Planning Your Successful Retirement Video Guide

We hope you find these videos helpful as you prepare for retirement from NYS service as an executive branch employee. The videos can be viewed in any order, but they only provide highlights of key information. We strongly recommend you review the written Self-Help Guide to Pre-Retirement Planning at www.worklife.ny.gov/preretirement. In addition to viewing these videos, we urge you to talk with your agency health benefits administrator, a pension consultant from the NYS Retirement System, an account executive from the NYS Deferred Compensation Plan, and a representative from the Social Security Administration.

How to View the Videos

The videos are posted on the Work-Life Services YouTube Channel. You can access these videos via links on each of the pages below, or by searching on the YouTube site for "NYS Pre-Retirement Planning".

If you are unable to access YouTube, you may use Windows Media Player to open the short retirement planning videos below by clicking on the video title. You may also access these videos from home on YouTube using the link in the previous paragraph. If you are having difficulty accessing the videos, please contact your agency IT staff.

Captioning is available on all videos. If you are viewing the YouTube videos, click on the "CC" icon at the bottom of the player. Captions may be turned on in Windows Media Player by:

1. Press the Alt button on your keyboard. A menu will appear on your screen.

2. Click on the option for "Play."

3. Click on the option for "Captions and Subtitles."

4. Select "On if available."

Pre-Retirement Video Guide Overview

• Overview to Planning Your Successful Retirement

NYS Retirement System Video Topics

• An Introduction to the Retirement System and Membership Information (10:15)
• What Types of Service Are Creditable In My Retirement System Membership? (10:51)
• How Will the Retirement System Calculate My Final Average Salary? (6:28)
• What Is My Retirement Plan and How Is It Used to Calculate My NYS Pension? (12:17)
• What Steps Should I Take to Prepare to Collect My NYS Pension? (14:07)
• What Do I Need to Know About My Retirement System Benefits After I Retire? (10:15)
• A Pension Benefit Summary and Retirement System Contact Information (5:12)

NYS Health Insurance Program (NYSHIP) Video Topics

• Introduction to the NYS Health Insurance Program (7:31)
• Eligibility for Retiree Health Insurance (8:01)
• Paying for Your Benefits (12:02)
• Dependents and Dependent Survivor Coverage (9:11)
• Other Benefits Available to the Retiree (6:47)
• Medicare Part 1: Eligibility and Enrollment (10:03)
• Medicare Part 2: Coordination with Your NYSHIP Benefits (10:52)
• After You Retire (8:12)

Social Security Administration Video Topics

• General Information About Social Security (7:13)
• Social Security Benefits (8:17)
• Choosing Your Retirement Date and General Medicare Information (14:36)

NYS Deferred Compensation Plan Video Topics

• Determine and Close Your Income Gap (12:08)
• Protect Yourself From Risks (8:34)
• Keep Your Planning Simple (11:37)