Judicial Benefits Analysis

Introduction

In the context of retirement benefits, judges are a particular class of public employee: compared to other groups of public employees, most judges assume their role later in their career—aged in their 50s or later. In addition, when agreeing to serve in their position, many judges accept a lower level of pay relative to what they could earn in the private sector.

Successfully attracting and retaining judges can require a retirement benefit that wholly or partially compensates for these factors. As shown by the data compilation that accompanies this narrative, most states provide a retirement benefit for judges that is higher – in some cases, significantly - than those of other public employees. In other cases, judicial retirement benefits are no different from those available to other employees.

NASRA compiled data regarding retirement benefits for judges in each state and the District of Columbia who are newly appointed or elected. Judicial retirement benefits in many states have been modified in recent years, which means that in many states, judges who are currently serving have retirement benefits that differ from those who are appointed or elected today.

Date published

October 2024

Contact

Keith Brainard, Research Director
Alex Brown, Research Manager

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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.