State Retiree Benefits Fact Sheet – Kentucky

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

Kentucky had one of the most dramatic declines in pension funding levels from 2000 to 2006 of the 50 states—a recent trend that could cause trouble if it persists. Government contribution rates fell short for both the Kentucky state employees' fund (particularly the non-hazardous portion) and the smaller state police fund in nine of the past 15 years. The Commonwealth has done a better job keeping up with funding requirements in its teachers' fund. On the non-pension benefits side, Kentucky has included retiree health benefits in its pension system. In the past, when other states were not paying attention to retiree health benefit costs, this practice tended to deflate the funding level of Kentucky's pension systems. Now it gives Kentucky a small jump on other states—in fact, Kentucky was one of just 13 states with any assets set aside for non-pension benefits as of 2006.

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.