The median funding ratio for state-sponsored pension plans was 71.5 percent in 2014, virtually unchanged from the previous year, according to Fitch Ratings.

While several years of strong stock market gains have helped to offset pension liabilities, funding levels remain well below pre-recession levels, in part because fewer government workers are being hired as more retire, meaning fewer lives available to pay into plans, according to Fitch.

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Nick Thornton

Nick Thornton is a financial writer covering retirement and health care issues for BenefitsPRO and ALM Media. He greatly enjoys learning from the vast minds in the legal, academic, advisory and money management communities when covering the retirement space. He's also written on international marketing trends, financial institution risk management, defense and energy issues, the restaurant industry in New York City, surfing, cigars, rum, travel, and fishing. When not writing, he's pushing into some land or water.