Plan

Fairfax County Police

State

Virginia

Funded Ratio

48.4%

Assets

$1.68B

Members

2,815

Health Grade: D — Severely underfunded — facing funding crisis

FY2023 data Grade D Public Plans Database

Fairfax County Police

Funded ratio, unfunded liability, member counts, ARC coverage, and 23-year financial history for Fairfax County Police — 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 · Police & Fire Plan · Data through FY2023

Financial Health Grade

Severely underfunded — facing funding crisis

Funded Ratio

48.4%

actuarial assets / liabilities

Unfunded Liability

$1.79B

actuarial shortfall

Total Members

2,815

active + retired + vested

1-Year Return

1.4%

net investment return

-1.4pp vs 5-yr avg

5-Year Avg Return

2.8%

annualized, net of fees

ARC Payment

8151.0%

of actuarially required contribution

How Fairfax County Police Funded Ratio Compares

Plan Funded Ratio 48.4%

National avg

A ratio of 48.4% 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
2023	N/A	$1.68B	N/A	2,815
2022	N/A	$1.79B	N/A	2,777
2021	N/A	$1.81B	N/A	2,751
2020	N/A	$1.40B	N/A	2,699
2019	48.4%	$1.48B	$1.58B	2,663
2018	49.1%	$1.44B	$1.49B	2,589
2017	47.5%	$1.37B	$1.51B	2,531
2016	48.0%	$1.27B	$1.38B	2,480
2015	48.4%	$1.28B	$1.37B	2,386
2014	48.6%	$1.26B	$1.34B	2,308
2013	51.0%	$1.10B	$1.06B	2,266
2012	48.0%	$1.02B	$1.10B	2,258
2011	46.0%	$1.04B	$1.22B	2,236
2010	50.0%	$836M	$836M	2,217
2009	50.0%	$707M	$707M	2,219
2008	57.0%	$868M	$655M	2,185
2007	68.0%	$932M	$439M	2,129
2006	N/A	$800M	N/A	2,072
2005	69.0%	$735M	$330M	2,043
2004	N/A	$679M	N/A	2,032

What the Data Says About Fairfax County Police

Fairfax County Police reports a funded ratio of 48.4% as of fiscal year 2023, earning a financial health grade of D in the Public Plans Database. The plan holds $1.68B in market assets against an unfunded liability of $1.79B. As a Police & Fire plan operating under Virginia sponsorship, it covers 2,815 members (1,258 active contributors, 1,455 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 below 60% reflects significant underfunding relative to the national average of 72–75%, which typically triggers escalating employer contributions or legislative reform conversations. Employer contributions covered 8151.0% of the Annual Required Contribution in the most recent reporting cycle, while the plan posted a 5-year average investment return of 2.8%. 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 $1.79B 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 Fairfax County Police 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

1,258

Active Members

1,455

Retirees

2,815

Total Members

Plan Details

Plan Type: Police & Fire
State: Virginia
Market Assets: $1.68B
ARC Payment: 8151.0%

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

Other Virginia Plans

All Virginia plans →

Related Resources

Pension Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fairfax County Police fully funded?

Fairfax County Police has a funded ratio of 48.4% as of FY2023, earning a health grade of D. 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 Fairfax County Police runs out of money?

Public pension plans like Fairfax County Police 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 48.4% mean?

A funded ratio of 48.4% means that Fairfax County Police currently has assets equal to 48.4% of its projected benefit obligations. The unfunded liability — the gap between assets and liabilities — stands at $1.79B. This level of underfunding typically requires corrective action such as increased contributions or benefit restructuring.

How does Fairfax County Police compare to other public pensions?

Fairfax County Police is a Police & Fire plan in Virginia serving 2,815 members. Nationally, the average funded ratio for public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database is approximately 72–75%. Fairfax County Police's funded ratio of 48.4% places it below the national average, indicating elevated fiscal pressure.

How many members does Fairfax County Police have?

Fairfax County Police covers 2,815 total members, including 1,258 active employees and 1,455 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 Fairfax County Police?

Fairfax County Police pays 8151.0% of its Annual Required Contribution (ARC). Meeting or exceeding 100% of ARC means the plan is fully contributing what actuaries recommend, which supports long-term funding stability. 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