Ryan Frost
Managing Director, Pension Integrity Project, Reason Foundation
Ryan Frost is a Managing Director of Reason Foundation's Pension Integrity Project.
Frost contributes to Reason's ongoing Gold Standard In Public Retirement System Design series, produced an in-depth analysis of the Arizona PSPRS pension systems, and presented testimony before the Michigan House Appropriations Committee, among others.
Ryan's work has been published in various outlets, including The Orange County Register, and cited by The Center Square, The Tennessee Star, and the National Association of State Retirement Administrators.
Before joining Reason, Frost spent seven years as the senior research and policy manager for the Washington State Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System (LEOFF 2), a plan that is nationally recognized for its exceptional funding level. Frost conducted multiple pension studies for the Washington State Legislature. He also drafted and testified on six pieces of adopted legislation affecting LEOFF 2 members, including a first-of-its-kind annuity rollover provision for defined-benefit plans.
Frost earned his B.A. in politics and government from Pacific Lutheran University and a Certificate of Achievement in Public Plan Policy (CAPPP) from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans.
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A Texas law governing firefighter pensions is straining city budgets
Without reforms, Texas cities will continue to face escalating public pension liabilities, jeopardizing their financial stability and burdening taxpayers.
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Diverting Michigan’s pension debt payment would be costly to taxpayers and put retirees at risk
The Michigan Public Schools Employees Retirement System is currently $29 billion in debt, according to the latest figures from the plan's 2023 actuarial valuation.
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Alaska’s supplemental savings program outperforms Social Security
The Alaska SBS-AP serves as a valuable case study in innovative retirement planning.
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A proposed bill would make Alaska the gold standard in defined contribution retirement plans for public workers
Alaska House Bill 302 offers prudent, responsible stewardship of the state's public sector retirement system.
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Connecticut’s efforts to reform public pensions may add long-term costs for taxpayers
Long-term goals are likely undermined by the law’s extended amortization schedule and introduction of a DROP program.
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New York pension systems sued for politicizing public pension investments
The New York City Employees' Retirement System, the Teachers' Retirement System, and the Board of Education Retirement System divested roughly $4 billion in fossil fuel investments.
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North Dakota enacts landmark public pension reforms
The new pension reform will help solve NDPERS' unfunded liabilities and unsustainable financial trajectory like an oil spill—by both capping the spill and cleaning up what’s already spilled.
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Arizona passes prefunding program for state retirement system
The Arizona State Retirement System is now one of the few statewide pension systems that has a dedicated contribution prefunding program.
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Reformed pensions in Arizona, Michigan receiving supplemental funding to pay down debt faster
Arizona and Michigan’s recent treatment of funding for pension systems is an example of the value of comprehensive pension reform.
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Alaska avoids attempt to roll back 2005 pension reform
Instead of unraveling pension progress, policymakers should seek to bolster the policies that brought resiliency and reliability.
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Deferred retirement option plans expose public pensions to unique risks
When looking into public pension plans that offer a DROP, a clear trend emerges: poorly funded plans and a swamp of unfunded liabilities.
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CalPERS audit finds history of pension spiking in Broadmoor police department
Three former police chiefs and a former commander received improper benefits dating back to 2011.
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Most public pension plans raised employee contribution rates in the last decade, report shows
The amount a public employee contributes to their pension plan has increased by 1.25% since 2011.
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Suggested reforms for Pennsylvania’s Public School Employees’ Retirement System
The pension system's high investment fees and unrealistic investment return expectations are in need of reform.
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Washington State Grapples With Public Pension Cost-of-Living Adjustments
The most unfair solution to this public pension issue is to continue to allocate hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to annually fund increased benefits.
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Texas Bill Threatens Houston’s Financial Wellbeing
Legislation to grant mandatory arbitration privileges to the Houston Fire Department could have severe negative impacts on Houston's finances.
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Oregon Supreme Court Ruling Has Major Implications for Retirement Security and Hybrid Plan Design
The court's ruling has far-reaching implications for hybrid retirement systems like Oregon’s.
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The Potential Risks and Rewards of CalPERS’ New Investment Policy
The nation's largest public pension plan is seeking better returns by investing in more private equity and allowing strategic borrowing.