The Internal Revenue Service has announced 2019 contribution limits for retirement plans such as TRS' TDA Program. The general contribution limit will increase from $18,500 in 2018 to $19,000 in 2019.

The limits on "catch-up" contributions in 2019 remain unchanged:

• Members age 50 and older may make additional contributions up to $6,000.
• Certain members with at least 15 years of City employment may be eligible to make additional contributions up to $3,000.

Based on these rules, each year TRS determines the maximum allowable TDA contribution amount for each member. We also calculate the contribution rate (percentage of pay) that would result in the maximum contribution. That rate is known as the "Full-Year, Full-Contribution Rate."

You can now see—or elect—your 2019 Full-Year, Full-Contribution Rate after logging in to the secure section of our website. Rates elected by December 16 should take effect with the first payroll of the new year.

Monthly Account Statements as of December 31, 2018 are now available through the secure section of our website.

In-service members can access their account balances, loan information, and investment elections. Members with TDA Deferral status can access their TDA account balances, investment elections, and loan and RMD information.

Members who received a distribution from TRS in 2018 will soon receive the associated 1099 form for tax filing purposes.

Mailing will begin on January 18. Members should allow at least 10 days for the mailing to be completed and wait until February 1 before contacting TRS about forms not yet received in the mail.

On or about January 25, the 1099 forms for 2018 lump-sum distributions will be available for online viewing in the secure section of our website. (1099 forms for retirement allowances and other recurring payments are not available on our site.)

If you have questions about your tax forms from TRS, be sure to consult our 1099 Forms brochure.

We have posted the 2018 edition of our Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). The CAFR is part of the City's overall financial reporting and presents TRS' financial position and the results of TRS operations. This report covers both our Qualified Pension Plan (QPP) and our Tax-Deferred Annuity (TDA) Program. On the Financial Reports page, you can view the most recent issue or choose an issue from our archives dating back to 2012.

The Fall 2018 issues of our member newsletters are now available online. The mailing of Benefits Report to retirees and In-Service News to non-retired members will occur next week. On the Newsletters page, you can view the most recent issues or choose an issue from our archives dating back to 2013.

Account statements for the period ending September 30, 2018 are now available for online viewing in the secure section of our website.

The Quarterly Account Statement (QAS), for in-service members and certain members on leave, summarizes account information for members' Qualified Pension Plan and, if applicable, Tax-Deferred Annuity Program accounts.

The TDA Quarterly Statement, for members with TDA Deferral status, summarizes TDA account information for members who are maintaining a TDA account after retirement (or, in some cases, resignation).

Printed statements have been mailed to members' home addresses. If you currently receive your quarterly statements in the mail, consider opting out of the mailing and viewing the statement online instead. To change your mailing preference, select My Profile after logging in to the secure section of our website. To ensure that you receive emails from TRS, please add noreply@trs.nyc.ny.us to your address book.

Early in 2019, TRS will introduce a new online feature for death benefit claims, which will provide convenient, secure filing and faster benefit processing for many claimants. This November, we are beginning the transition to our new system. As a result, beneficiaries may experience a delay in receiving a benefits claim letter, which TRS sends after receiving needed documentation and calculating benefits payable.

Processing death benefit claims can normally take several weeks (or months for in-service members), and we apologize for any delay during this transitional period.

To report the death of a member, please contact TRS’ Member Services Center at 1 (888) 8-NYC-TRS. For additional information about death benefits, please see our brochure for beneficiaries of retirees, or for beneficiaries of non-retired, members.

Annual Benefits Statements for 2018 are now available for members who are in active service or on leave. Members can view their statements in the secure area of our website, and a new video shows how to access the statement online.

Qualifying members who worked in the World Trade Center Rescue, Recovery, or Cleanup Operations between September 11, 2001 and September 12, 2002 may file a Notice of Participation (code DI40) with TRS. Beneficiaries of qualifying members who died without having filed this form may file the beneficiary version of the Notice of Participation (code DI40b). TRS must now receive the Notice of Participation and, if applicable, an Authorization for Release of Health-Related Information (code DI47) by September 11, 2018.

Please see the World Trade Center Presumptive Disability and Death Benefit Laws information sheet for a list of qualifying conditions or impairments of health and other important information.