National Association of State Retirement Administrators

Missouri

Major public employee retirement systems in Missouri include the Missouri State Employees Retirement System (MOSERS), the Missouri Public Schools Retirement System (PSRS), the Missouri Local Government Employees Retirement System (LAGERS), and the MoDOT & Patrol Employees Retirement System.

MOSERS administers retirement and other benefits for most state employees, including members of the state general assembly, state elected officials, and judges. The System administers three plans. Of these, the State Employees' Plan represents more than 99% of all members and comprises three benefit structures: the MSEP and MSEP 2000, which are closed plans. Employees hired after June 30, 2000, and until 12/31/10 participate in the MSEP 2000. The Missouri Legislature established a new tier, MSEP 2011, for employees hired beginning 1/1/11. Other plans are for judges and legal advisors.

The Public School Retirement System of Missouri administers pension and other benefits for certificated employees of public school districts and state community colleges. The System is administered jointly with the Public Education Employees Retirement System of Missouri. Both systems are overseen by a common board and administered by a common staff. The systems are depicted here as a single system with two plans: the PSRS, for certificated teachers, and the PEERS, for non-certificated employees.

Missouri LAGERS administers pension and other benefits for employees of more than 490 political subdivisions that have elected to participate. Approximately 60 percent of participating employers have chosen a non-contributory plan for their members.

Authorizing Statutes

Missouri State Employees' Retirement System

Chapter 104 of the Missouri Revised Statutes establishes the Missouri State Employees' Retirement System.

104.320. 1. For the purpose of providing retirement income and other benefits to employees of the state, there is hereby created and established a retirement system which shall be a body corporate and an instrumentality of the state, which shall be under the management of a board of trustees herein described, and shall be known as the "Missouri State Employees' Retirement System". In the system shall be vested the powers and duties specified in sections 104.010 and 104.320 to 104.800 and such other powers as may be necessary or proper to enable it, its officers, employees, and agents to carry out fully and effectively all the purposes of sections 104.010 and 104.320 to 104.800.

Missouri Local Government Employees Retirement System

Chapter 70 of the Missouri Revised Statues creates the Missouri Local Government Employees Retirement System.

70.605. 1. For the purpose of providing for the retirement or pensioning of the officers and employees and the widows and children of deceased officers and employees of any political subdivision of the state, there is hereby created and established a retirement system which shall be a body corporate, which shall be under the management of a board of trustees herein described, and shall be known as the "Missouri Local Government Employees' Retirement System". Such system may sue and be sued, transact business, invest funds, and hold cash, securities, and other property. All suits or proceedings directly or indirectly against the system shall be brought in Cole County. The system shall begin operations on the first day of the calendar month next following sixty days after the date the board of trustees has received certification from ten political subdivisions that they have elected to become employers.

Missouri Public Schools Retirement System

Chapter 169 of the Missouri Revised Statutes establishes Teacher and School Retirement Systems in the State.

169.020. 1. For the purpose of providing retirement allowances and other benefits for public school teachers, there is hereby created and established a retirement system which shall be a body corporate, shall be under the management of a board of trustees herein described, and shall be known as "The Public School Retirement System of Missouri". Such system shall, by and in such name, sue and be sued, transact all of its business, invest all of its funds, and hold all of its cash, securities, and other property. The system so created shall include all school districts in this state, except those in cities that had populations of four hundred thousand or more according to the latest United States decennial census, and such others as are or hereafter may be included in a similar system or in similar systems established by law and made operative; provided, that teachers in school districts of more than four hundred thousand inhabitants who are or may become members of a local retirement system may become members of this system with the same legal benefits as accrue to present members of such state system on the terms and under the conditions provided for in section 169.021. The system hereby established shall begin operations on the first day of July next following the date upon which sections 169.010 to 169.130 shall take effect.[5]

Missouri Department of Transportation and Highway Patrol Employees' Retirement System

Chapter 104 of the Missouri Revises Statutes creates the Missouri Department of Transportation and Highway Patrol Employees' Retirement System.

104.020. There is hereby created the "Missouri Department of Transportation and Highway Patrol Employees' Retirement System", which shall be a body corporate and an instrumentality of the state. In such system shall be vested the powers and duties specified in sections 104.010 to 104.270 and such other powers as may be necessary or proper to enable it, its officers, employees, and agents to carry out fully and effectively all the purposes of sections 104.010 to 104.270.

104.160. establishes membership in the MoDOT & Patrol Employees' Retirement System Board of Trustees

The board of trustees shall consist of three members of the state highways and transportation commission elected by the members of the commission. The superintendent of the highway patrol and the director of the department of transportation shall serve as members by virtue of their respective offices, and their successors shall succeed them as members of the board of trustees. In addition, one member of the senate appointed by the president pro tem of the senate and one member of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house shall serve as members of the board of trustees.

Board Composition

Plan

Board Size

Appointed

Elected

Plan Members

Ex Officio

Missouri Local Government ERS

7

1

6

6

0

St. Louis Public School Retirement System

11

4

7

7

0

Missouri State Employees Retirement System

11

6

3

3

2

Missouri Public Schools Retirement System

7

3

4

4

0

Contributions

Per the U.S. Census, in FY 2021, employer contributions to Missouri state and local government pension plans were 4.52 percent of all state and local government direct general spending.

Constitutional Protections

No explicit constitutional protection for public pension benefits, but courts provide protection based on impairment of contract principles to the extent that the vested rights are outlined in the controlling statute in effect at the time of vesting which became a part of the contract of employment. Firemen's Retirement System v. City of St. Louis, 2006 WL 2403955 (Mo. App. E.D. Aug. 22, 2006) (holding that city was required to pay the employer contributions certified by actuary and pension board); Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No.2 v. City of St. Joseph, 8 S.W.3d 257 (Mo. App. W.D. 1999) (recognizing that government employees have no property rights in a pension fund except to the extent explicitly provided by statute). (MO CONST., Article 1, §13) Source: Robert Klausner, Esq., State Constitutional Protections for Public Sector Retirement Benefits
 

Flag of Missouri (September 4, 1913)

Population (2022) 6,177,957

Missouri public pension statistics, per U.S. Census Bureau as of FY 2022 ($ in 000s)

Assets

$97,433,817

Active Members

275,176

Annuitants

247,674

Benefits Paid

$6,219,216

Employee Contributions

$1,169,684

Employer Contributions

$2,581,261

Systems

90

More Data

Other Resources