State Employees Retirement System of Illinois
public plan · State of Illinois · Springfield, IL
ACTIVE
D
Pension Health Score
37/100
Funding Status39% Funded
0%80% threshold100%
$17.9B
Total Assets
$46.3B
Total Liabilities
$28.4B
Unfunded Liability
159,152
Participants
Funding History
What This Means for You
State Employees Retirement System of Illinois is significantly underfunded at 39%, with $28.4B in unfunded liabilities affecting 159,152 participants. Plans at this funding level face difficult choices: raising contributions substantially, reducing future benefit accruals, or in extreme cases, applying for benefit suspensions. The PBGC has flagged this plan as critical status. Public plans cannot declare bankruptcy, but severe underfunding may lead to reduced cost-of-living adjustments or increased employee contributions. If you are a participant, it is important to understand your options and consider diversifying your retirement income sources.
Year-by-Year Funding
| Year | Assets | Liabilities | Funding Ratio | Contributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $17.9B | $46.3B | 38.7% | $826.0M |
| 2024 | $17.2B | $40.4B | 42.5% | $944.0M |
| 2023 | $17.2B | $46.8B | 36.7% | $856.7M |
| 2022 | $16.3B | $60.5B | 26.9% | $1.1B |
| 2021 | $15.3B | $41.9B | 36.6% | $915.5M |