The Widening Gap
The Great Recession's Impact on State Pension and Retiree Health Care Costs
- States' Fiscal Health
- State Health Care Spending
- Contact Brian Keegan 202.540.6677
- April 25, 2011
Estimating State Pension Funding: Comparisons
Even small changes to the assumed investment rates of return can dramatically affect states’ pension bills. Compare your state’s funding level using current assumptions with those using discount rates of 8 percent, 5.22 percent and 4.38 percent.
Reported Pct. Funded | Pct. Funded using 8% | Pct. Funded using 5.22% | Pct. Funded using 4.38% | |
Alabama | 74% | 74% | 53% | 46% |
| Alaska | 61% | 60% | 42% | 37% |
| Arizona | 78% | 77% | 55% | 48% |
| Arkansas | 78% | 78% | 55% | 49% |
| California | 81% | 82% | 59% | 52% |
| Colorado | 69% | 69% | 49% | 43% |
| Connecticut | 62% | 59% | 42% | 37% |
| Delaware | 94% | 94% | 67% | 59% |
| Florida | 84% | 86% | 61% | 54% |
| Georgia | 87% | 92% | 65% | 58% |
| Hawaii | 69% | 69% | 49% | 43% |
| Idaho | 74% | 76% | 54% | 48% |
| Illinois | 51% | 48% | 34% | 30% |
| Indiana | 67% | 71% | 51% | 45% |
| Iowa | 81% | 85% | 61% | 54% |
| Kansas | 64% | 64% | 45% | 40% |
| Kentucky | 58% | 61% | 43% | 38% |
| Louisiana | 60% | 59% | 42% | 37% |
| Maine | 73% | 75% | 53% | 47% |
| Maryland | 65% | 67% | 47% | 42% |
| Massachusetts | 68% | 66% | 47% | 41% |
| Michigan | 79% | 79% | 56% | 50% |
| Minnesota | 77% | 73% | 52% | 46% |
| Mississippi | 67% | 67% | 48% | 42% |
| Missouri | 79% | 78% | 56% | 49% |
| Montana | 74% | 75% | 53% | 47% |
| Nebraska | 88% | 88% | 62% | 55% |
| Nevada | 72% | 72% | 52% | 46% |
| New Hampshire | 58% | 56% | 40% | 35% |
| New Jersey | 66% | 64% | 46% | 40% |
| New Mexico | 76% | 76% | 54% | 48% |
| New York | 101% | 101% | 72% | 64% |
| North Carolina | 97% | 105% | 75% | 66% |
| North Dakota | 81% | 81% | 58% | 51% |
| Ohio | 66% | 66% | 47% | 41% |
| Oklahoma | 57% | 59% | 42% | 37% |
| Oregon | 86% | 86% | 61% | 54% |
| Pennsylvania | 81% | 81% | 58% | 51% |
| Rhode Island | 59% | 57% | 41% | 36% |
| South Carolina | 69% | 69% | 49% | 43% |
| South Dakota | 92% | 94% | 67% | 59% |
| Tennessee | 90% | 95% | 68% | 60% |
| Texas | 84% | 84% | 60% | 53% |
| Utah | 86% | 88% | 63% | 55% |
| Vermont | 73% | 71% | 51% | 45% |
| Virginia | 80% | 84% | 60% | 53% |
| Washington | 99% | 99% | 70% | 62% |
| West Virginia | 56% | 59% | 42% | 37% |
| Wisconsin | 100% | 102% | 72% | 64% |
| Wyoming | 89% | 89% | 63% | 56% |
| Source: Pew Center on the States, 2011 | ||||
Report Assets
Expert
Kil Huh is director of the States’ Fiscal Health Project.
Video
Watch Sue Urahn, managing director for the Pew Center on the States, discuss the scope of the pension and retiree health benefit problem.
- Date:
- April 25, 2011
- Contacts:
- Brian Keegan | 202.540.6677
- Project:
- States' Fiscal Health , State Health Care Spending
- Issues:
- Pensions, Retiree Health Care, Retiree Health Care Costs
- State:
- National
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