Puerto Rico

Most employees of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico participate in the Employees Retirement System of the Government of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, established in 1951 to provide employees with pension and other benefits upon retirement. The system covers a range of employee groups including general employees, public safety officers, and judges. As of 2012, the System had 134,566 active members and 117,861 beneficiaries.

Authorizing Statutes

From Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico 

Act No. 447 of May 15, 1951, as amended, created a retirement system and benefits called "Retirement System for Employees of the Government of Puerto Rico and its instrumentalities." For its part, the Act No. 12 of October 19, 1954, as amended, created the "Retirement System of Puerto Rico Judiciary". Both systems are considered trusts (funds) designed to provide its members participants, dependents and beneficiaries, benefits such as pension credit, age and years of service, disability pensions, death benefits, personal loans, mortgage, cultural trip others.

The September 24, 1999, the Act No. 305 to create a benefit structure based on contributions, which is known as the "Savings Account Program for Retirement". This program is the establishment of a savings account for each participant of the System that becomes a part of it.

File:Flag of Puerto Rico.svg
Population (2016) 3,411,307
 

The U.S. Census Bureau does not track public pension statistics for Puerto Rico.

More Data


Become A Member

Becoming a member of NASRA offers a unique opportunity to join a community committed to the sound, efficient, and innovative stewardship of public retirement systems. Membership connects you with a network of professionals and experts, providing valuable insights into managing public retirement systems with a focus on sustainability and risk-averse strategies.

By joining NASRA, you gain the tools and resources to enhance the management of public retirement systems, ensuring their long-term success and reliability for generations to come.

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.