According to new statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, the nation's state and local public employee retirement systems had $2.7 trillion in total cash and investment holdings in 2010, a 10.6 percent increase from 2009.
The "2010 Annual Survey of Public-Employee Retirement Systems" report provides an annual look at the financial activity and membership information of the nation's state and local public-employee retirement systems, including revenue, expenditures, investment holdings and number of retirement systems and beneficiaries.
There were $346.1 billion in earnings on investments in 2010, compared with prior year losses of $621.1 billion. This was the first year that showed positive earnings since 2007, the report found.
Recommended For You
Employee contributions decreased by 0.5 percent, from $39.3 billion in 2009 to $39.1 billion in 2010. Government contributions increased by 1.5 percent to $86.4 billion in 2010. Employee contributions comprised 31.2 percent and government contributions comprised 68.8 percent of total contributions.
Total payments increased by 6 percent, from $201.7 billion in 2009 to $213.8 billion in 2010. Payments consist of benefits, withdrawals and other payments. Benefits increased by 6.4 percent, from $188.9 billion in 2009 to $201 billion in 2010. Benefits payments comprised 94 percent of total payments.
Most investment categories showed increases, with decreases in only cash and short-term investments, mortgages and real property. These three categories comprised 7.9 percent of total holdings.
Corporate stocks rose by 13.4 percent, from $820.2 billion in 2009 to $930.2 billion in 2010. Corporate stocks comprised 34.8 percent of total holdings. Corporate bonds increased by 2.8 percent, from $413.1 billion in 2009 to $424.9 billion in 2010. Foreign and international securities increased by 13.8 percent, from $370.8 billion in 2009 to $421.9 billion in 2010. Corporate stocks and bonds and foreign and international securities comprised two-thirds of total holdings at 66.4 percent in 2010.
Governmental securities (which include U.S. Treasury) increased by 7.8 percent, from $215.2 billion in 2009 to $232.0 billion in 2010. Governmental securities comprised 8.7 percent of total holdings.
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
