Plan

Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County

State

Virginia

Funded Ratio

61.8%

Assets

$3.08B

Members

42,730

Health Grade: C — Underfunded — significant gap between assets and liabilities

FY2023 data Grade C Public Plans Database

Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County

Funded ratio, unfunded liability, member counts, ARC coverage, and 23-year financial history for Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County — sourced from the Public Plans Database (Boston College CRR) and cross-checked against actuarial valuations.

Browse all states → How we grade plans

By Kiznis Studio Editorial · June 2026 · Virginia · Teachers Plan · Data through FY2023

Financial Health Grade

Underfunded — significant gap between assets and liabilities

Funded Ratio

61.8%

actuarial assets / liabilities

Unfunded Liability

$1.90B

actuarial shortfall

Total Members

42,730

active + retired + vested

1-Year Return

7.5%

net investment return

1.2pp vs 5-yr avg

5-Year Avg Return

6.3%

annualized, net of fees

ARC Payment

17.6%

of actuarially required contribution

How Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County Funded Ratio Compares

Plan Funded Ratio 61.8%

National avg

A ratio of 61.8% 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	61.8%	N/A	N/A	N/A
2023	60.9%	$3.08B	$1.98B	42,730
2022	59.7%	$3.00B	$2.02B	41,450
2021	61.8%	$3.27B	$2.02B	40,617
2020	60.3%	$2.59B	$1.71B	39,898
2019	61.7%	$2.52B	$1.56B	39,145
2018	62.2%	$2.45B	$1.48B	38,329
2017	67.7%	$2.30B	$1.10B	37,561
2016	71.0%	$2.11B	$860M	36,621
2015	72.2%	$2.18B	$839M	35,637
2014	73.7%	$2.20B	$788M	35,308
2013	76.4%	$1.96B	$604M	34,406
2012	76.4%	$1.83B	$566M	33,304
2011	81.6%	$1.89B	$426M	31,941
2010	85.0%	$1.61B	$283M	31,234
2009	88.4%	$1.44B	$189M	30,891
2008	91.8%	$1.86B	$165M	30,364
2007	98.2%	$2.02B	$37M	29,644
2006	98.6%	$1.77B	$24M	28,825
2005	97.3%	$1.65B	$45M	27,951

What the Data Says About Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County

Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County reports a funded ratio of 61.8% as of fiscal year 2023, earning a financial health grade of C in the Public Plans Database. The plan holds $3.08B in market assets against an unfunded liability of $1.90B. As a Teachers plan operating under Virginia sponsorship, it covers 42,730 members (22,916 active contributors, 13,747 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 in the 60–80% range indicates moderate underfunding that falls near the national average of 72–75% but leaves the plan exposed to market downturns and demographic shifts. Employer contributions covered 17.6% of the Annual Required Contribution in the most recent reporting cycle, while the plan posted a 5-year average investment return of 6.3%. The relationship between contribution adequacy and investment performance determines whether the unfunded liability narrows or expands year over year.

For Virginia taxpayers and plan members, the $1.90B 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 Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County rely on the full faith and credit of Virginia — 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

22,916

Active Members

13,747

Retirees

42,730

Total Members

Plan Details

Plan Type: Teachers
State: Virginia
Market Assets: $3.08B
ARC Payment: 17.6%

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

Other Virginia Plans

Fairfax County Employees' Retirement System 97.6%
Fairfax County Uniformed 86.6%
Virginia Retirement System 67.5%
Fairfax County Police 48.4%

All Virginia plans →

Related Resources

Pension Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County fully funded?

Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County has a funded ratio of 61.8% as of FY2023, earning a health grade of C. 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 Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County runs out of money?

Public pension plans like Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County are backed by the sponsoring government entity — in this case Virginia. 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 61.8% mean?

A funded ratio of 61.8% means that Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County currently has assets equal to 61.8% of its projected benefit obligations. The unfunded liability — the gap between assets and liabilities — stands at $1.90B. This represents a moderate funding gap that requires ongoing monitoring.

How does Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County compare to other public pensions?

Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County is a Teachers plan in Virginia serving 42,730 members. Nationally, the average funded ratio for public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database is approximately 72–75%. Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County's funded ratio of 61.8% places it below the national average, indicating elevated fiscal pressure.

How many members does Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County have?

Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County covers 42,730 total members, including 22,916 active employees and 13,747 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 Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County?

Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County pays 17.6% 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.

Browse all → | Rankings →

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