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The Funded Status of State-Managed Public Pension Plans
State-level public pension plans' funded status dropped from 97.7 percent in 2001 to 73.6 percent in 2019.
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Historically Low 10-Year Treasury Yields Show Ongoing Challenges for Public Pensions
The all-time low 10-year Treasury rate yield is the latest reminder of the “new normal” in institutional investing.
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Infographic — Idaho School Finance: How It Works and How to Improve the System
Idaho should streamline its education funding system into a weighted-student formula that allocates dollars based on local students' needs.
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Public Pension Investment Performance Has Historically Fallen Short of Return Assumptions
Declining interest rates and market volatility over the last three decades have made it harder for public pension plan investment performance to match assumed rates of return - and plans have been slow to lower their assumptions.
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What Happens to Taxpayer-Funded Pensions When Public Officials Are Convicted of Crimes?
The police officer charged with killing George Floyd is eligible for his full taxpayer funded pension. In fact, a majority of states provide retirement benefits to officers and public servants convicted of serious crimes.
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The State Gas Tax Money That Is Diverted Away From Roads and Highways
Half of the states divert state fuel taxes to pay for expenses unrelated to roads, including money shifted to law enforcement, education, tourism, environmental programs and more.
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The Surprisingly Risk-Free Origin of Public Pension Investment Return Assumptions
A look back at the history of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System shows that pension systems originally took a very safe approach to investments - which may offer some lessons for today.
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How Teacher Pension Plans Are Impacted by the Economic and Market Volatility
Choose a public pension plan and an investment return rate to see how that plan's unfunded liabilities and funded ratios change.
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State Pension Challenges – Unfunded Liabilities Before and After COVID-19-Related Economic Downturn
This new interactive tool shows how one year of bad returns can affect the funding status of public pension plans and previews the challenges ahead for state-run pensions.