Plan

Kansas City Missouri Employees' Retirement System

State

Missouri

Funded Ratio

76.0%

Assets

$1.16B

Members

6,033

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

FY2023 data Grade C Public Plans Database

Kansas City Missouri Employees' Retirement System

Funded ratio, unfunded liability, member counts, ARC coverage, and 23-year financial history for Kansas City Missouri Employees' Retirement System — 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 · Missouri · General State Plan · Data through FY2023

Financial Health Grade

Underfunded — significant gap between assets and liabilities

Funded Ratio

76.0%

actuarial assets / liabilities

Unfunded Liability

$366M

actuarial shortfall

Total Members

6,033

active + retired + vested

1-Year Return

10.0%

net investment return

0.5pp vs 5-yr avg

5-Year Avg Return

9.5%

annualized, net of fees

ARC Payment

28.5%

of actuarially required contribution

How Kansas City Missouri Employees' Retirement System Funded Ratio Compares

Plan Funded Ratio 76.0%

National avg

A ratio of 76.0% 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	76.0%	N/A	N/A	N/A
2023	76.7%	$1.16B	$352M	6,033
2022	82.7%	$1.21B	$253M	5,780
2021	83.4%	$1.34B	$267M	5,868
2020	80.7%	$1.10B	$263M	5,944
2019	80.1%	$1.17B	$290M	5,881
2018	81.5%	$1.15B	$261M	5,855
2017	89.9%	$1.09B	$122M	5,681
2016	96.1%	$1.02B	$41M	5,624
2015	96.7%	$1.09B	$37M	5,582
2014	97.2%	$1.03B	$30M	5,518
2013	94.8%	$947M	$52M	5,531
2012	90.8%	$865M	$88M	5,515
2011	96.0%	$886M	$37M	5,639
2010	104.4%	$795M	$-34M	5,393
2009	112.8%	$640M	$-73M	5,496
2008	99.1%	$883M	$8M	5,701
2007	131.2%	$914M	$-217M	5,565
2006	127.4%	$829M	$-178M	5,399
2005	122.9%	$717M	$-134M	5,404

What the Data Says About Kansas City Missouri Employees' Retirement System

Kansas City Missouri Employees' Retirement System reports a funded ratio of 76.0% as of fiscal year 2023, earning a financial health grade of C in the Public Plans Database. The plan holds $1.16B in market assets against an unfunded liability of $366M. As a General State plan operating under Missouri sponsorship, it covers 6,033 members (3,016 active contributors, 2,793 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 28.5% of the Annual Required Contribution in the most recent reporting cycle, while the plan posted a 5-year average investment return of 9.5%. The relationship between contribution adequacy and investment performance determines whether the unfunded liability narrows or expands year over year.

For Missouri taxpayers and plan members, the $366M 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 Kansas City Missouri Employees' Retirement System rely on the full faith and credit of Missouri — 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

3,016

Active Members

2,793

Retirees

6,033

Total Members

Plan Details

Plan Type: General State
State: Missouri
Market Assets: $1.16B
ARC Payment: 28.5%

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

Other Missouri Plans

Kansas City Police 98.6%
Missouri State Employees Retirement System 97.2%
St. Louis Police 95.5%
Missouri Public School and Education Employees Retirement Systems 86.7%
St. Louis Firemen 86.2%

All Missouri plans →

Related Resources

Pension Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kansas City Missouri Employees' Retirement System fully funded?

Kansas City Missouri Employees' Retirement System has a funded ratio of 76.0% 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 Kansas City Missouri Employees' Retirement System runs out of money?

Public pension plans like Kansas City Missouri Employees' Retirement System are backed by the sponsoring government entity — in this case Missouri. 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 76.0% mean?

A funded ratio of 76.0% means that Kansas City Missouri Employees' Retirement System currently has assets equal to 76.0% of its projected benefit obligations. The unfunded liability — the gap between assets and liabilities — stands at $366M. This represents a moderate funding gap that requires ongoing monitoring.

How does Kansas City Missouri Employees' Retirement System compare to other public pensions?

Kansas City Missouri Employees' Retirement System is a General State plan in Missouri serving 6,033 members. Nationally, the average funded ratio for public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database is approximately 72–75%. Kansas City Missouri Employees' Retirement System's funded ratio of 76.0% places it near the national average.

How many members does Kansas City Missouri Employees' Retirement System have?

Kansas City Missouri Employees' Retirement System covers 6,033 total members, including 3,016 active employees and 2,793 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 Kansas City Missouri Employees' Retirement System?

Kansas City Missouri Employees' Retirement System pays 28.5% 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.

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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