Pew’s Fiscal Sustainability Matrix Helps States Assess Pension Health

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Pew’s Fiscal Sustainability Matrix Helps States Assess Pension Health

Figure 1

Fiscal Sustainability Matrix: 2019

Actuarial Metrics Plan Financial Metrics Budget Risk Indicators
States Funded ratio, 2019 Change in funded ratio, 2008-2019 Employer cost/payroll, 2019 Operating cash flow ratio, 2019 Change in OCF ratio since 2014 Operating cash flow ratio, 2014 Net amorti-zation, 2019 Historic contri-bution volatility, 2008-2019 Assumed return Normal cost sensitivity
Wisconsin 103% 3% 7% -3.8% Red arrow down -2.9% Stable 3% 7.00% Low
South Dakota 100% 3% 6% -2.8% Red arrow down -2.6% Positive 1% 6.50% Low
Tennessee 98% 3% 11% -2.9% Red arrow down -2.2% Positive 2% 7.25% Low
New York 96% -11% 15% -3.7% Red arrow down -2.4% Positive 13% 6.83% High
Washington 96% -4% 10% -0.6% Black arrow up -2.0% Positive 5% 7.48% Mid
Idaho 95% 1% 11% -2.1% Red arrow down -1.8% Positive 1% 7.00% Mid
Nebraska 93% 2% 11% -1.8% Red arrow down -1.0% Positive 2% 7.50% Mid
Utah 92% 5% 23% -1.6% Red arrow down -1.2% Positive 9% 6.95% Low
North Carolina 88% -11% 11% -2.6% Black arrow up -3.0% Positive 8% 7.00% Mid
Iowa 85% -3% 10% -2.9% Black arrow up -2.9% Stable 3% 7.01% Mid
Maine 84% 5% 16% -2.9% Black arrow up -2.9% Positive 4% 6.88% Mid
Delaware 83% -15% 14% -3.2% Red arrow down -2.9% Positive 7% 7.00% High
West Virginia 83% 20% 23% -3.5% -1.8% Positive 7% 7.50% High
Minnesota 82% 1% 9% -3.7% -4.1% Stable 2% 7.49% High
Oklahoma 81% 20% 20% -2.3% -1.8% Positive 3% 7.38% Mid
Arkansas 80% -7% 15% -3.5% -2.8% Positive 1% 7.40% High
Ohio 80% 3% 14% -4.7% -4.9% Positive 4% 7.32% High
Oregon 80% 0% 16% -4.5% -5.0% Negative 11% 7.20% Mid
Georgia 79% -13% 22% -2.8% -3.9% Positive 12% 7.24% Mid
Florida 78% -23% 5% -4.3% -4.4% Negative 3% 7.00% High
Missouri 78% -5% 16% -3.3% -2.9% Positive 4% 7.38% High
Virginia 77% -6% 13% -2.4% -2.3% Positive 10% 6.75% Mid
Wyoming 77% -3% 9% -4.1% -2.5% Negative 4% 7.00% High
Nevada 76% 0% 14% -1.5% -1.0% Negative 12% 7.50% Mid
Maryland 72% -7% 17% -2.2% -1.8% Stable 8% 7.40% High
Montana 72% -11% 15% -3.1% -1.7% Stable 6% 7.59% Mid
California 72% -15% 29% -0.7% -2.7% Positive 22% 7.10% High
Kansas 70% 11% 16% -1.4% -2.8% Positive 10% 7.75% Mid
North Dakota 70% -17% 10% -1.6% -0.9% Negative 5% 7.73% High
Alabama 69% -8% 13% -3.6% -4.1% Positive 4% 7.70% High
Indiana 69% -4% 21% -1.0% 0.3% Positive 8% 6.75% Mid
Texas 69% -22% 8% -3.3% -3.6% Negative 2% 7.31% High
Alaska 67% -8% 41% -4.2% -2.7% Negative 28% 7.38% Low
Louisiana 67% -3% 34% -3.3% -3.3% Positive 16% 7.53% High
New Mexico 67% -16% 15% -3.9% -3.0% Negative 3% 7.25% Mid
Colorado 66% -3% 21% -4.6% -4.5% Negative 9% 7.25% Mid
New Hampshire 66% -10% 16% -1.7% -1.6% Positive 8% 6.75% High
Arizona 65% -15% 18% -1.9% -2.6% Positive 10% 7.44% Mid
Vermont 64% -24% 14% -1.8% -1.4% Stable 9% 7.50% High
Mississippi 62% -11% 17% -4.5% -3.3% Negative 6% 7.75% High
Michigan 61% -23% 28% -4.4% -5.8% Positive 21% 7.35% Low
Massachusetts 59% -4% 21% -2.4% -3.3% Negative 12% 7.25% High
Pennsylvania 58% -29% 33% -2.7% -6.0% Positive 29% 7.21% Low
Hawaii 55% -14% 27% -1.8% -2.2% Negative 14% 7.00% High
South Carolina 55% -15% 17% -2.2% -3.9% Negative 7% 7.25% High
Rhode Island 54% -7% 25% -4.7% -6.5% Positive 6% 6.99% Low
Kentucky 45% -19% 44% -2.6% -7.0% Positive 33% 6.73% Mid
Connecticut 44% -17% 36% -1.4% -2.8% Positive 18% 6.90% Low
New Jersey 40% -33% 20% -4.9% -6.9% Negative 15% 7.18% High
Illinois 39% -15% 46% -2.4% -1.5% Negative 39% 6.89% Mid
Change in funded ratio, 2008-19
increase
decrease
Operating cash flow ratio, 2019
-3.5% or more
-3.6% to -5%
less than -5%
Assumed return
less than 7%
7% to 7.34%
7.35% or more

Note: For detailed definitions of fiscal sustainability matrix terminology and metrics, see Appendix A.

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