Plan

Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund

State

Texas

Funded Ratio

75.9%

Assets

$5.11B

Members

7,369

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

FY2023 data Grade C Public Plans Database

Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund

Funded ratio, unfunded liability, member counts, ARC coverage, and 23-year financial history for Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund — 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 · Texas · Police & Fire Plan · Data through FY2023

Financial Health Grade

Underfunded — significant gap between assets and liabilities

Funded Ratio

75.9%

actuarial assets / liabilities

Unfunded Liability

$1.62B

actuarial shortfall

Total Members

7,369

active + retired + vested

1-Year Return

14.1%

net investment return

4.4pp vs 5-yr avg

5-Year Avg Return

9.7%

annualized, net of fees

ARC Payment

43.8%

of actuarially required contribution

How Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund Funded Ratio Compares

Plan Funded Ratio 75.9%

National avg

A ratio of 75.9% 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	75.9%	N/A	N/A	N/A
2023	72.0%	$5.11B	$1.99B	7,369
2022	72.2%	$5.09B	$1.96B	7,294
2021	71.6%	$5.26B	$2.08B	7,268
2020	73.8%	$4.10B	$1.46B	7,254
2019	75.6%	$4.24B	$1.37B	7,451
2018	75.3%	$4.17B	$1.37B	7,354
2017	74.7%	$4.03B	$1.36B	7,361
2016	74.7%	$3.73B	$1.26B	7,275
2015	74.1%	$3.88B	$1.35B	7,021
2014	72.8%	$3.91B	$1.46B	6,829
2013	71.4%	$3.43B	$1.37B	6,659
2012	73.1%	$3.18B	$1.17B	6,586
2011	76.0%	$3.20B	$1.01B	6,594
2010	80.1%	$2.72B	$676M	6,528
2009	85.7%	$2.37B	$395M	6,507
2008	89.4%	$3.03B	$359M	6,344
2007	93.0%	$2.97B	$223M	6,142
2006	94.5%	$2.57B	$150M	6,072
2005	97.2%	$2.29B	$66M	6,037

What the Data Says About Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund

Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund reports a funded ratio of 75.9% as of fiscal year 2023, earning a financial health grade of C in the Public Plans Database. The plan holds $5.11B in market assets against an unfunded liability of $1.62B. As a Police & Fire plan operating under Texas sponsorship, it covers 7,369 members (3,685 active contributors, 3,529 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 43.8% of the Annual Required Contribution in the most recent reporting cycle, while the plan posted a 5-year average investment return of 9.7%. The relationship between contribution adequacy and investment performance determines whether the unfunded liability narrows or expands year over year.

For Texas taxpayers and plan members, the $1.62B 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 Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund rely on the full faith and credit of Texas — 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

3,685

Active Members

3,529

Retirees

7,369

Total Members

Plan Details

Plan Type: Police & Fire
State: Texas
Market Assets: $5.11B
ARC Payment: 43.8%

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

Other Texas Plans

Houston Municipal 88.0%
Dallas Police and Fire 87.2%
Texas County & District Retirement System 77.0%
Dallas ERS 75.0%
Austin Police 74.3%

All Texas plans →

Related Resources

Pension Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund fully funded?

Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund has a funded ratio of 75.9% 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 Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund runs out of money?

Public pension plans like Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund are backed by the sponsoring government entity — in this case Texas. 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 75.9% mean?

A funded ratio of 75.9% means that Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund currently has assets equal to 75.9% of its projected benefit obligations. The unfunded liability — the gap between assets and liabilities — stands at $1.62B. This represents a moderate funding gap that requires ongoing monitoring.

How does Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund compare to other public pensions?

Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund is a Police & Fire plan in Texas serving 7,369 members. Nationally, the average funded ratio for public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database is approximately 72–75%. Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund's funded ratio of 75.9% places it near the national average.

How many members does Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund have?

Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund covers 7,369 total members, including 3,685 active employees and 3,529 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 Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund?

Houston Firefighters Relief and Retirement Fund pays 43.8% 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