There are 100 actuarially funded defined benefit public pension plans registered with the PRB. The total membership of these public retirement systems is more than 3.51 million active and retired members, and the total net assets of the plans are approximately $398 billion. The 100 plans include:
statewide plans including 2 cash balance plans that municipalities, counties and districts may join
major municipal plans including 14 in state law and 3 in local ordinance
local firefighter plans organized under the Texas Local Firefighters Retirement Act
local plans administered by special purpose districts or as supplemental plans
The following graphs summarize some of the key indicators and assumptions for Texas public pensions in the aggregate.
This graph presents the sum of the assets and liabilities of all Texas public pension plans. The funded ratio represents the assets divided by the liabilities, as shown. Figures obtained from plans' actuarial valuations; if a valuation was not completed for a particular year, the prior valuation data is used.
A plan's amortization period is the time it would theoretically take to fully fund any unfunded liability. The PRB Pension Funding Guidelines establish a maximum amortization period of not more than 30 years with a preferred target range of 10 to 25 years. Amortization periods are reported in actuarial valuations, which are conducted by Texas plans at least every 3 years according to law. Plans with a funding surplus are reported with an amortization period of zero.
The investment return assumption is a key actuarial assumption which directly impacts a plan's liability calculation and contribution requirement. A higher return assumption leads to a lower liability calculation and therefore lower contribution requirement and vice versa. In response to projected market conditions and actual plan experience, retirement systems have reduced return assumptions in recent years. Return assumptions are reported in actuarial valuations, which are conducted by Texas plans at least every 3 years according to Texas law.
Select a pension plan to view current and historical data over the past 10 years.
Select a peer group by plan type or asset size to view comparative data.
View key indicators of financial health for all Texas plans in the aggregate.
This data center contains information reported by retirement systems to the PRB in annual financial reports, actuarial valuations and other studies, and investment and membership reports. The information may not reflect a system’s current status, only its most recently reported information. Deadlines for reporting information vary and may be viewed here. Historical data and trends presented are not intended to predict future events or continuing trends.
The information in this data center is intended to meet the Texas Government Code Section 801.209(a) requirement to post each public retirement system’s most recent data from reports required under Chapter 802, as well as to meet the Section 2054.1265 requirement for state agencies to post high-value data sets created or maintained by the agency on a generally accessible internet website maintained by or for the agency.
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