Resources

The Public Fund Survey is an online compendium of key characteristics of most of the nation’s largest public retirement systems. 

Beginning with fiscal year 2001, the Survey contains data on public retirement systems that provide pension and other benefits for 12.9 million active (working) members and 7.8 million annuitants (those receiving a regular benefit, including retirees, disabilitants and beneficiaries).  At the end of FY 12, systems in the Survey held assets of $2.63 trillion. The membership and assets of systems included in the Survey comprise approximately 85 percent of the entire state and local government retirement system community.

The primary source of Survey data is public retirement system annual financial reports. Data also is culled from actuarial valuations, benefits guides, system websites, and input from system representatives. The Survey is updated continuously as new information, particularly annual financial reports, becomes available. This report focuses on fiscal year 2012.

This summary describes changes in selected elements of the survey, including funding levels, membership, contribution rates, investment returns, and investment return assumptions.