN: DVP-VBB lective Trust (SACT) office at (609) 292-7524, or uously participated in the health benefits plan
P.O. Box 340 the Defined Contribution Retirement Program of their former employer since their retirement
Trenton, NJ 08625-0340 (DCRP) at 1-866-653-2771, if you participate in and are enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B.
these plans. • A PERS or Alternate Benefit Program (ABP)
Since the NJDMAVA also makes determinations
of veteran’s preference for Civil Service and ü You will receive a letter from the NJDPB ac- member retiring from a board of education or
property tax appeals, a note should be attached knowledging receipt of your retirement appli- county college with 25 or more years of ser-
to say that the discharge is being sent for pen- cation. Included with the letter are answers to vice credit in the retirement system or retiring
sion purposes. For more information, see the some frequently asked retirement questions. on a Disability Retirement; or
Veteran Status Fact Sheet. • A police officer, firefighter, or PERS Law En-
APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS
ü You will be asked if you have applied for a pur- forcement Officer (LEO) retiring with 25 years
BEFORE RETIREMENT
chase of additional service credit in the past six or more of service credit in the retirement sys-
ü You will receive a letter offering you enrollment tem or retiring on a Disability Retirement, and
months. If you have recently applied for a pur-
in the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) or whose employer does not provide any pay-
chase, be sure to indicate “Yes”.
the School Employees’ Health Benefits Program ment towards the retiree’s health coverage
ü The amount of your group life insurance cover- (SEHBP) if you are: or reimbursement of Medicare Part B premi-
age through the retirement system decreases at ums, may be eligible for retired group SHBP
• A member already covered by the SHBP or
retirement, or terminates if you have less than coverage under the provisions of P.L. 1997,
SEHBP through the employer (if you are not
10 years of service credit. You may convert the

Fact Sheet #06 March 2025 Page 2

This fact sheet is a summary and not intended to provide all information.
Although every attempt at accuracy is made, it cannot be guaranteed. Retirement Checklist

c.330 (Chapter 330) (see the Health Bene- ical coverage through the SHBP or SEHBP, be SHORTLY BEFORE
fits Retired Coverage Under Chapter 330 Fact sure to discuss any coverage options that are YOUR RETIREMENT DATE
Sheet). available to you with your employer.
ü You will receive a Quotation of Retirement Ben-
Note: Some employees are automatically en- efits letter which shows your monthly retirement
APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH
rolled in SHBP/SEHBP Retired Group coverage allowance with:
BEFORE RETIREMENT
with their current medical plan and need only • The option you selected (for PERS, TPAF,
submit an application online using Benefitsolv- ü Your retirement will be presented to the retire- and JRS);
er if they wish to change medical and/or dental ment system’s Board of Trustees for approval.
You will receive a board approval letter and will • A quote of any outstanding loan balance
plans. For certain employees, however, enroll- with repayment options; and
ment as a retiree in the SHBP or SEHBP is not have 30 days from the board approval date,
automatic, and you must apply for coverage on- or 30 days from your effective retirement date • A quote or any outstanding arrears (pur-
line through Benefitsolver to enroll. Your offer- (whichever is later), to change your retirement chase) balance and/or shortages.
ing letter from the health benefits program will date and/or your option selection. If you make ü If you will be retiring with an outstanding loan
indicate whether or not you are required to apply any changes after board approval, your new se- balance, you must decide how you wish to repay
for coverage online through Benefitsolver. Bene- lection must again be approved by the Board of your loan. You may:
fitsolver can be accessed through your myNew- Trustees. This may delay your first check. • Pay the loan in its entirety prior to receiving
Jersey account or via [Link] ü You may choose to cancel your retirement with- any benefits; or
ü If you are age 65 or older, contact the local So- in 30 days of your retirement date or 30 days • Pay through deductions from your retire-
cial Security Administration office for full Medi- of your board approval date (whichever is later). ment allowance until the loan balance plus
care enrollment. You must be covered by both The request to cancel your retirement or change interest has been repaid. The monthly loan
Part A and Part B of Medicare to be eligible to your retirement date must be made via MBOS. payment will be calculated to have the loan
enroll in the SHBP or SEHBP in retirement. Re- However, if your retirement has been board ap- plus interest satisfied by your five-year end
proved and/or you have been assigned a retire- date.
tired members of the SHBP or SEHBP who are
enrolled in Medicare are automatically enrolled in ment number, MBOS will not be able to process ü Any outstanding arrears or shortages must be
OptumRx’s Medicare Part D. If you enroll in an- your request to cancel or change your retirement paid before your retirement check can be is-
other Medicare Part D plan, you will lose your date. In these cases, you should immediate- sued. Failure to respond to these issues within
prescription drug benefits provided by the SHBP/ ly contact the NJDPB in writing or by email at: 90 days will delay your retirement benefits and
SEHBP; however, your medical benefits will con- [Link]@[Link] If you cancel or may cause your retirement to be canceled.
tinue. You may waive the OptumRx Medicare change your retirement date and submit a new
only if you are enrolled in another Medicare Part application with a later retirement date, it is your SHORTLY AFTER
D plan. To request that your prescription drug responsibility to notify the employer to ensure YOUR RETIREMENT DATE
coverage be waived, you must do so online your active health benefits (if any) are not can- ü You will receive a letter confirming your retire-
through Benefitsolver. celed and that your employment remains unin- ment and death benefits called the Statement of
terrupted. Canceling your retirement does not Retirement Allowance. The letter will also supply
ü You may need to obtain a written statement from
guarantee continued employment with your em- figures needed in filing your income tax return.
your employer certifying that you have been cov-
ployer. Keep this with your important papers.
ered under an employer group health plan. The
statement should indicate when and why cover- ü Your first retirement check cannot be issued ear-
age as an active employee will end. lier than 30 days following your retirement or 30
ü If you will not be eligible for post-retirement med- days following approval of your retirement by the
Board of Trustees, whichever is later. If process-

Fact Sheet #06 March 2025 Page 3

This fact sheet is a summary and not intended to provide all information.
Although every attempt at accuracy is made, it cannot be guaranteed. Retirement Checklist

ing or approval of your retirement is delayed, preparer or call the Internal Revenue Service at
your first check will be retroactive to the date of 800-829-1040. To change your federal withhold-
your retirement. Regular retirement checks are ing status, you may do so through your MBOS
dated on the first of the month to cover the allow- account after you have received your first retire-
ance for the previous month. For example, if you ment check. Both federal and State withholding
retire on July 1, your first retirement check would applications are available through your MBOS
be due and payable on August 1, and is payment account so that you can make changes at any
for the month of July. time. Note: Use Form W-4R for non-periodic
ü If you are considering working after retirement, payments and eligible rollover distributions.
you should be aware of the restrictions imposed This form can be found on the IRS website at
by laws and regulations governing post-retire- [Link]
ment employment. It is your responsibility to
inform your prospective employer that you are This fact sheet has been produced and distributed by:
receiving retirement benefits from a New Jersey
New Jersey Division of Pensions & Benefits
State-administered public retirement system,
P.O. Box 295, Trenton, NJ 08625-0295
and to understand the impact employment will
have on those retirement benefits. In some in- (609) 292-7524
stances, your retirement benefits may be sus- For the hearing impaired: TRS 711 (609) 292-6683
pended or even canceled entirely, and if this oc- [Link]/treasury/pensions
curs, you will be responsible for the repayment
of any benefits you were not entitled to receive.
You may also be required to re-enroll in your for-
mer retirement system or a different retirement
system, and make pension contributions into
that system. For more information, please see
the Employment after Retirement Restrictions
Fact Sheet.
ü Federal income tax will be withheld at a default
withholding status of Single with no adjustments.
Refer to IRS Form W-4P for instructions regard-
ing federal tax withholding. The NJDPB can-
not provide tax advice. If you need assistance
completing Form W-4P, please contact your tax

Fact Sheet #06 March 2025 Page 4