Plan

Hartford Municipal Employee Retirement Fund

State

Connecticut

Funded Ratio

65.9%

Assets

$1.08B

Members

5,482

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

FY2023 data Grade C Public Plans Database

Hartford Municipal Employee Retirement Fund

Funded ratio, unfunded liability, member counts, ARC coverage, and 23-year financial history for Hartford Municipal Employee Retirement Fund — 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 · Connecticut · Municipal Plan · Data through FY2023

Financial Health Grade

Underfunded — significant gap between assets and liabilities

Funded Ratio

65.9%

actuarial assets / liabilities

Unfunded Liability

$556M

actuarial shortfall

Total Members

5,482

active + retired + vested

1-Year Return

9.6%

net investment return

1.8pp vs 5-yr avg

5-Year Avg Return

7.7%

annualized, net of fees

ARC Payment

26.5%

of actuarially required contribution

How Hartford Municipal Employee Retirement Fund Funded Ratio Compares

Plan Funded Ratio 65.9%

National avg

A ratio of 65.9% 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	65.9%	N/A	N/A	N/A
2023	65.9%	$1.08B	$557M	5,482
2022	66.5%	$1.02B	$515M	5,475
2021	67.2%	$1.20B	$587M	5,471
2020	63.9%	$1.01B	$572M	5,576
2019	61.2%	$1.05B	$665M	5,567
2018	60.8%	$1.04B	$674M	5,497
2017	60.1%	$1.04B	$691M	5,389
2016	56.7%	$1000M	$763M	5,192
2015	55.4%	$1.04B	$836M	5,509
2014	57.5%	$1.06B	$785M	5,411
2013	56.6%	$971M	$745M	5,408
2012	53.5%	$946M	$821M	5,270
2011	57.5%	$983M	$727M	5,297
2010	60.7%	$892M	$578M	5,243
2009	63.2%	$868M	$505M	5,301
2008	72.6%	$1.08B	$408M	5,471
2007	77.3%	$1.15B	$338M	5,388
2006	75.3%	$1.05B	$343M	5,336
2005	75.8%	$1.01B	$324M	5,236

What the Data Says About Hartford Municipal Employee Retirement Fund

Hartford Municipal Employee Retirement Fund reports a funded ratio of 65.9% as of fiscal year 2023, earning a financial health grade of C in the Public Plans Database. The plan holds $1.08B in market assets against an unfunded liability of $556M. As a Municipal plan operating under Connecticut sponsorship, it covers 5,482 members (2,040 active contributors, 3,175 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 26.5% of the Annual Required Contribution in the most recent reporting cycle, while the plan posted a 5-year average investment return of 7.7%. The relationship between contribution adequacy and investment performance determines whether the unfunded liability narrows or expands year over year.

For Connecticut taxpayers and plan members, the $556M 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 Hartford Municipal Employee Retirement Fund rely on the full faith and credit of Connecticut — 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

2,040

Active Members

3,175

Retirees

5,482

Total Members

Plan Details

Plan Type: Municipal
State: Connecticut
Market Assets: $1.08B
ARC Payment: 26.5%

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

Other Connecticut Plans

Connecticut Municipal 72.0%
Connecticut Teachers Retirement Board 66.3%
Connecticut State Employees Retirement System 66.1%

All Connecticut plans →

Related Resources

Pension Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hartford Municipal Employee Retirement Fund fully funded?

Hartford Municipal Employee Retirement Fund has a funded ratio of 65.9% 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 Hartford Municipal Employee Retirement Fund runs out of money?

Public pension plans like Hartford Municipal Employee Retirement Fund are backed by the sponsoring government entity — in this case Connecticut. 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 65.9% mean?

A funded ratio of 65.9% means that Hartford Municipal Employee Retirement Fund currently has assets equal to 65.9% of its projected benefit obligations. The unfunded liability — the gap between assets and liabilities — stands at $556M. This represents a moderate funding gap that requires ongoing monitoring.

How does Hartford Municipal Employee Retirement Fund compare to other public pensions?

Hartford Municipal Employee Retirement Fund is a Municipal plan in Connecticut serving 5,482 members. Nationally, the average funded ratio for public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database is approximately 72–75%. Hartford Municipal Employee Retirement Fund's funded ratio of 65.9% places it near the national average.

How many members does Hartford Municipal Employee Retirement Fund have?

Hartford Municipal Employee Retirement Fund covers 5,482 total members, including 2,040 active employees and 3,175 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 Hartford Municipal Employee Retirement Fund?

Hartford Municipal Employee Retirement Fund pays 26.5% 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