Form F266 at a glance
What it is: Form F266 is for Tier 3, 4 and 6 vested members who left City service and wish to begin receiving their Vested Retirement Benefit.
Notary: Sign this form in the presence of a Notary Public or Commissioner of Deeds.
To initiate payment of your Vested Retirement Benefit, you must reach the minimum age or Payability Date under your retirement plan (for more information, see your plan brochure available at nycers.org/plan-descriptions).
What to bring and attach to Form F266
Submit proof of your date of birth (and, if needed, your beneficiary's) to NYCERS.
Common mistake: No advance (partial) pension payment will be sent to you until NYCERS has acceptable proof of your birthdate on file. For a list of acceptable documents, see Birthdate Evidence Alternatives Fact Sheet #709, available at nycers.org/birth-evidence.
A filled-in Form F266 example: Maria Sample fills in page 1
How to fill out Form F266, box by box
Last Name, Date of Birth, Phone Number and Address
Enter your Last Name, M.I. and First Name.
Enter your Date of Birth [mm/dd/yyyy], Phone Number, Last 4 SSN and Member Number.
Enter your Apt. Number, Address, Zip Code, State and City.
Tier 3, Tier 4 or Tier 6 retirement plan
I am a Tier 4 member in the following retirement plan [check only one]: Basic 62/5 Plan (62/5). 55/25 Plan participants have no specific vesting provisions, but if you have five or more years of Credited Service, at least two years of which are Membership Service, you are entitled to receive a Vested Retirement Benefit under the Basic 62/5 Plan. Please check this box if this applies to you.
A Tier 4 member checks the 57/5 Plan (57/5) box in the retirement plans [check only one]. 57/5 Plan participants in a Physically Taxing Position with 25 years of Physically Taxing Service are entitled to receive a Vested Retirement Benefit at age 50; please check this box if this applies to you.
Temporary Option Election
You can elect a Temporary Retirement Option for the period of time between the Payability Date of your Vested Retirement Benefit and the date NYCERS receives your Permanent Retirement Option Election Form (the “Interim Period”).
If you die during the Interim Period, the beneficiary you name (if any) will receive a continuing benefit under your Temporary Option after your death.
To elect a Temporary Option during your Interim Period, you must read the option descriptions and choose only one of the options, and provide information about your beneficiary/beneficiaries using their given name (e.g., Mary Smith, not Mrs. John Smith).
100% Joint-and-Survivor
Check 100% Joint-and-Survivor to elect to receive a reduced lifetime retirement allowance under the 100% Joint-and-Survivor Option.
If you die before your designated beneficiary on the next page, the same monthly amount will continue to be paid to them for life.
If your beneficiary predeceases you, all payments will cease upon your death.
Common mistake: You cannot change your beneficiary once this option is in force because the life expectancies of both you and your beneficiary are taken into consideration to guarantee you an income for life.
If you choose the 100% Joint-and-Survivor Option, submit proof of your beneficiary's birthdate as well as additional valid documentation, such as a marriage certificate(s), if your beneficiary's name is different from the name on the birthdate evidence you submit.
In the Joint-and-Survivor Beneficiary section, you must designate one beneficiary.
If this beneficiary is under the age of 21, you have the option to name a guardian of the property of the minor by checking this box and completing Designation of Guardian Form #137.
Ten-Year Certain
Check Ten-Year Certain to elect to receive a reduced monthly lifetime benefit under the Ten-Year Certain Option.
If you die within 10 years from the date of your retirement, the reduced monthly retirement benefit will continue to be paid to your designated primary beneficiary for the unexpired balance of the 10-year period.
If your designated primary beneficiary predeceases you, the balance of the payments due for the remainder of the 10-year period will be paid in a lump sum to your designated contingent beneficiary or, if none exists, to your Estate.
Evidence of your beneficiary's birthdate is not required if you choose the Ten-Year Certain Option.
You must designate one primary and contingent beneficiary, or your Estate (if you are a Tier 3 member), under this option.
Estate as Beneficiary
Only Tier 3 members may nominate their Estate instead of a person as their beneficiary.
To nominate your Estate, check the box in the Estate as Beneficiary section and do not write in any other beneficiary's name on this form.
Common mistake: Tier 4 and Tier 6 members may not nominate an Estate as either their Primary or Contingent Beneficiary.
Primary Beneficiary
You may only nominate a person as a Primary Beneficiary. Do not complete the Primary Beneficiary section if you nominated your Estate as your beneficiary.
Contingent Beneficiary
In addition to a Primary Beneficiary, you may nominate a person, Trust or nonprofit organization as a Contingent Beneficiary. Do not complete the Contingent Beneficiary section if you nominated your Estate as your beneficiary.
Federal Tax Withholding
Starting with your first advance (partial) payment, Federal income taxes will be withheld based on the election you make.
If you do not complete this election, your tax deduction will be defaulted to “Single” with all other fields set to 0 (zero).
If you do not want to withhold Federal income tax from your pension, skip fields 1 - 8 and place a check in field 9, Do not withhold Federal income tax from my pension.
Check Single or Married, filing separately, Married, filing jointly or Qualifying widow(er), or Head of household.
Enter the taxable income from a job or multiple sources of periodic payments (include spouse's taxable income if filing jointly). If you (or your spouse) have a job, do not complete Steps 3-7 on this form.
Signature of Member
The undersigned hereby makes application for payment of a Vested Retirement Benefit under the applicable provision of the Retirement and Social Security Law (RSSL).
Sign this form in the presence of a Notary Public or Commissioner of Deeds.
Fill in the Date Notarized and the Signature of Member.
More rules for Form F266
Complete, sign, notarize and return this form to NYCERS (check only one of the boxes on pages 1-2 to indicate your Tier and plan, leaving unrelated sections blank, and check only one of the boxes on pages 3-7 to select your Temporary Option).
If your situation is different
After your retirement date, NYCERS sends you an option package
After your retirement date, NYCERS will send you an option package containing information regarding the amounts payable under the Maximum Retirement Allowance (No Option) and the various options available. The package will include Permanent Retirement Option Election forms.
Even if you are satisfied with the Temporary Option you elect on this form, you will be required, within 60 days of the date NYCERS sends you the option package, to make a permanent election of either the Maximum Retirement Allowance or an option that pays a benefit to your beneficiary/beneficiaries.
If you fail to elect a permanent option in the time specified, you will be finalized under the Temporary Option elected on this form.
If you do not elect a Temporary Option on this form and you do not file a Permanent Retirement Option election, you will be finalized under the Maximum Retirement Allowance.
You return to public service within New York City or New York State
Retirees who return to public service within New York City or New York State may be subject to earnings limitations. For complete details, see NYCERS' Earnings Limitations for Service Retirees Brochure #958.
Common questions about Form F266
Where do I file it?
NYCERS: Online nycers.org, Phone 347-643-3000, Mail 30-30 47th Ave., 10th Floor, LIC, NY 11101.
Sources
[1] Form F266 (January 2026), Application for Payment of a Tier 3, 4 or 6 Vested Retirement Benefit, New York City Employees' Retirement System (the Official source link on this page).