Plan

Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association

State

California

Funded Ratio

82.5%

Assets

$10.19B

Members

26,411

Health Grade: B — Adequately funded — meeting most funding benchmarks

FY2023 data Grade B Public Plans Database

Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association

Funded ratio, unfunded liability, member counts, ARC coverage, and 23-year financial history for Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association — sourced from the Public Plans Database (Boston College CRR) and cross-checked against actuarial valuations.

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By Kiznis Studio Editorial · June 2026 · California · Municipal Plan · Data through FY2023

Financial Health Grade

Adequately funded — meeting most funding benchmarks

Funded Ratio

82.5%

actuarial assets / liabilities

Unfunded Liability

$2.17B

actuarial shortfall

Total Members

26,411

active + retired + vested

1-Year Return

12.2%

net investment return

3.5pp vs 5-yr avg

5-Year Avg Return

8.7%

annualized, net of fees

ARC Payment

17.9%

of actuarially required contribution

How Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association Funded Ratio Compares

Plan Funded Ratio 82.5%

National avg

A ratio of 82.5% compared against the national public-pension average of 73.5%.

Healthy Threshold

Plans above 80% are generally considered adequately funded by NASRA standards.

Participant Composition

The active-to-retiree ratio is a leading indicator of long-term plan sustainability — plans with more retirees than active contributors face mounting cash-flow pressure as benefit payments outpace incoming contributions.

Investment Policy Mix

Public pension plans report their asset allocation in Form 5500 Schedule H Part I disclosures. Equity-heavy mixes capture market upside but introduce volatility; fixed-income tilts protect funded status during downturns at the cost of long-run return.

Historical Funded Ratio

Year	Funded Ratio	Assets	Unfunded	Members
2024	82.5%	N/A	N/A	N/A
2023	81.8%	$10.19B	$2.27B	26,411
2022	83.5%	$9.18B	$1.82B	25,708
2021	83.1%	$10.75B	$2.19B	25,127
2020	78.8%	$8.73B	$2.35B	24,642
2019	79.9%	$7.89B	$1.98B	24,235
2018	86.6%	$6.70B	$1.04B	23,700
2017	84.8%	$7.25B	$1.30B	23,249
2016	82.6%	$6.12B	$1.29B	22,616
2015	81.7%	$5.81B	$1.31B	22,088
2014	80.0%	$6.00B	$1.50B	21,833
2013	75.9%	$5.99B	$1.90B	21,345
2012	78.7%	$5.09B	$1.38B	20,810
2011	82.5%	$4.46B	$946M	20,426
2010	86.7%	$4.59B	$704M	20,222
2009	94.8%	$4.01B	$220M	20,076
2008	103.0%	$3.12B	$-91M	20,192
2007	104.8%	$4.88B	$-223M	19,825
2006	104.1%	$4.65B	$-183M	19,320
2005	110.3%	$4.62B	$-431M	18,743

What the Data Says About Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association

Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association reports a funded ratio of 82.5% as of fiscal year 2023, earning a financial health grade of B in the Public Plans Database. The plan holds $10.19B in market assets against an unfunded liability of $2.17B. As a Municipal plan operating under California sponsorship, it covers 26,411 members (11,547 active contributors, 11,026 retirees drawing benefits). These figures aggregate from Form 5500 filings submitted to the Department of Labor and actuarial valuations reported through NASRA.

A funded ratio above 80% signals that Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association has substantial assets to meet projected obligations, placing it above the national public-pension average of roughly 72–75%. Employer contributions covered 17.9% of the Annual Required Contribution in the most recent reporting cycle, while the plan posted a 5-year average investment return of 8.7%. The relationship between contribution adequacy and investment performance determines whether the unfunded liability narrows or expands year over year.

For California taxpayers and plan members, the $2.17B unfunded gap represents the actuarial shortfall that must eventually be closed through a combination of contributions, investment returns, or benefit modifications. Unlike private-sector pensions governed by ERISA and backstopped by the PBGC, public plans like Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association rely on the full faith and credit of California — meaning funding shortfalls flow through to state and local budgets rather than a federal insurance program. This information summarizes official Public Plans Database disclosures and is provided for research and educational purposes only. It is not financial, legal, or retirement-planning advice; active and retired members with specific benefit questions should consult their plan administrator directly.

Membership

11,547

Active Members

11,026

Retirees

26,411

Total Members

Plan Details

Plan Type: Municipal
State: California
Market Assets: $10.19B
ARC Payment: 17.9%

Source: Public Plans Database (PPD)
Boston College CRR / NASRA

Other California Plans

Sacramento County ERS 101.7%
Kern County Employees Retirement Association 93.1%
San Diego County Employees Retirement Association 91.2%
San Francisco City and County Retirement System 82.9%
Los Angeles Water and Power 82.6%

All California plans →

Related Resources

Pension Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association fully funded?

Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association has a funded ratio of 82.5% as of FY2023, earning a health grade of B. A funded ratio of 100% means the plan has enough assets to cover all projected liabilities. Ratios above 80% are generally considered adequately funded; ratios below 60% indicate significant underfunding and risk to future benefits.

What happens if Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association runs out of money?

Public pension plans like Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association are backed by the sponsoring government entity — in this case California. If a plan's assets are insufficient, the state or local government is typically required to make up the difference through increased contributions, benefit adjustments, or tax measures. Unlike private pensions, public pensions are not insured by the PBGC, but they do carry the full faith and credit of the sponsoring government.

What does a funded ratio of 82.5% mean?

A funded ratio of 82.5% means that Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association currently has assets equal to 82.5% of its projected benefit obligations. The unfunded liability — the gap between assets and liabilities — stands at $2.17B. This is considered adequately funded.

How does Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association compare to other public pensions?

Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association is a Municipal plan in California serving 26,411 members. Nationally, the average funded ratio for public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database is approximately 72–75%. Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association's funded ratio of 82.5% places it above the national average, reflecting strong fiscal management.

How many members does Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association have?

Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association covers 26,411 total members, including 11,547 active employees and 11,026 retirees currently receiving benefits. The ratio of active members to retirees is a key indicator of plan sustainability — when the number of retirees grows relative to active contributors, funding pressure increases.

What is the ARC payment percentage for Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association?

Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association pays 17.9% of its Annual Required Contribution (ARC). Consistently underpaying the ARC accelerates the growth of unfunded liabilities and places future benefits at greater risk. Employer contribution patterns are tracked annually in the Public Plans Database.

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Data sourced from official Public Plans Database and actuarial valuations from federal and state pension systems. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by Kiznis Studio Editorial

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Public Plans Database (PPD). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

All federal data sources used on this page

U.S. Census Bureau ACS — demographic + housing + income data. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage + employment by occupation. bls.gov/oes
BEA Regional Economic Accounts — GDP + personal income by state/metro. bea.gov/data/regional
U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns — establishment + employment by industry. census.gov/cbp
IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-return aggregate data. irs.gov/statistics
data.gov — U.S. federal open-data portal — discovery layer for additional federal sources. data.gov