Unfunded Liability
$1.79B
actuarial shortfall
FY2023 data · Public Plans Database
Fairfax County Police
Fairfax County Police tracked in full: funded ratio, unfunded liability, membership, and investment returns across 23 years, sourced from the Public Plans Database (Boston College CRR) and verified against actuarial valuations.
By PlainPension · · Virginia · Police & Fire Plan · Data through FY2023
- Funded ratio
- 48.4%
- Health grade
- DLower reported funded ratio in this dataset
- Market assets
- $1.68B
- Members
- 2,815
According to the Public Plans Database, compiled by the Boston College Center for Retirement Research, Fairfax County Police is one of 197 public pension plans tracked nationwide. The plan card reports FY2023 valuation figures; this site’s database copy was last loaded in July 2026. See our methodology for the full source and update cadence.
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
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 75.5%.
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 their annual CAFR and actuarial valuation. 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 |
|---|---|
| 2023 | N/A |
| 2022 | N/A |
| 2021 | N/A |
| 2020 | N/A |
| 2019 | 48.4% |
| 2018 | 49.1% |
| 2017 | 47.5% |
| 2016 | 48.0% |
| 2015 | 48.4% |
| 2014 | 48.6% |
| 2013 | 51.0% |
| 2012 | 48.0% |
| 2011 | 46.0% |
| 2010 | 50.0% |
| 2009 | 50.0% |
| 2008 | 57.0% |
| 2007 | 68.0% |
| 2006 | N/A |
| 2005 | 69.0% |
| 2004 | N/A |
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).
Fairfax County Police shows a moderate-to-serious funding gap, 27 points below the 75.5% national average across tracked plans. A 5-year average investment return of 2.8% factors into the plan's overall trajectory.
For Virginia taxpayers and plan members, the $1.79B unfunded gap is the actuarial shortfall this plan must close over time.
Where this data comes from + how funding gaps get resolved
These figures come from the Public Plans Database, a collaboration between the Boston College Center for Retirement Research and NASRA that compiles them from each plan's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports (CAFRs) and actuarial valuations. The relationship between contribution adequacy and investment performance determines whether an unfunded liability narrows or expands year over year, and the gap itself is typically closed through some combination of higher contributions, investment returns, or benefit modifications. See our methodology for how public-pension funding differs from ERISA-backed private plans, and our disclaimer below before acting on this data.
Membership
1,258
Active Members
1,455
Retirees
2,815
Total Members
Plan Details
- Plan Type
- Police & Fire
- State
- Virginia
- Market Assets
- $1.68B
Source: Public Plans Database (PPD)
Boston College CRR / NASRA
Boston College CRR / NASRA
Plans With a Similar Funded Ratio
The closest plans nationwide to Fairfax County Police's 48.4% funded ratio.
Other Virginia Plans
- Fairfax County Employees' Retirement System 97.6%
- Fairfax County Uniformed 86.6%
- Virginia Retirement System 65.9%
- Educational Employees' Supplementary Retirement System of Fairfax County 60.9%
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. Funded ratios are reported on each plan's actuarial basis, which can smooth investment gains and losses over time. A single percentage is therefore a comparison point rather than a complete forecast.
What happens if Fairfax County Police runs out of money?
The PPD records a plan's reported financial measures; it does not provide a guarantee analysis. Check the plan's official disclosures for jurisdiction-specific benefit and funding information.
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 75.5%. 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.
Related
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 PlainPension
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.
Data sources used on this page
- Public Plans Database (PPD) - funded ratios, assets, liabilities, and member counts for US state and local public pension plans, maintained by the Boston College Center for Retirement Research with MissionSquare Research Institute and NASRA. publicplansdata.org
- NASRA - National Association of State Retirement Administrators public-pension actuarial and policy references. nasra.org
Every figure on PlainPension is rendered directly from the Public Plans Database (Boston College Center for Retirement Research), no number is typed in by an editor. This page aggregates this plan's funded ratio, unfunded liability, and multi-year financial history, live from the dataset. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.