State Retiree Benefits Fact Sheet – Wisconsin

Fact Sheet Read time:
State Retiree Benefits Fact Sheet – Wisconsin

Wisconsin stands out in how it has managed the bill coming due for its public sector pension obligations. In fact, the state's pension system has had a remarkably steady ride over the last 10 years. Wisconsin has an excellent record of making its full annual required contribution. It issued $729 million in pension bonds in 2003, and at that time became the first state to issue bonds for non-pension benefits as well, to the tune of $600 million. This makes it the only state in the country that has just about fully funded these liabilities. This is not as tall an order as in many states, because the benefits are very modest. Wisconsin's long-term retiree health care costs stem from a subsidy that allows retirees to participate in the same plan as younger and healthier active employees. It also allows unused sick leave of departing employees to be converted to health care accounts.

America’s Overdose Crisis
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up
Quick View
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up

MORE FROM PEW

An aerial view of a vast wetland, with scattered vegetation visible on sandy islands. In Western Australia, a Conservation Model for the World
A presentation being given by a businesswoman to a group of participants at a business conference. Four Plan Features Can Boost 'Retirement Readiness'
A large group of people in formal or traditional attire stands together on a stage, with a digital background depicting marine life and the large text “WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.” WTO Needs to Redouble Its Effort on Fishing Subsidies
A man in a winter hat and sunglasses kneels on a rocky shoreline in front of a campfire, holding a metal mug with gloved hands. Behind him, in the water, a motorboat is moored to the shore. Cliffs rise on both sides of the water. Why Newfoundland’s South Coast Fjords Are Sacred
Composite image of modern city network communication concept

Learn the Basics of Broadband from Our Limited Series

Sign up for our four-week email course on Broadband Basics
Quick View

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?

Pills illustration
Pills illustration

What Is Antibiotic Resistance—and How Can We Fight It?

Sign up for our four-week email series The Race Against Resistance.
Quick View
Pills illustration

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, also known as “superbugs,” are a major threat to modern medicine. But how does resistance work, and what can we do to slow the spread? Read personal stories, expert accounts, and more for the answers to those questions in our four-week email series: Slowing Superbugs.