Unfunded Liability
$840M
actuarial shortfall
FY2023 data · Public Plans Database
Louisiana Municipal Employees
Louisiana Municipal Employees's complete funding picture: assets, unfunded liability, member counts, and investment returns over a 23-year span, as reported to the Public Plans Database (Boston College CRR) and cross-referenced with actuarial valuations.
By PlainPension · · Louisiana · Municipal Plan · Data through FY2023
- Funded ratio
- 58.4%
- Health grade
- DLower reported funded ratio in this dataset
- Market assets
- $1.18B
- Members
- 17,626
According to the Public Plans Database, compiled by the Boston College Center for Retirement Research, Louisiana Municipal Employees is one of 197 public pension plans tracked nationwide. The plan card reports FY2023 valuation figures; the multi-year table includes FY2024 where PPD published it; this site’s database copy was last loaded in July 2026. See our methodology for the full source and update cadence.
Total Members
17,626
active + retired + vested
1-Year Return
5.5%
net investment return
-0.7pp vs 5-yr avg
5-Year Avg Return
6.3%
annualized, net of fees
How Louisiana Municipal Employees Funded Ratio Compares
Plan Funded Ratio 58.4%
National avg
A ratio of 58.4% 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 |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 58.2% |
| 2023 | 58.4% |
| 2022 | 58.0% |
| 2021 | 57.5% |
| 2020 | 55.1% |
| 2019 | 54.3% |
| 2018 | 52.4% |
| 2017 | 52.1% |
| 2016 | 51.8% |
| 2015 | 50.8% |
| 2014 | 49.6% |
| 2013 | 46.8% |
| 2012 | 45.0% |
| 2011 | 43.4% |
| 2010 | 41.4% |
| 2009 | 39.5% |
| 2008 | 38.6% |
| 2007 | 60.1% |
| 2006 | 63.4% |
| 2005 | 64.4% |
What the Data Says About Louisiana Municipal Employees
Louisiana Municipal Employees reports a funded ratio of 58.4% as of fiscal year 2023, earning a financial health grade of D in the Public Plans Database. The plan holds $1.18B in market assets against an unfunded liability of $840M. As a Municipal plan operating under Louisiana sponsorship, it covers 17,626 members (6,539 active contributors, 4,988 retirees drawing benefits).
Louisiana Municipal Employees's funded ratio lands close to the middle of the national distribution, 17 points below the 75.5% national average across tracked plans. A 5-year average investment return of 6.3% factors into the plan's overall trajectory.
For Louisiana taxpayers and plan members, the $840M 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
6,539
Active Members
4,988
Retirees
17,626
Total Members
Plan Details
- Plan Type
- Municipal
- State
- Louisiana
- Market Assets
- $1.18B
Source: Public Plans Database (PPD)
Boston College CRR / NASRA
Boston College CRR / NASRA
Plans With a Similar Funded Ratio
The closest plans nationwide to Louisiana Municipal Employees's 58.4% funded ratio.
Other Louisiana Plans
- Baton Rouge City Parish Retirement System 99.5%
- Louisiana State Parochial Employees 97.0%
- Louisiana Municipal Police 89.7%
- Louisiana Schools 77.5%
- New Orleans Employees' Retirement System 75.8%
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Louisiana Municipal Employees fully funded?
Louisiana Municipal Employees has a funded ratio of 58.4% as of FY2023, earning a health grade of D. At 100%, reported actuarial assets equal reported accrued liabilities. Plans use different assumptions and valuation methods, so ratios should be read alongside the underlying actuarial valuation.
What happens if Louisiana Municipal Employees runs out of money?
This profile is not a legal or retirement-benefit assessment. For a decision affecting Louisiana Municipal Employees, consult the plan administrator, governing documents, and a qualified professional.
What does a funded ratio of 58.4% mean?
A funded ratio of 58.4% means that Louisiana Municipal Employees currently has assets equal to 58.4% of its projected benefit obligations. The unfunded liability, the gap between assets and liabilities, stands at $840M. This level of underfunding typically requires corrective action such as increased contributions or benefit restructuring.
How does Louisiana Municipal Employees compare to other public pensions?
Louisiana Municipal Employees is a Municipal plan in Louisiana serving 17,626 members. Nationally, the average funded ratio for public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database is approximately 75.5%. Louisiana Municipal Employees's funded ratio of 58.4% places it below the national average, indicating elevated fiscal pressure.
How many members does Louisiana Municipal Employees have?
Louisiana Municipal Employees covers 17,626 total members, including 6,539 active employees and 4,988 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.