Perspective of 2009 vs 2010

Introduction

At the end of the calendar year 2010, aggregate state and local government retirement system assets totaled $2.93 trillion, a 35 percent increase from their quarterly low point during the market collapse. These asset levels are also nearly 25 percent higher than they were on June 30, 2009 – a date on which many recent studies on the financial condition of state and local pension trusts are based. Since then, not only have investment returns rebounded sharply, but many states have adopted changes to benefit levels and financing structures that have positively impacted pension trusts.
 

Date published

April 2011

Contact

Keith Brainard, Research Director
Jeannine Markoe Raymond, Director of Federal Relations
Leigh Snell, Director of Federal Relations, National Council on Teacher Retirement

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What's New at NASRA: Updated Cost of Living Issue Brief

Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) play a significant role in public pensions. They help retirees keep up with rising prices, but they also add costs to pension plans. Policymakers and plan sponsors are tasked with balancing three things: benefits adequacy, plan sustainability, and affordability for members and plan sponsors.
The recent increase in inflation caused many policymakers and, in some cases pension trustees, to review how benefits are designed and paid for, including the way COLAs are granted and funded. NASRA’s recently updated issue brief on the lates trends in COLAs is available in the NASRA Research Center.