The Pew Charitable Trusts' public sector retirement systems project performs 50-state and major city research on all aspects of public pension systems, including fiscal health, investment practices, benefits design, and governance. State- and locally run retirement systems currently manage trillions of dollars in public pension fund investments.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to investments, but allocation of assets and bottom-line performance ultimately determine plans' fiscal health and the ability to pay for promised retirement benefits. In fact, experts estimate that investment returns account for 60 percent of pension benefits.
State and locally run retirement systems currently manage over $3.6 trillion in public pension fund investments, most of which are held by states. Broadly, half of these assets are invested in stocks; a quarter in bonds and cash; and another quarter in what are known as alternative investments, such as private equity, hedge funds, real estate, and commodities.
Additional Resources
Related Experts
Susan Banta
Project Director
Public Sector Retirement Systems
David Draine
Senior Officer
Public Sector Retirement Systems
Sign Up
Receive our best conservation research bi-weekly—stunning photos, wins, and action alerts.
Sign Up
Exclusive state-policy research, infographics, and stats every two weeks.
Biomedical researchers are at the heart of nearly every medical advancement. From cutting-edge cancer treatments to breakthrough discoveries about emerging viruses, these scientists use creativity and ingenuity to explore new horizons in human health and medicine. And for nearly 40 years, The Pew Charitable Trusts has supported more than 1,000 early-career researchers committed to this work.
Sign Up
Exclusive state-policy research, infographics, and stats every two weeks.
How does broadband internet reach our homes, phones, and tablets? What kind of infrastructure connects us all together? What are the major barriers to broadband access for American communities?
