KPERS officials tell committee trust is about 74% funded; officials cite bond proceeds and recent payments

The Kansas Public Employees Retirement System told the Committee on Financial Institutions and Pensions that the pension trust’s funded ratio stood at about 74% and that the system held roughly $28 billion in assets.

KPERS representative Alan Conroy said the system’s 20-year return is about 7.3% and that the board uses a 7% assumed rate of return in actuarial work. "We're a staff of over a hundred and we administer those defined benefit plans for public employees," Conroy told the committee, describing KPERS’ role and scale.

Why it matters: The funded ratio and investment performance determine employer contribution requirements and the system’s ability to pay lifetime benefits to public employees, retirees and beneficiaries. Conroy told members that state payments and three rounds of pension obligation bonds have been central to recent improvements in the fund’s status.

Key points from the presentation

- Size and membership: KPERS manages benefits for roughly 330,000 current, inactive and retired members; about 154,000 are active…