Plan

Vermont Teachers Retirement System

State

Vermont

Funded Ratio

96.6%

Assets

$2.53B

Members

22,047

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

FY2023 data Grade B Public Plans Database

Vermont Teachers Retirement System

Funded ratio, unfunded liability, member counts, ARC coverage, and 23-year financial history for Vermont Teachers 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 · Vermont · Teachers Plan · Data through FY2023

Financial Health Grade

Adequately funded — meeting most funding benchmarks

Funded Ratio

96.6%

actuarial assets / liabilities

Unfunded Liability

$90M

actuarial shortfall

Total Members

22,047

active + retired + vested

1-Year Return

8.0%

net investment return

-1.1pp vs 5-yr avg

5-Year Avg Return

9.1%

annualized, net of fees

ARC Payment

15.6%

of actuarially required contribution

How Vermont Teachers Retirement System Funded Ratio Compares

Plan Funded Ratio 96.6%

National avg

A ratio of 96.6% 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	96.6%	N/A	N/A	N/A
2023	96.6%	$2.53B	$90M	22,047
2022	96.1%	$2.34B	$95M	21,620
2021	94.2%	$2.42B	$150M	20,972
2020	90.5%	$1.95B	$205M	20,726
2019	87.7%	$1.90B	$268M	20,195
2018	87.3%	$1.83B	$266M	19,948
2017	86.3%	$1.74B	$276M	19,812
2016	84.6%	$1.62B	$294M	19,429
2015	85.6%	$1.65B	$279M	19,232
2014	85.3%	$1.71B	$295M	18,778
2013	81.0%	$1.55B	$365M	18,595
2012	82.6%	$1.49B	$314M	18,431
2011	88.0%	$1.52B	$207M	17,775
2010	91.0%	$1.31B	$129M	17,373
2009	97.0%	$1.15B	$35M	17,430
2008	104.0%	$1.50B	$-58M	16,945
2007	110.0%	$1.65B	$-150M	16,608
2006	108.7%	$1.43B	$-115M	16,334
2005	107.6%	$1.33B	$-94M	15,904

What the Data Says About Vermont Teachers Retirement System

Vermont Teachers Retirement System reports a funded ratio of 96.6% as of fiscal year 2023, earning a financial health grade of B in the Public Plans Database. The plan holds $2.53B in market assets against an unfunded liability of $90M. As a Teachers plan operating under Vermont sponsorship, it covers 22,047 members (10,618 active contributors, 10,431 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 Vermont Teachers Retirement System has substantial assets to meet projected obligations, placing it above the national public-pension average of roughly 72–75%. Employer contributions covered 15.6% of the Annual Required Contribution in the most recent reporting cycle, while the plan posted a 5-year average investment return of 9.1%. The relationship between contribution adequacy and investment performance determines whether the unfunded liability narrows or expands year over year.

For Vermont taxpayers and plan members, the $90M 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 Vermont Teachers Retirement System rely on the full faith and credit of Vermont — 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

10,618

Active Members

10,431

Retirees

22,047

Total Members

Plan Details

Plan Type: Teachers
State: Vermont
Market Assets: $2.53B
ARC Payment: 15.6%

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

Other Vermont Plans

Vermont State Employees Retirement System 77.5%
Burlington ERS 64.4%
Vermont Municipal Employees N/A

All Vermont plans →

Related Resources

Pension Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Vermont Teachers Retirement System fully funded?

Vermont Teachers Retirement System has a funded ratio of 96.6% 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 Vermont Teachers Retirement System runs out of money?

Public pension plans like Vermont Teachers Retirement System are backed by the sponsoring government entity — in this case Vermont. 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 96.6% mean?

A funded ratio of 96.6% means that Vermont Teachers Retirement System currently has assets equal to 96.6% of its projected benefit obligations. The unfunded liability — the gap between assets and liabilities — stands at $90M. This is considered adequately funded.

How does Vermont Teachers Retirement System compare to other public pensions?

Vermont Teachers Retirement System is a Teachers plan in Vermont serving 22,047 members. Nationally, the average funded ratio for public pension plans tracked by the Public Plans Database is approximately 72–75%. Vermont Teachers Retirement System's funded ratio of 96.6% places it above the national average, reflecting strong fiscal management.

How many members does Vermont Teachers Retirement System have?

Vermont Teachers Retirement System covers 22,047 total members, including 10,618 active employees and 10,431 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 Vermont Teachers Retirement System?

Vermont Teachers Retirement System pays 15.6% 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