Plan

Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust Fund

State

Tennessee

Funded Ratio

98.2%

Assets

$3.97B

Members

26,095

Health Grade: B — Adequately funded — meeting most funding benchmarks

FY2023 data Grade B Public Plans Database

Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust Fund

Funded ratio, unfunded liability, member counts, ARC coverage, and 23-year financial history for Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust 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 · Tennessee · General State Plan · Data through FY2023

Financial Health Grade

Adequately funded — meeting most funding benchmarks

Funded Ratio

98.2%

actuarial assets / liabilities

Unfunded Liability

$73M

actuarial shortfall

Total Members

26,095

active + retired + vested

1-Year Return

7.5%

net investment return

-1.0pp vs 5-yr avg

5-Year Avg Return

8.5%

annualized, net of fees

ARC Payment

29.5%

of actuarially required contribution

How Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust Fund Funded Ratio Compares

Plan Funded Ratio 98.2%

National avg

A ratio of 98.2% 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	98.2%	N/A	N/A	N/A
2023	95.8%	$3.97B	$174M	26,095
2022	94.9%	$4.05B	$218M	25,717
2021	95.5%	$4.20B	$197M	25,251
2020	90.9%	$3.27B	$327M	25,265
2019	88.7%	$3.25B	$415M	24,641
2018	87.9%	$3.12B	$428M	24,028
2017	88.0%	$2.97B	$405M	23,260
2016	85.9%	$2.69B	$441M	23,702
2015	86.1%	$2.76B	$444M	23,588
2014	89.3%	$2.70B	$325M	22,931
2013	83.9%	$2.34B	$448M	23,626
2012	77.0%	$2.12B	$633M	23,264
2011	78.6%	$2.14B	$584M	22,903
2010	80.7%	$1.81B	$432M	22,110
2009	84.3%	$1.60B	$299M	20,881
2008	85.5%	$2.07B	$351M	20,545
2007	94.8%	$2.14B	$117M	20,009
2006	96.2%	$1.81B	$72M	20,009
2005	93.0%	$1.61B	$121M	19,612

What the Data Says About Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust Fund

Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust Fund reports a funded ratio of 98.2% as of fiscal year 2023, earning a financial health grade of B in the Public Plans Database. The plan holds $3.97B in market assets against an unfunded liability of $73M. As a General State plan operating under Tennessee sponsorship, it covers 26,095 members (12,146 active contributors, 10,024 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 above 80% signals that Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust Fund has substantial assets to meet projected obligations, placing it above the national public-pension average of roughly 72–75%. Employer contributions covered 29.5% of the Annual Required Contribution in the most recent reporting cycle, while the plan posted a 5-year average investment return of 8.5%. The relationship between contribution adequacy and investment performance determines whether the unfunded liability narrows or expands year over year.

For Tennessee taxpayers and plan members, the $73M 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 Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust Fund rely on the full faith and credit of Tennessee — 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

12,146

Active Members

10,024

Retirees

26,095

Total Members

Plan Details

Plan Type: General State
State: Tennessee
Market Assets: $3.97B
ARC Payment: 29.5%

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

Other Tennessee Plans

Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System 72.6%
Knox County Teachers' DB Plan 70.4%

All Tennessee plans →

Related Resources

Pension Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust Fund fully funded?

Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust Fund has a funded ratio of 98.2% as of FY2023, earning a health grade of B. 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 Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust Fund runs out of money?

Public pension plans like Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust Fund are backed by the sponsoring government entity — in this case Tennessee. 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 98.2% mean?

A funded ratio of 98.2% means that Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust Fund currently has assets equal to 98.2% of its projected benefit obligations. The unfunded liability — the gap between assets and liabilities — stands at $73M. This is considered adequately funded.

How does Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust Fund compare to other public pensions?

Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust Fund is a General State plan in Tennessee serving 26,095 members. Nationally, the average funded ratio for public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database is approximately 72–75%. Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust Fund's funded ratio of 98.2% places it above the national average, reflecting strong fiscal management.

How many members does Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust Fund have?

Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust Fund covers 26,095 total members, including 12,146 active employees and 10,024 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 Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust Fund?

Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Employees Benefit Trust Fund pays 29.5% 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