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Annual Survey of Public Pensions Now Available

The U.S. Census Bureau has published its annual survey of public pensions. The 2013 Survey of Public Pensions: State-Administered Defined Benefit Data provides revenues, expenditures, financial assets, membership and liabilities information for DB public pension systems. Data are shown by state, for the state-administered systems. There are 227 state-administered DB public pension systems, all of which are represented in the report. 

The survey yields a table and files that provide users with comprehensive statistical information about the financial activity and the membership of state and local government employee pension systems.

Population of Interest

The population of interest for this survey includes public employee pension systems administered by state governments throughout the nation. According to the Census Bureau, pension systems were only included if they met two criteria: 

  • they were sponsored by a recognized unit of government as defined by the Census Bureau; and 
  • their membership was comprised of public employees compensated with public funds. These pension systems consist of DB plans — not DC or post-employment health care plans.

The 2013 survey year encompasses fiscal years that end between July 1, 2012 and June 30, 2013. The Census Bureau notes that most state-administered pension systems have fiscal years that end on June 30 and for those systems, the 2013 survey year covers the period July 1, 2012-June 30, 2013. For pension systems with fiscal years that end after June 30, the survey year includes data from their 2012 fiscal year.